Dezeen has teamed up with Bentley to launch a global design competition calling for pioneering proposals that could have a powerful impact on how people live over the next 100 years.
The Start Something Powerful Competition challenges entrants to envision innovative architecture or design concepts that respond to rapid advancements in technology, evolving societal norms and environmental concerns to transform people's lives.
Through the design contest, Dezeen and Bentley aim to discover prototypes that could serve as a blueprint for future living, anticipating the needs, technologies and lifestyle trends for the next century.
The competition is free to enter for anyone over the age of 18 in any country around the world, with total prize money of £30,000 for the three best designs.
The competition is open for entries until 21 August 2024. The winner and runners up will be published on Dezeen in October 2024.
Brief
The Start Something Powerful Competition coincides with the launch of the new Bentley Continental GT, 100 years after W.O. Bentley unveiled the first Speed motor car to the public.
We are looking for bold, ambitious and forward-looking concepts that could reimagine the way future generations live, just like Bentley redefined the motor car in the 1920s and continues to do so today.
Proposals could include architectural or urban design concepts, product or material innovations, novel mobility or wellness solutions, or anything else that could have a transformative effect on people's lives.
Proposals must align with the Bentley brand, demonstrating the highest levels of innovation, beauty and craftsmanship.
Entrants will need to show how their ideas could be harnessed over the next century to have a significant positive impact on people's health and wellbeing, as well as on the natural environment, to empower people to live fulfilling lives for years to come.
Who can enter
The competition is free to enter for anyone over the age of 18 in any country around the world, regardless of whether they are a professional designer, non-designer or a student.
Entries from individuals or teams will be accepted and entrants may enter more than one design, if they wish. However, entrants will need to fill out and submit a separate entry form for each design they submit.
How to enter
Contestants will need to submit their entry via this form and include the following information:
- Name of the design
- A description of the idea explaining how it meets the brief (maximum 500 words)
- A minimum of five and a maximum of 10 images showcasing the idea
- (Optional) Video or animation showcasing the idea
- A declaration about any artificial-intelligence (AI) tools used
Each submitted image should be a single image, free from any logos or text. They should be JPGs with a minimum resolution of 72 dpi and a maximum file size of 1MB each.
The optional video or animation should be uploaded to an external hosting platform (such as YouTube or Vimeo) and submitted via a URL.
For teams, one member of the team should submit the entry with the rest of the team credited in the appropriate field on the form.
If an entrant wants to submit multiple entries, they should fill out and submit a separate entry form for each entry.
All entrants must read and agree to be bound by the competition terms and conditions before entering.
Judging criteria
Judges will be looking for bold, ambitious and forward-looking concepts that could reimagine the way future generations live. Entries will be judged on the following criteria:
- Innovation: How original and ambitious is the concept?
- Impact: How transformative could it be in the way people live?
- Sustainability: How well does the design mitigate environmental damage and ensure resilience to climate change?
- Brand alignment: How well does the design draw from Bentley's rich history of beauty, craftsmanship and innovation?
- Visual presentation: How strong is the submitted imagery and how well is the overall concept presented?
Use of generative AI tools
Entrants are free to use generative AI tools for their submission but must disclose what tools they have used and how.
As per Dezeen's AI policy, we favour publishing human-authored visuals and illustrations over AI-generated images. Original, characterful and visually distinct imagery created by a human will score higher for visual presentation than generic images that have clearly been created entirely by AI.
Judges
Competition entries will be judged by a panel of designers and journalists from Bentley and Dezeen.
Closing date
All entries must be received by midnight PT (Pacific Time) on 21 August 2024. Any entries received after this date will not be considered.
The finalists will be announced and published on Dezeen in October 2024.
Prizes
There is £30,000 of prize money available: a top prize of £15,000 for first place, £10,000 for second place and £5,000 for third place.
Terms and conditions
Full terms and conditions for the competition can be viewed here. All entrants must read and agree to the participation terms and conditions before entering.
Contact
Any questions about the competition and all press enquiries should be emailed to [email protected].