Monday, November 10, is the deadline to enter the 2015 Salão Design competition, the biggest prize of its kind in Latin America. Held since 1988 by Sindmóveis Bento Gonçalves, Salão Design encourages creativity, entrepreneurship and technological innovation applied to furniture and accessories through design. In these 26 years, more than 11,200 projects have entered the competition. In 2015, the cash prize will total R$ 205,000 in the following classes: Student, Professional and Industry. 

The director of Salão Design, Cristiane Silveira, highlights the purpose of the award and the work of the judging panel to encourage the creation of products based on originality and identity. In compliance with the Regulations of the competition projects identified as copies will be immediately eliminated. "In practice, it is difficult to discern between original design, such as famous classics, and the design of a new object similar to it, but which presents a new detail, either in its construction or formal characteristics. Anyway, our judges have the necessary expertise to know the difference," says the director.

Salão Design management gives guidance to contestants so that their projects are not copied. Designer and museologist Ivens Fontoura, who was a member of the judging panel in 11 out of 19 competitions, recommends two immediate actions. First, promoting the design of the object as much as possible, in order to register when it was created, and also taking part in several competitions, particularly Salão Design, and publications specialized in this field. Second, registering the project and the production of the object with INPI and/or taking out  a patent. "Fairness, honesty and transparency, in addition to good luck also help," says Ivens.

Consisting of five professionals in the field of architecture and design, the members of judging panel have experience to their advantage. Four of the jurors have participated in previous editions:  architects Ilse Lang and Isabela Vecci and designers Ivens Fontoura and Leonardo Lattavo. Executive Gláucia Binda, representing the industry field, is participating for the first time. 

Entries will be evaluated in two phases, the first will be held from November 17 to 28, when the judging panel assesses the graphic projects entered and selects the finalists based on criteria that include project concept, form and function, ergonomics, degree of innovation and environmental sustainability. In the following phase, the finalists submit their products or a life-size prototype to be judged. In addition to the cash prize, the award winners receive the Salão Design Stamp, which can be used on the product as recognition of excellence in design.

November 10 is also the deadline to post and complete the projects. Registration and download of the regulations are available at www.salaodesign.com.br.