LONDON, May 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In 2019, BE OPEN and Cumulus joined forces to hold an international competition for students and graduates of creative courses of universities. The competition 'Second Life of Things in Design' became an integral part of Cumulus Green 2020: For A New Circular Economy, and was inspired by the United Nation's SDG programme.

SDGs were adopted by all United Nations Member States as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030. Students of arts, design and architecture-related university courses were encouraged to submit works that demonstrate a creative, design-oriented take on the problems of sustainability, wiser production and consumption formulated by SDG12.

The three winners have been selected out of a total of 683 submissions from 44 countries, and they will receive the prizes of €5,000, €3,000, €2,000 from each BE OPEN and Cumulus.

The first prize goes to Valerio Di Giannantonio, a Master's student at Iceland University of the Arts for his FiloSkin, a speculative product made of microalga capable of producing oxygen and filtering CO2. Filoskin might mitigate environmental problems while adapting humans to pollution conditions.

The second prize goes to Natalie Ferry and Stefano Pagani, BFA students in Product Design at Parsons School of Design, The New School in New York, for their Bloom, a network of bio-reactors composed of an algae-based, 3D-printed structure that may make algae-based biofuel a reality.

The third prize goes to Frida van der Drift Breivik and Frøya Thue, Master's Students at The Oslo School of Architecture and Design in Norway, for the concept of DYPP. It explores the potential of seaweed as bioplastic, from introducing a new biomaterial to challenging packaging as we see it today.

In addition to the three winners, the judges selected 50 honorable mentions, out of which two more winners of 'Second Life of Things in Design' will be named: one selected by the founder of BE OPEN Elena Baturina, and one selected by an open online vote. Both of the winners will receive €2,000.

Elena Baturina, BE OPEN Founder explains the purpose of the competition: "It's vital to give younger creative minds all the support they need to bring their ideas to fruition, because it is the originality of thought that is required to make any breakthrough, and younger people possess that originality. BE OPEN's whole aim is to support, promote and help realize ideas that will actually change the world for the better. At the same time, we are looking to support the people who are capable of producing these ideas and giving them the inspiration and confidence to progress them."

Mariana Amatullo, PhD, President, Cumulus, Vice Provost for Global Strategic Initiatives, The New School comments "We are delighted to partner with BE OPEN in this companion competition initiative. I wish to extend my sincere gratitude to BE OPEN for their generous support in celebrating the winning projects with Cumulus. We are thrilled that the students behind the 50 honorable projects will now have the opportunity to be recognized with two important additional prizes. At this time of mostly difficult news in the context of the COVID-19 global pandemic, it is critical for associations such as Cumulus to come together with partners such as BE OPEN to shine the spotlight on the talent of our next generation of design leaders who are imagining a more sustainable world."

The awards ceremony and celebration of all the winners will become part of Cumulus's 30^th Anniversary assembly and educational conference.

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SOURCE BE OPEN Foundation