The glass, with its simple yet clear and distinct style and the words “Drinking Water Austria” imprinted on it, was released in 2006 to underscore Austria’s wealth of excellent drinking water and to encourage its thoughtful use. The award of the € 7,000 Adolf Loos Prize is a double premiere: it draws attention to water not only from expert circles but a wider audience and is for the first time given to a woman! Environment Minister Josef Pröll takes much pride in the project: “This recognition clearly demonstrates the innovation potential of the public sector, in this case related to art and design, and its competitiveness with private-sector initiatives.”
Choosing from among 249 submissions in the product design/consumption goods category wasn’t an easy task for the international jury. But the “Wine & Water” glass series finally convinced the experts through its perfect blend of innovation and tradition: “The plain design and formal purity underline the ‘straight’ character of wine and water as beverages and lend this product design its remarkably expressive features.
The noble mouth-blown pieces are an original deviation from the traditional glassware. The mat engravings and the graphic ornaments do not spoil the simplicity but rather enhance the value of the glasses, making them a welcome exception from mass-produced glasses with cheap (advertising) imprints. What further adds to their charm is the obvious reference to Austria.”
After the showcase of the two glasses at the Design Korea 2007 Conference in Seoul, some of the 2007 Adolf Loos Prize winners will also be on display next year at other international events, such as at the Northrhine-Westphalia Design Centre in Germany in early 2008.
(Source: aqua press Int. 4/2007)
