VOX Industrie - design management europe award

VOX before
design
thinking
At the beginning of the 1990s, when VOX was founded, almost nobody
in Poland had heard about design management, and design itself was
associated with something exotic, strange, suitable for a narrow group
of artists, but certainly not for ordinary people.
The furniture industry was developing very dynamically but there was
a lack of strong brands and good designs. In the mid 1990s, while everybody was imitating ready patterns from the West, VOX was one of the first
manufacturers to start creating furniture collections. This turned out to be
a great success. The clients expected not only simple satisfaction of their
needs; they wanted to receive a product which would allow them to feel
special. By fulfilling this need VOX became the leader in the Central-East
European market.
A conscious consumer needs
design and not imitation. Distinction
and not uniformity. Individualization
of space, and not only usual
satisfaction of needs.
We took up the challenge.
VOX FURNITURE
From standard products
to uniqueness in standard
Design as a driving force behind changes.
In 2000 VOX started to cooperate with outsourcing designers, and four years later it already had its own department responsible for design. The success of the first collections clearly showed the power lying dormant in original designs. Individual design became a way to carry out the company’s strategy, which intended the production of functional and durable furniture at an affordable price for an average client. VOX creates furniture accessible for a broad group
of consumers but in a way that everybody can feel special.
It is not a big dea
deall to create
du
urable furniture.
functional and durable
It is a big deal to make the good
design stand out from other
du
urable furniture
functional and durable
Design management is a way to carry out the strategy.
Thanks to such thinking, VOX became, from a furniture manufacturer, also a manufacturer and supplier of decorative goods for interiors dedicated to individual collections – of paintings, graphics, ceramics, fabrics and bed linen.
Original collections of furniture developed at that time have been very popular until today. VOX influenced and shaped the tastes of its clients, and from 2006 started a regular educational campaign aiming at introducing the clients as well
as designers to the role that design should fulfil in a well managed company. VOX established cooperation with the Poznań Academy of Fine Arts, whose students regularly do work experience there, and started to publish the quarterly
VOX Design devoted to design, and has become involved in various artistic and design events aimed at the promotion of good design in Poland.
Design management drives all elements of the company’s functioning.
1.We analyse
the market and trends.
2. We appoint a team
of specialists from
various fields that
diagnoses the clients’
needs.
3. We create concepts
and test them.
5. We test products
paying special attention to among other
things ergonomics,
functionality and
durability, and we
carry out consumer
tests.
6. We prepare furniture
prototypes.
7. We care about
the Corporate Identity.
abou
ut creating
It is not only about
arre means to create
furniture. They are
cond
ditions for people,
better living conditions
everybod
dy to feel special.
to allow everybody
Design management first of all.
We focused on ed
ducation because
education
we want to sprea
ad awareness
spread
of the significanc
e of good design
cance
to the widest pos
ssible group
possible
of consumers. We
e believe that
people’s quality of
o life will then
considerably imp
prove.
improve.
Educational and sponsoring activity of VOX Industrie.
4. We brief designers
and present guidelines
of a new product.
8. We create interior
architecture and
coherent standards of
exposure in stores and
in the Internet shop
www.vox.pl
Thanks to the strategy based on design, VOX currently creates outstanding furniture and accessories that respond to the constantly changing needs of the clients.
These needs are continually researched and diagnosed by teams consisting of specialist from various fields – psychologists, sociologists, architects and technologists. Meeting the needs of clients and the market results in the creation
of unique designs, but also always accessible for the widest possible group of consumers.
Focusing on design management has meant that VOX is also a pioneer in researching and implementing new trends on the Polish market. It cooperates with worldwide famous trend watchers to research and predict tendencies which
have a chance to last on the market. It was exactly in this way that one of the newest VOX collections – New Folk – came into being.
Since the beginning of the 1990s a lot has changed in Poland, but
the understanding of the role played by the conducting of design business
has remained a problem. That is why VOX initiated and became involved
in creating in Poznań interdisciplinary postgraduate studies within Design
Management, where international experts will lecture, among others
Prof. Roberto Verganti and Xénia Viladás.
VOX is an initiator of establishing the Design Academy in Poznań with
the original curriculum by Li Edelkoort. The aim of the Academy will be to train
designers in an inventive way, based on close cooperation with business
and developing practical skills – placements with the best design offices.
The school will be the only institution of this type in this part of Europe.
Together with the Office of the Marshal in Poznań, VOX is involved
in various undertakings promoting design, among others: “Dzień Designu 1:1”
[“Design Day 1:1”], “Design w czasach kryzysu” [“Design in time
of crisis”], “Światowe Dni Innowacji” [“World Innovation Days”] and
in co-establishing the Design Centre in Poznań.
VOX is also a patron of the arts and sponsor of numerous cultural events
and events promoting design, including the exhibition of the young Polish
designers “Polish Designers” (Milan, Berlin), workshops for designers
“Meblościanka 2008”, exhibition “Najlepsze dyplomy projektowe” [“The best
design graduation work”], “Nowy Folk Design” project [“New Folk Design”],
“2w1” [“2in1”] competition for a piece of furniture fulfilling at least two
functions, competition “Młody Mebel” [“Young Piece of Furniture”] for students
of the Warsaw Academy of Fine Arts, competition “Prodeco” organizedby
the monthly Elle Decoration, “Meblozabawka” [ “Toy Furniture”] competition
for a functionalobject that combines the function of a piece of furniture and
a toy and that supports psychomotor development of children.
VOX is also a publisher of the quarterly VOX Design, devoted to the newest
trends in world design, architecture and art and among other things
presentation of new materials and technologies used in architecture and
design.
New Folk Design – conception.
Creation of outstanding products requires an extensive search: in this case the search for personal roots – the bond that will allow one to find one’s identity
in the face of omnipresent globalization and that will simultaneously enable a search for alternatives towards homogenization of life and design.
When entering the project VOX carried out ethnographic and sociological research whose result is the study “Przewodnik po polskim rękodziele ludowym”
[“Guide to Polish folk craftwork”] .
The subject turned out to be unusually inspiring and was not only limited to the new collection of furniture New Folk, commissioned by VOX and designed
by Anna Stępkowska. New Folk Design is an example of a project that far exceeded the ordinary design of furniture and that implements the idea
of searching for the identity of Polish design, and it embraced within its scope research, an educational campaign, workshops for designers and
a competition for a souvenir from Poland referring to folklore in a modern way.
New Folk Design – workshops for designers.
New Folk Design – souvenir from Poland.
Learning traditional Polish crafts, such as toy making, embroidery, lacemaking,
braid and papercutting, was the subject of workshops for designers.
The assumption was that to creatively transform Polish traditional art
it is necessary to first get to know its roots. The workshops were conducted
by Polish folk artists, and lectures were held among others by Li Edelkoort.
VOX became involved and actively participated in the project together with
the Office of the Marshal.
A doll in Krakow costume or a wooden lajkonik – there is a clear lack
of souvenirs in Poland which are modern and at the same time refer to our
traditional art. Within the project “New Folk Design” VOX became involved
in the competition to create a souvenir inspired by Polish folklore. The
winning projects will be presented during the World Innovation Days, and
those selected among them will be produced by VOX.
New Folk Design – New Folk furniture collection.
Folk elements have the character of accessories in this collection; they are a subtle reference to tradition, but they do not dominate the modern shapes of furniture. This is a response to trends that have been appearing for several years
in art, graphics and fashion to which refers the advertising campaign promoting the New Folk collection. It is possible to see in the motives a model in a white dress with a motive of parzenica [heart-shaped pattern] – the same one
that also decorates pieces of furniture. Through such an original approach VOX wants to emphasize that the design concerns all fields of our life and to show to which surprising results its competent use may lead.
The New Folk collection is a total concept comprising not only furniture but also accessories inspired by the style: photographs, carpets, ceramics, etc. Their authors are famous artists – Piotr Sikora (photographer, his exhibition “Granice”
[“Borders”] with photos of models of various nationalities in Polish folk costumes was presented in New York and several times in Poland) and designers – Anna Stępkowska, Two People. New Folk – based on roots, identity and uniqueness
– is an answer to omnipresent globalization, universalization and homogenization.
Dark-skinned Thesus from Puerto Rico and Peju from Nigeria in a traditional Krakow costume, a model whirling in dance from Japan, Natsuko, in a costume from Lublin – such universalism in folklore translates into a creative vision.
We plan marketing actions – advertising campaign of a new product, PR activities, events, educational campaigns, merchandising, etc.
outdoor
catalogue
press
Prizes and awards for the Meble VOX brand:
awards of Poznań International Fair for the VOX furniture collection in 2003–2006
Kokeshi collection – finalist of “Prodeco” competition,
Kokeshi collection – distinction in “Meble Plus – Produkt 2009” competition,
Luna Light lamp – finalist of “Dobry Wzór” competition,
Baby VOX furniture – award in “Dobry Produkt” competition.
VOX received a “Kulturalna firma” [“Cultural Company”] certificate from the monthly “Przekrój” magazine as “a token of appreciation for the company which in a particularly clear and well thought out way helps in development and propagation of culture”,
FSC certificate – for companies supporting socially and naturally responsible forestry.
indoor