‘Shadow’ wall tile places in international Red Dot competition

Guangzhou, China-based Bentu Design’s recycled ceramic wall tiles placed in the Red Dot Award: Project Design competition as the lone concrete item. The product was designed in response to an increase of ceramic waste being illegally dumped in remote Asian villages, and ultimately polluting the local environment.

The wall tiles are produced by mixing 60 percent ceramic waste that is ground into a fine aggregate with self-developed concrete. Sawdust fiber is added to enhance toughness and reduce weight. Using the light and shadow imaging principle, the product design presents different shades of shadow by using different depth of grooves, resulting in a strong three-dimensional effect. The geometric pattern itself is decorative and artistic.

The Red Dot Award: Product Design 2017 competition saw a record 5,500-plus entries from 54 countries, with 1,405 innovations garnering the coveted Red Dot. The international jury, which consisted of 39 independent designers, design professors and specialist journalists, convened in Essen, Germany, to assess each individual object live and in situ in a process spanning several days.

On July 3, Red Dot organizer Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen will hold an award ceremony to honor the 102 “Best of the Best” winners at the Aalto-Theater in Essen. Red Dot and Honorable Mention winners will be recognized during the after-party held at the Red Dot Design Museum.