This years coveted Hettich Design Challenge was held at Australia’s designEX design exhibition on 14-16 May.

The competition saw Simon Taylor pitted against three other young up-and-coming designers to create an integrated, free standing or mobile storage solution for high-density living spaces. The theme for this year was centred on creating storage solutions for compact spaces, which goes hand-in-hand with Hettich’s range of innovative and functional space-saving products.

Each space was required to include three components from a range of ten Hettich products. These included the award-winning range of Sensys soft-closing hinges and the industry leading InnoTech drawer system.

Hettich also provided the broad range of accessories to complement the designers’ work and enhance the functionality of each of the living spaces.

Applications for the Hettich Design Challenge opened in February and generated a great deal of industry buzz, with the calibre of entrants was extremely high.

The four finalists had nearly three days to illustrate their visions, then each presented their ideas to a panel of judges including industry experts and Hettich representatives.

Simon's winning design created a minimal, living solution that optimised the space providing maximum utility. He chose a bed side table solution as it suited his own living environment using Hettich’s InnoTech soft close drawer system to stop night time noise, as well as the InnoTech push to open drawer system on Quadro runners to make drawers as discreet as possible.

Additional finishing touches to the design included Hettich LED lighting features.

Mr Taylor believed that the competition helped him to "refine and gain confidence with my design process,”

The Hettich Design Challenge 2012 stepped up from the inaugural 2011 Mystery Box Challenge in Melbourne, and has shown potential to professionally and creatively spread the Hettich brand name across the design community in Australia.