LONDON.- The Design Museum announces the longlist for the fifth annual Designs of the Year Awards. Showcasing a year in design, the 2012 longlist is a celebration of the best in global designs. Industry experts have nominated innovative and engaging designs across seven categories: Architecture, Digital, Fashion, Furniture, Graphics, Product and Transport.

The longlist covers an eclectic mix of designs including the Olympic Torch 2012 for London, designed by Barber Osgerby, the Duchess of Cambridge’s Wedding Dress, designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen and a wind-propelled Landmine Detonator which cost $40 to produce. Nominations also include the Kinect for Xbox 360, the first ever Virtual Tesco Store, the Olympic 2012 Velodrome and a pop-up cinema (Folly for a Flyover) in Hackney, East London.

Yves Béhar winner of the inaugural Design of the Year in 2008 for his One Laptop per Child, continues his run of being nominated in each year since the awards inception, this year Béhar is nominated for his JAMBOX wireless music speaker. Bethan Laura Wood, a previous Designer in Residence at the Design Museum, receives her first two nominations in this year’s awards, her Totem Chandelier and Moon Rock tables, both of which were showcased at Milan’s Salone del Mobile in 2011 are nominated in the Product and Furniture category.

All of the nominations will be on show at the Designs of the Year exhibition at the Design Museum from 8 February – 15 July 2012. From this comprehensive list of nominations, a prestigious jury will select the seven category winners and an overall winner for the Design of the Year 2012. The winners will be announced at an Awards Night held at the Design Museum on 24 April.

Exhibition curator Ria Hawthorn comments ‘From the everyday practicality of a carefully crafted dining chair to the thought-provoking solar powered 3D printing machine that points to the future, this year’s nominees reflect the diversity of design in all its forms, showcasing designs that will have an impact on our everyday and future lives’.

For the full list please click here