The winning projects from the international design contest JTI Clean City Lab, created by JT International SA (JTI) in collaboration with Future Concept Lab and under the patronage of Comune di Milano, were announced on April 11, 2013 at La Triennale di Milano. The goal of the contest is to present new urban solutions to relegate the concept of smoking areas to the past, reducing environmental impact and becoming greener. Students and professors of the four design schools participating in the contest – Politecnico di Milano, London South Bank University, IED Spain of Madrid and HEAD of Geneva – attended the prize-giving ceremony.
This year IED Spain of Madrid triumphs as winners of the first prize with its project “Nonsispegne” (Wontstubout) by Jaime Liñan and Dolores Toboso, with the second place going to “Spira” (Swirl) by Alexander D’Alessio. The jury commented on its choice: “The idea of substituting the stubs with clearly visible lights uses this negative behavior to play on the smokers’ social conscience and regenerate urban space; this is a powerful communication tool that can be used equally effectively in the city and on the web”.
On the other hand “Spira” was convincing as “a live breathing membrane attached to city lampposts (or other suitable existing urban elements) that “reacts” to smoke, unfurling to provide an area in which smoke is absorbed so that smokers and non-smokers can mingle. The dynamic nature of this project and its ability to combine aesthetics and functionality are of significant impact”.
The third prize has been awarded to “Drain Away” by Diana Csilla Toth of London South Bank University. Based on the smoker’s habit of throwing cigarette butts down drains, this project transforms a negative act into a socially acceptable ritual by creating ad hoc “drains” for smokers, with a new formal urban color code, perfectly integrated into the language and logic of the city.
The jury has also awarded a special mention for communication to “Smoketionary” created by Liliya Galabova and Mirian Miguel, once again students from Madrid’s IED Spain. This project deserves a special mention for its freshness; by observing smokers as a group, a number of common practices were identified and documented to create a brilliant mapping of opportunities for smokers, transforming the urban territory by highlighting smoking areas and related events.

The Winners

The Jury