BRP announces winners of International Design Competition
BRP Inc. has announced that 42 students from six universities, all north of the 45th parallel, took part in its 5th annual design contest, which took place between September 9 and December 20, 2022.
Participants were asked to design an alternative personal transportation device capable of accommodating an occasional passenger and offering storage space for daily needs. The product had to facilitate access to and from cities in a safe and sustainable manner. Participants also had to consider cold-climate operations such as snow and ice.
“The participants demonstrated creativity, ingenuity and foresight as they tackled important issues pertaining to sustainable urban mobility. I thank them for their hard work and dedication in creating innovative solutions and concepts. I would also like to extend my gratitude to professors and mentors, as well as to our jury members,” says Denys Lapointe, Chief Design Officer at BRP. “It is an honor for the BRP team to encourage the professional development of young design talents, who will eventually contribute to creating a better world.”
The winners
Madilynn Cadaret, from College for Creative Studies (Detroit, Michigan) won first prize. Madilynn won the jury members over with her autonomous vehicle concept and her audacious presentation of a 1+1 personal transportation device that is accessible to three generations and can be used by people with impaired mobility.
She was very thorough in her analysis, and as a result, her concept was particularly original. She recommended translucent lateral panels and included an interesting tire concept to allow for excellent performance in the harshest conditions. She went as far as detailing the interior of the device and recommending the use of sustainable materials.
Madilynn will be offered a six-month, paid internship at BRP’s Laurent Beaudoin Design & Innovation Center, located in Valcourt, Canada.
Arash Dehsaraeisabet, also from College for Creative Studies, finished in second place, earning a prize of 2,000 euros ($2,165 USD). Arash presented an innovative two-in-one concept, a scooter that can transform into a one-wheeler for an easier ride to the destination.
The jury members appreciated his extensive research in line with the challenge of this year’s competition. Arash came up with a minimalist device architecture and clever solutions to deal with winter imperatives such as snow and ice. He presented a product that stands out for its circular design, which allows for the integration of a completely retractable roof.
Finally, Yingqi Wu from Université du Québec à Montréal took home the third place, earning a monetary prize of 1,000 euros ($1,082 USD). The jury was impressed by the overall form of Yingqi’s design. His presentation was very detailed, and he also included an attractive two-in-one solution to get in and out of the city, using the main pod for longer distances and turning it into a skateboard type of system for the last mile.
Honing their skills
The competition allows students to put their academic, technical and creative skills to use while benefiting from advice and mentoring from BRP employees. For the first time in its history, the competition was endorsed by the World Design Organization, as participants were challenged to consider and incorporate some of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals in their concepts.
Winners were announced during Arctic Design Week in Rovaniemi, Finland, a weeklong forum that promotes northern design expertise and business while inspiring designers, students, scientists and artists from around the globe. In addition, the competition’s ten finalists attended Arctic Design Week, along with some of their professors and members of the BRP team.
