Paul Mijksenaar Design for Function Award 2011 from Mijksenaar on Vimeo.
A posthumous tribute to Edward Hines, whose genius led to white centerlines on streets and motorways in 1911.
(With kind permission of the MDOT Photo/Video unit)
Paul Mijksenaar introduces his Award
‘The succesful presentation of the ‘Paul Mijksenaar Design for Function Award 2011’ took place on November 2 in Amsterdam.
‘An idea, a great idea!’ White lines down the middle of the road: What could be more obvious? And yet they were once – in 1911, to be exact – a brilliant new idea.
Paul Mijksenaar introduces Edward N. Hines
Thanks to the enormous contribution this concept has made to traffic safety, the first ‘Paul Mijksenaar Design for Function Award’ goes posthumously to Edward N. Hines (1870-1938), who conceived the white centerline 100 years ago.
The ‘Paul Mijksenaar Design for Function Award 2011’ is a posthumous tribute to Edward Hines, whose genius led to white centerlines on streets and motorways.
White lines down the middle of the road: What could be more obvious? And yet they were once – in 1911, to be exact – a brilliant new idea. In Michigan, Edward N. Hines, a member of the Wayne County Road Commission, saw a leaky milk wagon leaving a liquid trail on a dusty roadway. It made him think of painting white lines down the centre of the road to create lanes that would clearly separate traffic moving in opposite directions.
Read the complete press release (PDF)
Persbericht in Nederlands (PDF)
The ‘Paul Mijksenaar Design for Function Award’, a new prize bi-annual introduced to honour useful designs.
The aim of this award is to promote design with a distinct focus on three criteria: durability, utility and beauty.* Combining the promotion of good design with recognition for the designer, the prize will be given to the maker or makers of a product or an oeuvre in the field of functional design.
The Paul Mijksenaar Design for Function Award 2011 will be hosted at the Special Collections of the University of Amsterdam on November 2, 2011.
More information: About the Award
*These criteria for satisfactory functional design are derived from the canon of architect Vitruvius (25 BC).
On Wednesday, November 2, 2011, a unique event commemorating the 25th anniversary of Mijksenaar bv has been organized by the Special Collections Department of the University of Amsterdam. The Amsterdam design agency, well known for its expertise in wayfinding and information design and the Paul Mijksenaar Foundation in celebrating this milestone with a gift to the Special Collections Department of the University of Amsterdam and the presentation of a new award.
Read the complete press release (PDF)
Persbericht in Nederlands (PDF)
