The Biennial of Industrial Design (BIO) is a comparative international exhibition of industrial design, visual communications and design concepts. Every two years the Biennial presents the achievements of designers, commissioners, producers and students.

The works presented at BIO are all carefully selected and critically evaluated.

As the Organiser of the Biennial, the BIO Secretariat issues an invitation to participate in the exhibition, and the Selection Committee, which the Secretariat appoints for each Biennial, selects the works to be exhibited. An international Jury reviews and evaluates the selected and exhibited products, visual communications and design concepts and presents the Biennial’s awards.

At BIO 21 the focus will be on design projects that propose creative and innovative solutions to the problems of life today, are oriented toward sustainable development and social responsibility and address the special needs of various groups of users.

Conditions for Participation
Works may be entered by designers, commissioners, producers, mentors and students. The following works may be entered:

A. Products: Design products in regular production or in at least 0-series production, or unique products.

B. Visual Communications: Corporate identities and industrial products displaying the design unity of a particular organisation – house style, orientation systems, functional sign systems, information graphics, product graphics.

C. Design Concepts: Design concepts and student works. This group includes products created as prototypes or three dimensional models, as well as visual communication concepts.

The entered items and design concepts should not have been in production or designed before 1 January 2006. Only one work may be submitted per entry form except when submitting a series of items, in which case this must be clearly stated in the entry form.

The BIO Secretariat must receive all completed entry documentation as well as the entry fee payment by the deadline for entries. Entries received after the deadline will not be considered.

Entry Procedure
Entries for BIO 21 will be accepted between 18 February and 11 April 2008. Entries may be submitted either via the BIO website or by post.

1. Via the website: Works may be entered and the entry fee paid on the website www.bio.si. This entry procedure is simple, fast and reliable.

2. By post: The BIO entry form, which is available at www.bio.si, must be completed electronically. Entry forms completed by hand will not be accepted. A CD with the entry documentation as well as proof of payment of the entry fee (voucher, postal order, etc.) must be enclosed with the entry form when sent by post. Entries without the entry fee paid in full will not be valid.

Required Entry Documentation
1. The completed entry form.

2. Three digital photographs with a resolution suitable for publication in the catalogue (JPG format, the longer side should measure at least 23 cm, resolution 300 dpi at 1:1 size).

3. Presentation text (no longer than 500 characters) in Slovene or English. The text should describe the characteristics and unique aspects of the work and its advantages in comparison with other products of a similar nature.

4. Curriculum vitae of the designer(s) emphasising previous work and achievements in design.

Entry Fee
The entry fee for an individual work in groups A and B is 77 Euro. The entry fee for group C is 10 Euro.

The entry fee may be paid in either of the following ways:
1. Via the website: On the web page www.bio.si. Upon payment via the website, entrants will receive a confirmation notice by e-mail and an official invoice by post. Online payment is fast, secure, and reliable.

2. Through bank transfer: If paying through a bank transfer, payment order, etc., the following information must be included:

For payments from Slovenia:
Recipient: Arhitekturni muzej Ljubljana
Pot na Fuzine 2
SI – 1000 Ljubljana
TR: 01261-6030377384

For payments from outside Slovenia:
Recipient: Architecture Museum of Ljubljana
Pot na Fuzine 2
SI – 1000 Ljubljana
SWIFT code: BS LJSI2X
IBAN code: SI5601261-6030377384

Person placing the order: Payer of the entry fee (Information on the payer of the entry fee must be identical to the information stated in the entry form)

Purpose of payment: BIO 21 + Surname of designer + Group A, B, or C + Number of entry fees (Surname of the designer must be identical to the information stated in the entry form + The group in which your work is entered + The number of entry fees must match entry fees you are paying)

Entrants who have previously received BIO awards are entitled to a 50% discount on their entry fee.

Those who are eligible for the discount and are paying their entry fee through bank transfer, should enter "discount" on the "purpose of payment" line on the payment order.

The BIO Secretariat is not obliged to return entry fees to applicants whose works are not selected or who have submitted incomplete entry documentation.

Selection of BIO 21 Exhibits
Exhibits are chosen by the Selection Committee, which is composed of distinguished experts from various areas of design. The members of the Selection Committee will be announced on the website www.bio.si. The Selection Committee will meet in Ljubljana on 8 and 9 May 2008. The committee will consider all entries that are correctly completed and that have arrived at the BIO Secretariat by the stated deadline.

The committee will judge the entries based on the following criteria: innovation, the quality of the work as a whole,
pertinence, functionality, economy, social awareness and concern for sustainable development.

Entrants will be notified by post about the selection and the necessary procedures for exhibiting at the Biennial.

The selection results are final and may not be disputed.

The selection of works for the BIO 21 exhibition is fully entrusted to the selection committee. The Organiser of the
Biennial is not obliged to give any explanation about the decisions of the Selection Committee.

Awards
BIO Gold Medals
BIO Quality Concept Awards
BIO Honourable Mentions

Entry Deadline
18 February - 11 April 2008