VOTE for UC Student s Design as Viewer s Choice Best!

In July, Ryan Eder’s University of Cincinnati senior project won what is arguably the world’s most prestigious professional industrial design competition – leading to the work being featured in BusinessWeek.

And now his “Best of Show” winning entry in the International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) competition is in the running for a new distinction. In a follow up to design professional around the world choosing Eder’s work as “Best of Show,” the general public gets to exercise the right to VOTE! 

(Eder's project is titled "The Access.")

With its awards ceremony only two weeks away, the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) is opening up online voting for the “Viewer’s Choice” favorite among the 20 gold-level design finalists in their annual design competition.

VOTE for Eder’s design. It’s formally titled “The Access” and can be found listed second to the bottom on the far right column of this link.

Eder, 24, of West Chester, Ohio, explained that the Viewer’s Choice Award is a final contest between all the gold medalists who were finalists in the IDEA competition. The Viewer’s Choice Award goes to only one project.

In asking for UC to vote, Eder said, “…my project is called ‘The Access.’ The voting is open to all, and it would be so appreciated if you can take the time to vote for my concept. How cool would it be to bring home the Viewer’s Choice!?!”

Said Ryan, “I entered it because I was really proud of the project, and I wanted to draw some attention to the lack of wheelchair-accessible equipment available in fitness centers. It’s an issue I’m really aware of because I immersed myself in that world during my project conception and completion.”

Eder’s design won its “Best of Show” designation and gold finalist status from among thousands of student and professional entries from more than 30 countries in the prestigious IDSA competition.

Not only did his project receive “Best of Show,” but Eder made IDEA competition history because his work is the first by a student to ever receive that No. 1 designation. (Previously, “Best of Show” honors have always gone to professional-level work.)

• Read more about Eder’s “The Access” concept.

• View BusinessWeek coverage (including a slide show) of Eder's project.

• View BusinessWeek listing of best design schools in the competition.

• Apply to UC's top-ranked  industrial design program, located in the internationally ranked College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning.