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An open call is carried out every year.

“Sonoro” was placed in a Medellín Comuna 8 neighborhood.

The initiative competed in the Social Design category.

The four winning students were: Kevin Fonseca Laverde and Alejandra Morales Carmona from UNal-Palmira; and Marco Díaz Maya and María Adelaida of the Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana.

Universidad Nacional de Colombia (UNal) in Palmira seniors Kevin Javier Fonseca Laverde and Alejandra Morales Carmona were named winners in the Social Design category of the “A' Design Award & Competition”, awards carried out in Como (Italy), which acknowledges the best industrial design, architecture and art designs in the world. 

The proposal was refereed by 83 judges including academics, entrepreneurs and professionals. This entry was the winner among 7,000 entries from around the world. 

According to Fonseca, this award recognizes the social approach characteristic of Industrial Design at UNal-Palmira. “The institution fosters interaction among students, professors and researchers, which is reflected by the design proposals at UNal,” he added. 

According to the judging committee, there were three aspects that were more noticeable about the design: object interaction, integrating potential and innovation. 

The proposal was designed along with Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana students Marco Díaz Maya and María Adelaida Parra. After observing the needs identified in the area with respect to lack of street furniture and effective spaces which offered a place to rest, have shade and which also allowed light entry and a place to have some recreation, the researchers devised the instrument. 

To consolidate their idea, they carried out three field trips in three different Medellín neighborhoods where people coming from the Colombian Pacific region usually lived. They analyzed the context of the city and its industrial potential. They also worked closely with the Communitarian Action Committee to see their needs in regards to street furniture. 

Furthermore musicians also participated in the project and based on their experience they suggested the best way to design instruments as well as use of material or sound requirements. 

Later they determined that the structures with irregular forms that supported the sound boxes, kettledrums and drumsticks for the hang (musical instrument invented in Switzerland) were to be made of metal and upper part in plastic. 

Last year the project “Sonoro” was awarded as the “Best academic project” of the second semester of 2015 at the Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana Medellín”.