“Glass in solo format” was the theme of French glassmaker Verallia’s Design Awards, a packaging competition open to students and young designers headed up this year by glass artisan Laura Cambon. Reflecting the societal changes impacting consumption habits during the pandemic, six young designers offer a new take on single-serve bottles. Here are the winning projects for the 2021 competition.
In light of the lockdowns linked to health pandemic, Verallia opted for a theme based on “solo drinking” for the 12th edition of its Design Awards in 2021, or “a bottle or jar that allows the consumer to access just the right dose,” explains the supplier. Some 300 candidates participated this year, with 57 products shortlisted for the jury.
Still & Sparkling Wine
Solitarius is a bottle designed by Léonard Laudet, from ESDMAA. The 25cl format recalls an upside down wine glass with its elongated neck, effaced shoulders and thick base.
Spirits
Arnaud Grihl (ESAAT) took home the award for the Spirits category for his dual bottle/drinking glass called Single Whisky. The two-part design consists of a 33cl carafe-type bottle that fits onto a glass; the components are held together with a rubber joint.
Beer, Water & Alcohol-free
High-school student Laura Stelz dreamed up Bombe Sanguine, a refillable juice bottle. “My idea was to design a glass container to replace plastic bottles at in-store juice machines. The bottle’s rounded contours were conceived to facilitate stocking on retail shelves,” says Stelz.
Food
In a bid to protect the consumer’s hands from food packaging that is either too hot or too cold, Inès Lupia at IUT Avignon created Wingsi. This glass container features two textured facades that expand outward on either side of the glass to protect from extreme temperatures for soup or ice cream, for example. By holding the container on these areas, the hands do not come into contact with either heat or cold.
Jury President’s Favorite
A juice bottle designed for train travel, Terre à TER, by Clara Uzunovic and Roksana Bernaud (ENSAAMA), features flat edged facets preventing the bottle from rolling. The flat sides also makes the bottle easier to stock.
Special Prize: Gift a Glass Container
With its oval shape meant to recall a grain of wheat, this bottle with a striated surface, designed by Nastassia Erhel (HEAD) is conceived for plant-based milk, such as oat, almond, soy or coconut. The small 25cl format is tailored to the amount of milk needed for breakfast cereal or to make a few cappuccinos.
Olivier Rousseau, Managing Director at Verallia France, concluded the awards ceremony by announcing the theme for next year’s competition: Glass Without Moderation. Entrants will work on projects for no-low spirits. An additional prize for the Paris 2024 Olympics will be part of the 2022 contest.
Luxe Packaging Insight Editorial Director Alissa Demorest was a jury member for this year's competition.
