This new partnership with IED is yet another way Amazon is involved in student life – coming on top successful initiatives such as the Innovation Awards and projects assisting those affected by the earthquake in central Italy.
Milano, 13 July 2017 – Amazon and Italian universities - a match made for success, which this year, has spawned a new initiative: the first-ever edition of the Amazon Design Awards. Open to Master’s candidates in Interior Design for 2017/2018, the contest was launched yesterday with 23 students who came to review the Amazon delivery stations in Rogoredo. Here, the students got to see with their own eyes the Amazon warehouse and the ways in which teams inside carry out their work.
Divided into 5 groups, students will have to come up with an innovative project and recommendations for workplace improvements. In September, each team will present their findings for a preliminary assessment before presenting their final project by mid-December. The works will be judged by a jury of Amazon managers and university professors. The projects will be evaluated by the former based on: innovation, functionality, and in line with ideas and principles of the Company, while the latter will evaluate the methodology implemented.
“We’re thrilled to continue our collaboration with Italian universities, as are launching this initiative with an internationally known academy such as IED Milano. A Company looking to maintain their innovative pulse cannot ignore the academic world. And fostering an exchange of ideas and know-how with promising, bright students can always lead to unexpected and interesting results. And while logistics is often deemed the exclusive domain for engineers or technical staff, thru our design awards we want to open the doors up for creativity and design enhancements in our buildings. We can’t wait to see what the students may come up with for our delivery stations,” remarked Gabriele Sigismondi, Director of Amazon Logistics in Italy.
“Our Institute is very proud and delighted for the Amazon’s collaboration with our Interior Design Master since it represents the full recognition of the innovative, strategic and international structure that distinguishes our training program. The Master is characterized by its “made in Italy” print and its experience-driven approach. The challenge we offered to our students is to re-imagine, in space terms, the experience related to workplaces. For us, this is the best final project strategy, as long as it allows students to confront themselves in a mature way with the evolved dynamics of the office world and production, by materializing the company’s Vision into a stimulating and qualifying architectural scenario”, declared Giorgio Marco Grandi, Interior Design Master Coordinator of IED, Milan.
The winning team will receive a 5-day trip to Seattle, at Amazon headquarters. After visiting the h.q. and some of the most innovative site buildings, they will be invited to present their project to Amazon brand specialists. The second and third place winners will receive Amazon Kindles.
Besides the IED Milano initiative, Amazon is launching their second edition of the Amazon Innovation Awards; a contest dedicated to innovation in logistics processes. Following its initial success with students at Milan’s Polytechnic University, this year will see also other esteemed institutions involved: Politecnico di Torino, the Università di Torino, and the Università degli Studi di Roma Tor Vergata campus. Additionally, last April Amazon brought forth another initiative involving the Università di Udine. Called “An Ebook for Amatrice”, it aims to donate a digital library to residents of the earthquake-struck area. The Company has more recently opened a scholarship fund again alongside the Friulan university to allow 5 students from the stricken area to attend a summer school, “Gemona: epicenter of knowledge – 2017 edition”.
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