Loewe Reference system wins IF Gold Award

The 50 winners of the coveted iF gold awards were announced at a lavish award ceremony at CeBIT. The Loewe Reference caused a sensation receiving a total three gold iF awards. The internationally renowned jury, which included designer Sophie Lovell (Berlin), Cédric Ragot (Montreuil) and Chiaki Murata (Osaka), had particular praise for the outstanding design of the Reference 52 TV, the Reference Sound Standspeaker electrostat speakers and the Reference Floor Panel Medium set-up option. “Here, once again, material and design quality are united in complete harmony. Understated, elegant and extremely unusual and innovative as an ensemble, Loewe succeeds in constantly surprising us and reinventing itself. The design, however, remains true to the line, fitting perfectly into the product range".

In total 2,486 products from 39 countries were put forward for the design accolade with 778 of these being rewarded with an iF product design award. However, only 50 were presented with the iF gold award. Design quality, workmanship, material selection, level of innovation, environmental sustainability, functionality, ergonomics, ease of operation, safety, brand value and branding as well as aspects of universal design were all amongst criteria considered by the jury.

“Only quite exceptional design achievements are honoured with the iF gold award. The fact that the Loewe Reference has been distinguished with three awards is a real achievement for the Loewe system concept; a concept which has been realised perfectly in the Loewe Reference System” comments Loewe CEO Friedrich C. Löhrer.

The desire to achieve absolute perfection was the driving force behind the designers involved in the two year-long development process for the Reference System. The primary aim of the Loewe designers and the Stuttgart-based design company Phoenix Design was to create an exclusive stand-alone TV set following all the rules that govern art. The monolithic TV was to fit perfectly alongside other Loewe design classics including Loewe Art 1 (1985) and Loewe Spheros (1998) - both stand-alone sets that were awarded numerous design prizes. When the designers presented the preliminary design for the Reference TV, it was immediately clear that the concept prototype should ultimately become a product ready for series production. However, a mere stand-alone TV set could no longer be able to satisfy the high demands of the designers and Loewe. The system concept was born and thus the designers were entrusted with the task of creating a home entertainment system for the Reference TV with an audio system and matching speakers to meet the exclusive expectations of Loewe customers.

The Reference Sound Stand Speakers in particular appealed to the jury – “these extremely slim stand speakers are an absolute design highlight in themselves. Moreover, when arranged together with the additional devices they make a considerable impact that’s quite unique in the audio/video sector.”

The Jury were also demonstrably taken with the Reference Floor Panel Medium which presents a perfect solution for concealed cable management. “This product embodies quite exceptional, extremely elegant design. The use of materials which truly come together so convincingly here – indeed the whole experience, the range and the entire harmonised effect earned an iF gold award.”

Head of the jury, Fritz Fenkler, summarised the significance of the accolades as follows: “good design is an important unique selling point and is increasingly becoming a principle sales argument – after all, successful design is characterised by products that are authentic and unique, legitimising their investment with quality and sustainability whilst making life easier and better.”