New edition of the competition features interesting novelties: prize money raised to EUR 10,000 in professional and student categories

Roca, global leader in creating bathroom spaces, has today announced the seventh edition of its international design contest jumpthegap, at an event held during the Dubai Design Week 2016. The competition offers an international platform for young architecture and design professionals and students from around the world to display their innovative proposals for the bathroom space. Prize money for each of the winners of the professional and student categories is set at EUR 10,000.

“We are thrilled to announce the seventh edition of jumpthegap, which marks a very special one for us since it coincides with Roca’s one-hundredth anniversary. Through the years, we have been committed to providing budding talent from around the world with a unique, global platform to showcase their talent, and we’re sure this year’s edition will garner heavy attention,” says Xavier Torras, Roca Brand Communication Director.

Held in collaboration with the BCD Barcelona Centre de Disseny (Barcelona Design Centre), the last six editions of the contest have seen a total of 14,600 participants from 112 countries, submitting over 2,300 projects. A novelty in this year´s instalment is the incorporation of the We Are Water Foundation special sustainability prize, set at EUR 6,000.

German architect Patrik Schumacher, Principal of Zaha Hadid Architects, will head up the jumpthegap jury. Other members will include leading professionals from the fields of architecture and design:

Josep Congost (Spain), Roca Design and Innovation Director
Vladimir Pirojkov, (Russia), CEO OF High Complexity Prtototyping Centre KINETICA
Isabel Roig (Spain), Managing Director of BCD Barcelona Design Centre and former President of BEDA (Bureau of European Design Associations)
Anjali Srinivasan (India), Director of the ChoChoMa studios and winner of the Swarovski Designer of the Future Award 2016
Benedetta Tagliabue (Italy), Director of EMBT Miralles Tagliabue and President of jumpthegap second edition
Valentin Vodev (Bulgaria), Designer and Founder Vodev Studio
Ma Yansong, (China), 2014 “Young Global Leaders” (YGL) Award and President jumpthegap sixth edition
For the Special We Are Water Foundation prize, the members of the jury are:

Xavier Torras (Spain), Director of the We Are Water Foundation
Henk Ovink, (Netherlands), Special Envoy for International Water Affairs of the Netherlands
Sophie Thomas (United Kingdom), Founding Director of Thomas.Matthews Agency
“This event is geared for aimed at creative individuals who think towards the future whilst designing today, and we hope to once again draw new, innovative and sustainable concepts from our participants,” adds Isabel Roig.