Barcelona, 24^th of September 2009. -  Roca will announce today the name of the winning project of the 3^rd edition of the International Design Contest Jump the Gap, coinciding with the opening of the 100% Design Exhibition held in London, an international encounter for professionals from the areas of design, interiors and architecture.

The jury’s president, John Pawson, renowned architect of international acclaim, will reveal the name of the winning project. The awarding ceremony will take place at 18:00 at the Roca stand designed by Héctor Serrano.

Jointly with John Pawson, the jury is composed of prominent figures within the fields of architecture and design and includes Héctor Serrano, Carlos Ferrater, Josep Congost, Alfredo Häberli, Carlos Lamela, Alberto Meda and Chantal Haimade.

The jury has chosen the most innovative projects from the 382 presented and today their decision regarding the winning entry, receiving 5.000 Euros, will be made public.

The finalists are as follows:

1)       Active & Relax Bathroom, by Michal Mitek (Poland)

2)       Box, by Clara del Portillo and Alejandro Selma (Spain)

3)       Breathing Bathtub, by Li Xi (China)

4)       Eroded Roca, by Ula Iruretagoiena and Amaia Lizarraga (Spain)

5)       Exedra Serie, by Isabel Francoy and Érika Choquet (Spain)

6)       Free Bath, by Danil Gavrish and Yuri Uimanov (Russia)

7)       Integration, by Pierre Chauvency and Arshaad Khodabuccus (France)

8)       Relaxation bath with variable volume, by Petr Kubik (Czech Rep.)

9)       The Roca Landscape, by Yar Rassadin (Russia)

10)   Waterdrop Shower Room, by Wu Chenghou (China)

11)   Waterwear, by Paulo Gouveia and Pedro Guimarães (Portugal)

From the 24^th to the 27^th of September, Roca will be present in the 100% Design Exhibition and its stand, whose theme this year is the interaction of people with water and bathroom spaces, will offer visitors the opportunity to enjoy and experience its different contents.

After last year’s success with Waterdrop, Roca, in conjunction with the designer Héctor Serrano, has created a surprising space in this edition characterized by its ultra-modernity and innovation where the visitor can enjoy three clearly distinct areas: In the first area they will encounter a representation of the rituals that regularly take place in the bathroom. In the second space, the visitor can view the 11 finalist projects from the contest thanks to the use of a series of basins that use water, Roca’s key element, as a screen. Lastly, the third area will showcase their most spectacular design for 2009: W+W, an example of how Roca works towards the union of innovation, design and sustainability.

About Roca

Roca is a world leader in the definition of bathroom spaces and is a reference in the world of design. Currently, Roca is present in more than 135 markets and has 65 manufacturing plants in 17 countries.

Constantly evolving, Roca believes in the excellence of product design with the objective of offering spaces for users to live unique experiences with their five senses. As a global brand, Roca creates versatile products that can adapt to different consumer habits around the world, offering unique solutions for all needs, for both today and tomorrow.   

With the continual support of research, Roca is creating a future where design and innovation are united to achieve users’ well being. Roca also works with prestigious designers, architects and interior designers such as Moneo, Chipperfield, Herzog & de Meuron, Benedito, Giugiaro or Schmidt & Lackner among others. All of this has made Roca the referential global brand it is today in the creation of bathroom spaces.

About Jump the Gap

Roca’s belief in new talent is behind the creation of initiatives such as the International Design Contest Jump the Gap, organized in cooperation with the BCD (Barcelona Centre de Disseny) and the support of ICSID (International Council of Societies of Industrial Design). The contest targets young architects and designers, 35 years old or younger, and offers the winning project and its author the opportunity of international exposure.