FIVE ingenious Singapore projects wowed judges at this year's Red Dot Design Award ceremony, winning in the design concept category.

The international prize, which started in 2005, was handed out at the Red Dot Design Museum Singapore two weeks ago. Judges look out for ideas and prototypes with a fresh and innovative edge.

For their savvy design concepts, three local projects bagged the Red Dot Award. The other two received honourable mentions.

Competition is tough. Out of 4,791 entries from 63 countries in the design concept category, only 304 concepts received honours. Projects either won the Red Dot Award, the Red Dot: Best of the Best award or Honourable Mentions.

The Red Design Award has two other categories - product design and communication design - which are given out in Germany.

Here are the five winning Singapore projects:

1. THE HANDMADE CURE

Won: Red Dot Award in the Relax category

Industrial design graduate Tricia Chean has created a crafting kit to help patients who have anxiety problems, through knitting.

2. COMMUNI CROSS

Won: Red Dot Award in the Workplace category

Lasalle College of the Arts graduate Yang Yang, who studied product design, wanted to be able to communicate clearly with his classmates in the workshop. But he did not want to remove his mask as it would not be safe. So he came up with this modified mask with an audio system that would transmit voices clearly. A good option for doctors and nurses who have to wear surgical masks too.

3. REDEYE

Won: Red Dot Award in the Recreation category

Designers Ken Ang and Daniel Chua have designed a sleek bicycle lock. Attached to the bicycle frame, users pull out a cable from one end of the squarish lock, loop it around, and secure it through the locking bolt on the other end.

4. YODEESA

Won: Honourable mention in the Furniture category

Mr Ivan Ho, who runs creative consultancy Tizumuka, has created this flat-packed stool, which can be easily assembled. With a cool Scandinavian vibe to it, the stool has solid wooden legs, an aluminium seat and is secured with a modified plumbing valve.

5. SUBMERSIBLE FRESH WATER PARK

Won: Honourable mention in the Green category

Where can we store water in land-scarce Singapore? A team of architects here, inspired by a German engineer friend, have devised a concept where fresh water can be stored under the sea. The water can be stored in inflatable cylinders, which are weighted down by concrete rings. The cylinders can be detached and floated when the water is needed.