THE DESIGN PRIZE 2019 nominations are...

THE DESIGN PRIZE has become an institution of the city of milan. the third edition of the international award celebrating design excellence inaugurates milan design week 2019. the unique program, curated by designboom, recognizes both the extraordinary achievements and little sparks of beauty and delight that have emerged over the past 12 months.

SOCIAL IMPACT

OCEAN CLEANUP, BOYAN SLAT (THE NETHERLANDS)

ocean cleanup comprises the conception of the first system to clean the oceans and that could accelerate the process, since the technology on which it is based exploits the currents of the sea.

WARKA WATER, ARTURO VITTORI (ITALY/USA)

warka water by arturo vittori presents itself as a solution to prevent the loss of drinking water in ethiopia, haiti, togo and cameroon: to test the air as a potential water collector, a kit has been designed that connects to the warka tower where water is collected. 

FORENSIC ARCHITECTURE, THE CENTRE FOR RESEARCH ARCHITECTURE, GOLDSMITHS UNIVERSITY OF LONDON (UK)

forensic architecture is a research group linked to the goldsmiths university of london, which intends to use investigative technology to identify cases of human rights violations, in collaboration with international tribunals, human rights organizations and environmental justice groups. 

see the articles by wallpaper magazine and hypebeast — our readers can participate and choose their favorite project for the SOCIAL IMPACT category through an online public vote until wednesday, march 24, 2019. VOTE NOW!

DISTRIBUTION

APPLE STORE IN MILAN, FOSTER & PARTNERS (ITALY/UK)


milan’s apple piazza liberty is defined by a dramatic waterfall forming the backdrop to a large outdoor amphitheater. inside the glass cube, customers travel beneath the public piazza into the new electronics store.

JINS (JAPAN)

the JINS design project encompasses collaborations with renowned designers — konstantin grcic, jasper morrison, naoto fukasawa, michele de lucchi, …– to design JINS high quality eyewear on an industrial scale and the brands retail outlets. junya ishigami has installed 12-meter-long (39-feet) cantilevered concrete display shelves in his shanghai store design. the minimal interior is painted white, with its industrial setting accentuated by exposed piping and ventilation in the ceiling.

NOMAD, GIORGIO PACE AND NICOLAS BELLAVANCE-LECOMPTE (ITALY/CANADA)

after two previous shows in monaco, to experience the fair’s nomadic concept, nomad 2018 was presented at the heart of the swiss alps, in st moritz, inviting collectors, interior designers, architects and the art world’s glitterati. the showcase mixes high-end modern and contemporary art and design, redefining the classic idea of events and fair exhibitions by placing works in incredible architectural locations. the benefits of nomad are that the objects are not presented in a big tent, instead you see them in a beautiful house in daylight, which is ultimately where they will end up. the traveling nature of the event allows galleries to meet collectors in places where they might live or are on holiday.

COMMUNICATION

VIRGIL ABLOH FOR OFF-WHITE AND LOUIS VUITTON (USA)

luxury today is more than fancy streetwear. abloh is the artistic director of louis vuitton’s men’s wear collection since march 2018 and also serves as the chief executive officer of the milan-based label off-white, a fashion house he founded in 2013. in 2018, time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world because of the foundation of his values that are ‘humanity itself, not a superficial trick’. his guiding principle reveals ‘everything in quotes’…

GUCCI, SS18 CAMPAIGN – HALLUCINATION (ITALY)

the spring summer 2018 campaign imagines paintings that feature imagery from classic artworks with characters dressed in the collection’s designs by alessandro michele, creative director of gucci . digital painting by spanish artist ignasi monreal take us on a journey through the three elements earth, sea and sky and ironic portraits with pop culture references. the video campaign is a twist on reality with a mythical exploration of a ‘utopian fantasy’.

HERMÈS EXHIBITION, MUSEO PERMANENTE IN MILAN + JINGLE GAMES AT MAISON HERMÈS GINZA STORE IN TOKYO (FRANCE)

during milan design week 2018, Hermès presented a new home collection within seven architectural structures conceived by charlotte macaux perelman, co-artistic director of Hermès maison together with alexis fabry. the monolithic and monochrome ‘houses’ were entirely covered with moroccan zellige, a small square tile made of glazed earthenware.

Hermès ginza is far more than just a high-end fashion store. for 3 weeks up to christmas 2018, the 10 story high glass block building by renzo piano has been transformed into an interactive projection mapping video game. anyone, passerby, were enticed, to play with the retro 8-bit computer game and enjoy its projection over the building. it amusingly engaged also with people who didn’t know much about the fashion maison Hermès.

IN THE ARTISTIC REALM

‘ON AIR’ BY TOMÁS SARACENO, PALAIS DE TOKYO (ARGENTINA)

‘on air’ proposes a space and time that reveals the strength of the presences floating in the air and the way they interact with us: from CO2 to cosmic dust, from radio infrastructures to reimagined corridors of mobility. thus, the invisible histories that compose the nature we are part of invite us to rethink poetically new ways to inhabit the world – and of being human. tomás saraceno’s exhibition celebrates new ways of thinking about our relation with the planet, through new modes of knowledge production.

‘BORDERLESS’ BY TEAMLAB, MORI BUILDING DIGITAL ART MUSEUM TOKYO (JAPAN)

the interdisciplinary group teamlab, consisting of architects, engineers, programmers, animators, mathematicians, musicians, and more, have created a complex, highly interactive and engaging multi-sensory experience within the museum — the first of its kind. it isn’t called ‘borderless’ for nothing, the art moves freely. in just a few minutes, you can experience a change of scenery, even while standing in the same spot.

‘ETHEREA’ BY EDOARDO TRESOLDI, COACHELLA VALLEY MUSIC AND ARTS FESTIVAL (ITALY)

‘etherea’ by edoardo tresoldi follows a growing experiential path where architecture becomes a tool and place for contemplation. the artwork consists of three transparent sculptures inspired by neoclassical and baroque architecture, made of transparent wire mesh. an optical effect made of perspectives and dimensional relationships is generated by the passage through the three sculptures and measuring scales, which either amplifies or reduces the distance between man and sky. a site-specific installation conceived for coachella valley music and arts festival, one of the world’s most anticipated and important music events.

EXHIBITION DESIGN

V&A DUNDEE, KENGO KUMA (JAPAN/UK)

V&A dundee is scotland’s first design museum and the first victoria and albert museum outside london. a conjoined pair of inverted pyramids in rugged concrete, terraced into artificial hills and partly built on the water, by architect kengo kuma. interiors include the oak room, a 1907 project by charles rennie mackintosh.

‘NIGHT FEVER’, VITRA DESIGN MUSEUM, KONSTANTIN GRCIC (GERMANY)

with the rise of disco in the 1970s, club culture gained a new momentum. more than just empty venues, then, these disco clubs were immersive environments, total works of art, impacting all senses simultaneously. stepping into ‘night fever’ felt like entering into just such a gesamtkunstwerk. vitra exhibits showed space-age structures of mero steel tubes, projected films, and pink neon signs and blue incandescent bulbs by exhibition designer konstantin grcic and lighting designer matthias singer.

‘FREEING ARCHITECTURE’, FONDATION CARTIER, JUNYA ISHIGAMI (JAPAN/FRANCE)

the exhibition, the first of this scale devoted to junya ishigami, allowed visitors to discover or rediscover his delicate, dreamlike universe through a series of large-scale models, films and drawings, documenting the different stages of his creative process.

EXPERIMENTATION

FORMAFANTASMA (ITALY)


the duo has established a coherent body of work that is characterized by experimental material investigations. their most recent works, ‘ore streams’, reflects on the recycling of electronic waste, material which is increasing in both quantity and value. the hi-tech scrap material of computers, laptops, motherboards and phones
are the base elements used to construct a new collection of furniture that draws attention to the technological bulimia and cynicism of western society.
andrea trimarchi and simone farresin are based in amsterdam.

see projects by formafantasma on designboom here.

MAX LAMB (UK)


lamb wants the process to be communicated in the final object, because he believes that the aesthetic is a consequence of the making/how it’s made (different hand processes: cutting, carving, sand casting, moulding, folding). the design chemist’s practise is based on permanent experimentation with wood, stone, expanded polystyrene, and polyurethane rubber and has been shown in many gallery exhibitions, among them gallery fumi and salon 94 design. since several years he collaborates with swedish fashion brand acne to furnish their retail interiors.

see projects by max lamb on designboom here.

MICHAEL YOUNG (HONG KONG, CHINA/UK)

the british-born hong kong-based designer is one of the leading international figures continuing to push the boundaries of experimental design.
the passion for pioneering technology brought him to explore the endless possibilities asia’s technological ingenuity may provide. propelled by the momentum created through collaboration with chinese industrialists, the studio captures the strengthening ties between local industry and design, and exemplifies the skills of asia’s industrial innovation.

see projects by michael young on designboom here.

DESIGN CURATOR / DESIGN CRITIC

MARIA CRISTINA DIDERO, SNARKITECTURE ‘FUN HOUSE’ IN WASHINGTON DC + ‘VEGAN DESIGN’ BY EREZ NEVI PANA (ITALY)


‘fun house’ is snarkitecture’s first comprehensive museum exhibition examining the prolific activities of the us-based studio. curated by maria cristina didero, the exhibition showed a structure that recalls and re-imagines the idea of the traditional home and a sequence of interactive rooms throughout the entirety of the great hall of the national building museum in washington d.c.
‘vegan design’ by israeli artist erez nevi pana is aiming to introduce veganism to the design industry, by experimenting with different plants and minerals to create animal-free furniture, that he describes as being ‘free from guilt’. last year, didero curated his first exhibition at milan design week.

HANS ULRICH OBRIST, LONDON’S ‘SERPENTINE GALLERIES’ ARTISTIC DIRECTOR (SWITZERLAND)


the 2018 work marathon curated by obrist explored issues including technological developments enabling automation; its impact on labour and work; the political urgencies of coerced and invisible labour; the differentiation between labour, employment and work; and the role of non-human agents, including artificial intelligence, non-human animals and materials, in the context of planetary-scale ecologies.

ANDRÉS JAQUE, IPPOLITO PESTELLINI LAPARELLI, BREGTJE VAN DER HAAK AND MIRJAN VARADINIS FOR MANIFESTA 12, IN PALERMO (ITALY)

manifesta is the european nomadic biennial, held in a different host city every two years. it is a major international art event, attracting visitors from all over the world. manifesta is the go-to place for discovering emerging artists, thought-provoking ideas, new artworks especially commissioned for the event, and creative experiences in dialogue with spectacular locations of each host city. the interdisciplinary platform for social change is introducing holistic urban research and legacy-oriented programming.

BEST DESIGN NEWCOMER

SABINE MARCELIS (THE NETHERLANDS)

sabine marcelis poetically manipulates light, whose properties are enhanced through the inventive use of neon lamps, reflective surfaces and coloured translucencies. her work ranges from creating candy-coloured cubed displays for fashion houses such as céline and isabel marant, to designing interiors for the oma/amo-designed paris flagship store of jewelry house repossi, and transforming a circular building into a large-scale timepiece for watch brand a. lange & söhne. at design miami she presented ‘the shapes of water’, 10 resin fountains to celebrate fashion brand fendi’s inspiration in the waters in rome.

see projects by sabine marcelis on designboom here.



EREZ NEVI PANA (ISRAEL)

israel’s sun-consumed desert prompted the designer’s analysis of the potential of salt and centred on a special crystallisation process. the versatile substance is suited to durable furnishing production and multiple architectural declinations. a vegan himself, nevi pana has transferred his deep-rooted respect for all life, human beings and nature into the way he looks at the design project in compliance with the rules of this specific ethical position.

see projects by erez nevi pana on designboom here.

JOHN MARGARITIS / NEW YORK SUNSHINE (USA)

the american art collective combines in a seamless way fashion, art, architecture and retail, to create multi-sensory, multi-faceted experiences. known for creating basketball hoops that float in the ocean (based on their hoop dreams photography series) they recently collaborated with the venetian golden goose deluxe brand to pay homage to american basketball and craftsmanship during 2018’s venice biennale of architecture.

see projects by john margaritis / new york sunshine on designboom here.

BEST DESIGNER

MICHAEL ANASTASSIADES (CYPRUS)

see projects by michael anastassiades on designboom here.

NENDO (JAPAN)


see projects by nendo on designboom here.

PATRICIA URQUIOLA (SPAIN/ITALY)

see projects by patricia urquiola on designboom here.

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT

MICHELE DE LUCCHI (ITALY)

see projects by michele de lucchi on designboom here.

JASPER MORRISON (UK)

see projects by jasper morrison on designboom here.


PHILIPPE STARCK (FRANCE)

see projects by philippe starck on designboom here.

about THE DESIGN PRIZE —  #thedesignprize

in total, more than 900 projects have been selected by the scientific committee, composed of more than 200 creative professionals, among them –

3XN/kim herforth nielsen, tatiana bilbao, ronan & erwan bouroullec, fernando & humberto campana, cheungvogl architects, rachaporn choochuey, claesson koivisto rune, vincenzo de cotiis, michele de lucchi, didier faustino, berengo foundation, prada foundation, formafantasma, form us with love, massimiliano and doriana fuksas, richard hutten, ross lovegrove, andrea maffei, philippe malouin, alberto meda, studio mk27 marcio kogan, mischer’traxler, jasper morrison, muller van severen, luca nichetto, fabio novembre, carlo ratti, alice rawsthorn, fernando romero, daan roosegaarde, matteo thun, patricia urquiola, yabu pushelberg, tokujin yoshioka, michael young…

the 10 categories that comprise THE DESIGN PRIZE embrace the most fundamental aspects of the design world: social impact honors cultural, public projects. distribution is dedicated to aspects related to retail, such as shops, signage, and packaging; communication is linked to brand identity, advertising campaigns and editorial projects; in the artistic realm encompasses limited edition projects and installations, where the boundary between design and art dissolves; exhibition focuses on exhibition layout and spatial design; experimentation is dedicated to research and education; design curator & design critic celebrates the figures which engage in institutional curation; best design newcomer recognizes the emerging names in the field; best designer honors the established protagonists in the sector; lifetime achievement is a career-spanning award.

THE DESIGN PRIZE is energised by edison

edison, one of the largest energy companies in italy, has been a partner and promoter of the initiative since its inception in 2017. this year, edison continues its collaboration with THE DESIGN PRIZE, the international award dedicated to project culture, which is also a virtuous expression of co-planning based on the efficient use of resources for the construction of a sustainable future. edison brings its unique experience, know-how, and 130-year-long history in the energy sector to the design prize, helping foster a horizontal approach to design. together with the leading professionals and architects, edison proposes intelligent solutions for cities and people in favor of a more evolved and sustainable lifestyle.