Young Design Awards finalists announced

Dutch Design Talent 2017 practical and passionate

EINDHOVEN – Based on a combination of social engagement, investigative attitude, sometimes speculative designs, visual strength and visible enjoyment Super Local, Das Leben am Haverkamp and Frank Kolkman have been selected as Dutch Design Awards 2017 finalists for the Young Designer Award. They were carefully selected from the total of 73 submissions. Work by all the finalists can be seen at the retrospective exhibition during Dutch Design Week in Eindhoven (21-29 October). The winners will be announced during the awards show on 28 October.

www.dutchdesignawards.nl

Young Designer Award finalists have been assessed by the selection committee of professionals across their entire portfolios and once again this year they demonstrated a broad understanding of what design is and can mean. They played with familiar themes like the relationship between social added value and practical functionality and what this means for the role of designer. The results are realistic solutions and artisanal manufactured products, whether or not in surprising co-creative concepts. 

The selection committee was very positive about all the submissions and finalists: “the active collaboration between young designers and with other disciplines, user groups and science are making good progress: a positive development. At the same time, it is especially the connection between young designers and the industry that will lead to new manufacturing, financing or societal models and here gains are still to be made. Above all the full potential in the domains of digital and technology are still not being utilized. The passion and love of the process radiates from the finalists: an attitude that is manifested in strong research, designs and products.” 

Finalists

For more in-depth details see the appendix to this press release.

SUPER LOCAL 

The multi-disciplinary design studio Super Local seeks solutions for social and cultural problems. www.super-local.com

The committee considers that Super Local absolutely deserves the limelight. The committee admires this group of designers, the social responsibility they feel and the willingness with which they leave their comfort zone. 

DAS LEBEN AM HAVERKAMP

The four young fashion designers Anouk van Klaveren, Christa van der Meer, Dewi Bekker and Gino Anthonisse present themselves as a collective and they each have a label of their own too. www.daslebenamhaverkamp.com

The committee sees Das Leben am Haverkamp as an example for the new generation of (fashion) designers. This collective develops – through bundling their strengths – a distinct recognisable style of their own. 

FRANK KOLKMAN

A critical designer and speculative researcher, fascinated by the exploration of the social, economic and aesthetic implications of current and future technologies. www.frankkolkman.nl

The committee appreciate this inspiring, conceptual and ground-breaking work, but most especially Frank Kolkman’s research and methods are very strong. He is able to make his sometimes complex work accessible for a wide public. 

Committee

The selection committee for the Young Designer Award comprises well-known professionals from across the board of design: Saskia van Stein (chairperson), Evelien Reich, Joanna van der Zanden, Agata Jaworska, Jeroen Junte and Georgette Koning. An international professional jury selects the winners from the finalists in October.

Dutch Design Awards

Since 2003 Dutch Design Awards (DDA) has rewarded Dutch designers for their most impressive, innovative and ground-breaking projects. In addition to the Young Designer Award and the awards for Product, Communication, Habitat, Fashion, Design Research and Service & Systems, DDA presents a special prize for clients (Best Client Award). In cooperation with BNO the biannual Piet Zwart Award will be presented again in this anniversary year. The most promising design for the future will be crowned with the Future Award.

In this anniversary year DDA celebrates the future with a new batch of designers, the publication of archives and the telling of stories behind 15 years of the best of Dutch design. With the competition, the awards show, a (travelling) retrospective exhibition and the publication of Dutch Design Today, Dutch Design Awards is a unique platform for Dutch design. Since 2008 DDA has had its office in the design capital Eindhoven. DDA forms the highlight of Dutch Design Week each year.