The EU Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) has revealed today the finalists for its fifth edition of the DesignEuropa Awards, along with the winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award.
This year’s DesignEuropa Awards saw a record participation, with over 800 applications and nominations from countries across Europe for the two competing categories: the Entrepreneurs and Small Companies award and the Industry award.
The six finalists come from various European countries (Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Romania and Sweden) and cover a wide range of sectors, including healthcare, audio devices, home appliances, energy storage, and housing and architecture. The designs come from established brands such as Bang & Olufsen, Linet and Meze Audio, and newcomers like Arsenit, MyGrid and Transparent. All products have a strong focus on sustainability and are setting new standards in the design industry.
This year will also see the introduction of a new category, the Next Generation Design Award, to recognise young designers up to 29 years old.
The winners will be announced at the awards ceremony in Riga, Latvia, on 25 September.
In addition, renowned German designer Dieter Rams will receive the 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award. A pioneer of both design and sustainability, Rams designed more than 200 iconic devices and shaped the look and functionality of consumer products for decades. His T3 pocket radio for Braun and 606 Universal Shelving System for Vitsœ are permanently featured in the MoMA.
The Executive Director of the EUIPO, João Negrão, said: “This year’s DesignEuropa Awards brought together, once more, a high level of participation from Europe’s top design talent, featuring six incredible finalists and honouring Dieter Rams with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his influential, timeless designs. We celebrate design excellence and the innovation that drives the European design industry forward.”
Finalists in the entrepreneurs and small companies category
ModuleOne (Belgium): A smart home battery system that prioritises accessibility and sustainability, enhancing energy independence.
Company: MyGrid. Designer: Jan Wellens.
Piil (Estonia): A prefabricated, modular retreat combining functionality with environmental sustainability, offering a solution for work and living spaces.
Company: Arsenit. Designer: Arseni Timofejev.
Transparent Turntable (Sweden): A modern reinterpretation of the classic vinyl record player, with a focus on repairability and sustainable design.
Company: Transparent. Designer: Per Brickstad.
Finalists in the industry category
Beolab 8 (Denmark): A modular speaker offering high-fidelity sound, versatility in placement and durability.
Company: Bang & Olufsen. Designers: NOTO design team.
Empyrean II (Romania): Headphones that blend exceptional sound quality with an ergonomic design.
Company: Meze Audio. Designer: Antonio Meze.
Essenza 300 LT (Czechia): A hospital bed with technology for improved safety and operational ease, enhancing patient care and caregiver efficiency.
Company: LINET. Designer: LINET design team in cooperation with external design studio.
The DesignEuropa Awards Jury was led by chair Lorenzo Imbesi, architect and professor at the Sapienza University of Rome and president of the Cumulus Association. The jury includes designers, academics, entrepreneurs, former winners and intellectual property experts. They selected the finalists for their design merit, market impact, social and environmental considerations and innovative use of the registered Community design system.
DIETER RAMS, A DESIGN ICON
The Awards will honour Dieter Rams from Germany with this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award for his major impact in the field.
During his 40-plus year career at Braun, Rams and his team designed many iconic products. The SK4 radio-phono combination, T2 cylindric lighter and T1000 world-band receiver were all well ahead of their time with their minimalistic, functional design that revolutionised household appliances.
In 1959, Rams began collaborating with Vitsœ, which led to his 606 Universal Shelving System, still sold today, as well as the 620 chair collection, among other famous designs.
Rams’ work seamlessly integrates functionality with environmental awareness, advancing sustainable design practices. In the late 1970s, he formulated his ‘Ten Principles for Good Design’, including his famous maxim ‘less, but better’, which have influenced the design profession as well as aesthetics and culture throughout the last decades. Since 1994, the Dieter and Ingeborg Rams Foundation has been dedicated to supporting responsible product design and addressing the future demands of industrial design.
Previous Lifetime Achievement Award winners include world-renowned designers Hartmut Esslinger, Giorgetto Giugiaro, André Ricard and Maria Benktzon.
The post Romanian Item Among Finalists for 2024 DesignEuropa Awards appeared first on The Romania Journal.
