This year, the Slovak Design Award competition was held for the 18th time, where the focus was on product design. Good news: not only the winning but also the nominated projects are on display within the walls of the Slovak Design Center in Bratislava.
A special feature of our northern neighbors’ design competition is that in the field of visual communication and product design, the applicants compete with each other separately—in successive years. Even though last year was a difficult year due to the pandemic, this was not reflected in the number of applicants, which, in fact, has only increased this year: 242 projects were submitted to the international jury. The Slovak Design Center is not only responsible for conducting the competition, but also provides an exhibition of the most promising works within the walls of the institution. Let’s see who were this year’s category winners!
Fashion and lifestyle category
Mayamay (Mária Štraneková)—Natural mode
Sports and leisure category
Nikola Beim—OffGrid
Home and public space category
melismichalko architecture (Stanislav Meliš, Jozef Michalko)—Štebeľ shelving unit
Work and mobility category
Bystrík Míček, Šimon Kožička, Miloslav Melichárek—Diplomat Dental Model Pro
Society and environment category
Zuzana Zmateková—Amenge sample collection
Arts, crafts, design category
IOKO (Dana Prekopová)—IOKO & NA SPRING 2020 collection
New horizons
SPEAR hydro (Martin Šichman)—SPEAR hydro river barge (prototype)
Student category
Lucia Gamanová—Jewelry as something (Šperk ako niečo)
In the Established Designer category, glass designer Patrik Illo was awarded as the lead designer of the Rona glass factory in Lednické Rovne. Illo has already won a number of Slovak and foreign awards with his glassware (some of which come from applied and some from autonomous glass field). Working within the walls of a plant dating back one hundred and twenty-five years, Illo strives to adapt traditional glassmaking to the demands and design of today: this is how elegant and refined everyday glassware is born.
Zuzana Svatíkovát, one of the emerging young designers, who has already proven with her extravagant ceramics not only at Bratislava Design Week, but also at Talent Munich or the Designblok in Prague, was also awarded.
Ľubica Hustá also received recognition for her cultural activities and the promotion of Slovak design. The work of the art historian and curator is truly remarkable: she is the founding director of Bratislava Design Week and she used to be the editor-in-chief of Designum magazine. She founded and now runs online platform MAG DA for reflexion and popularisation of design and architecture. Furniture manufacturer Javorina also won the award for its work in highlighting the economic and business potential of design.
Special recognition was also given to:
Michala Lipková, Vlasta Kubušová, Ivana Palušová, Jana Vlčková—MODULO (innovative application of carbon-based nanomaterials)
Anton Bendis—Crayonic KeyVault
Veronika Muchová—Let’ live with colors! (Žime farbami!) sample collection
si.li (Simona Janišová, Linda Viková)—statement table set
Zuzana Spustová—Jewelry for ARKET (Hennes & Mauritz Group)
Vladimíra Maťašeová—History of linen (Príbeh ľanu) object collection
The exhibition is open until December 19, between Wednesday and Sunday from 2 to 6 p.m.
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