On the evening of 14th of September, the award ceremony of the Young Designer Prize 2023 took place at the Museum of Applied Arts and Design in Vilnius. During the event, the winners of the competition were announced. The young designers were awarded in the categories of product, communication, fashion, interior design and design research. After that the exhibition was opened.
This year the competition was organised for the thirteenth time and 90 final works of design students from various Lithuanian and foreign higher education institutions were submitted for evaluation. As the organisers of the competition note, this year’s entries reflect global problems and seek solutions to them. The students are tackling current issues such as the climate crisis, war or social problems. Many of the entries aim to change habits and empower people to live more comfortably and sustainably.
This year the entries were judged by a panel of international design professionals: Kristian Snorre Andersen (Denmark), CEO and founder of the virtual design and crafts gallery ADORNO, Alessandro Maria Ferreri (Italy), an expert in luxury fashion brands, and the graphic design studio Omnigroup (Switzerland), Liene Jākobsone (Latvia), principal partner, researcher and lecturer at the architecture and design office Sampling, Agnieszka Jacobson-Cielecka (Poland), professor, curator, researcher and writer of numerous exhibitions promoting design in Poland and Europe.
In each category, the jury also selected the main prize winners, who were awarded EUR 1,000, a diploma and a year’s subscription to the magazine „Centras”.
Winners
Product Design
Sculptural object Pod by Liepa Gradauskaite
Pod is a woven sculptural object inspired by a childhood drawing by the designer with the possibility to store any desired items inside. The object was created based on the principles of children’s creativity in order to emphasize the importance of inner freedom. The making of Pod requires only manual labour, making the object one-of-a-kind – imperfect and unique in its own way, blurring the boundaries between design and sculpture art with its appearance and functionality. The non-traditional use of weaving reminds us how important it is to honour our culture and traditional Lithuanian crafts.
Communication Design
Animation En Passant by Patricija Kell
The animation asks the question: how do you win an unfair game that you have to win? This game is a reflection of Lithuanian history, inviting us to recall the difficult struggle of the people that led to the restoration of Lithuania’s independence in 1990. The animation provides a view of the country’s condition and system at the time, its relationship with the occupying power and important expressions of the quest for freedom and disobedience. The chess players’ choices, moves and cruel and contemptuous attitudes are directly compared to the events of the time, people’s experiences and the inhuman oppression, when freedom was not an everyday reality but a struggle. Drawing on real historical moments and personalities, a visual metaphor of an unfair game of chess is created, helping to tell the story of Lithuania and reminding us why freedom and dignity should never be neglected.
Fashion Design
Consequences of Wind by Indrė Kirlytė
This collection draws inspiration from the powerful force of the wind and its impact on the environment. Using the language of design, it explores three wind-related elements: erosion, frozen moments, and different wind profiles. Erosion is depicted through textured materials, while frozen moments capture wind forms in fabric. The collection examines different characteristics of the wind and applies them to models, showcasing their unique traits. Each ensemble embodies at least one element, symbolizing nature’s constant adaptation and individuality. The project aims to convey the beauty and complexity of nature’s power through clothing design.
Interior Design
(Re)connecting. Alksnynė defense complex by Justė Žvirblytė and Goda Padvelskytė
What are we doing here? The principles of minimal intervention are applied to revive the territory of the defensive complex and its ecosystem while preserving its uniqueness and landscape changes. By combining dissolving constructed objects with “heavy” long-lasting structures, the aim is to draw attention to the resilience of the structures and materials. Why minimal intervention? This principle is employed in creating new methods and connections for observing the natural and architectural environment. The function of bunkers remains unchanged, leaving spaces as repositories of immaterial architecture. Meanwhile, new solutions are implemented to enhance the existing structures and landscape features.
Design Research
21st Century Textile Design Practices: Interactive carpet for preschool children by Viktorija Kuliavaitė
Interactive carpets have been designed to stimulate children’s engagement and development. The creative object depicts various locations in Lithuania: the Kernavė castle mounds, a part of the Siesarties stream in Ukmergė district and the lakes of Kirkilai in Biržai district. An interactive rug game invites children and the whole family to put the objects in place. The colours of the carpets in the daylight introduce the autumn, spring and summer colours, while in the evening the carpets show the colours of winter. The interactive textured carpets stimulate children’s development and introduce them to lesser-known areas of Lithuania.