Lexus have announced the six finalists for the Lexus Design Award 2021, selected from 2,079 entries in 66 countries.
2021 marks the ninth edition of the Lexus Design Award, which supports up-and-coming creative talent whose ideas embody the three principles of the Lexus brand – Anticipate, Innovate, and Captivate – with an emphasis on design that leads to a better tomorrow.
Lexus Design Award judge Greg Lynn said: “In the middle of a changing climate and a global pandemic there was an urgency to the problems being addressed by the designers… and there was also a humanity and intimate scale.”
Lexus Design Award 2021 Finalists
CY-BO - a sustainable, reusable packaging material, inspired by cell biology, by Kenji Abe based in Japan.
Kenji is a graduate of the Tama Art University Product Design Department, now working as a product designer, based in Tokyo.
KnitX – digital 3D knitting of functional, electronic textiles that can respond to visual, auditory, and tactile stimuli, changing their appearance, and providing temperature regulation, by Irmandy Wicaksono (Indonesia, based in USA).
He is an electrical and textile engineer and designer and is currently a PhD student in the Responsive Environments, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Lab.
Terracotta Valley Wind – a terracotta evaporative cooling system for subway stations, using the wind created by trains, by Intsui Design (China, based in Japan).
Intsui Design is a design group based in Tokyo, consisting of Chenkai Guo, Baohua Sheng, Yilei Lyu, Yu Zhang, who are currently studying their Masters at Tama Art University’s Integrated Design department.
InTempo – mitts that use rhythm and music to distract from stressful situations, by Alina Holovatiuk based in Ukraine.
Alina Holovatiuk is a young architect from Kiev who is currently continuing her studies and research at Kiev National University of Construction and Architecture.
Solar Desalination Skylight – a device that uses seawater to emit natural diffused light, to make drinking water, and to produce energy from leftover salt, by Henry Glogau (Dual New Zealand and Austria, based in Denmark).
Henry Glogau is a New Zealander who recently graduated from the Royal Danish Academy in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Heartfelt – a device that delivers virtual hugs, long-distance, helping to overcome the anxiety and emotional stress of being alone, by Gayle Lee and Jessica Vea based in New Zealand.
Gayle Lee and Jessica Vea are recent Bachelor of Creative Technologies graduates from Auckland University of Technology.
The six finalists are being mentored by design experts Joe Doucet, Sabine Marcelis, Mariam Kamara, and Sputniko!. They all attended a five-day virtual workshop to help them produce a prototype of their ideas, with a budget of approximately £21,000 per project.
Mentor Mariam Kamara commented: “I’ve been struck by the level of optimism and commitment the finalists have shown in their designs. In this new COVID-19 reshaped world, their visions and sensitivity are a gift to us all. Each one of them was incredibly passionate about the projects and demonstrated a strong motivation to delve deeper and do the necessary research to strengthen the final result. I look forward to seeing where they take their designs in the coming months.”
The judging panel of renowned design leaders, Paola Antonelli, Dong Gong, Greg Lynn and Simon Humphries, will select the Grand Prix Winner based on the six finalists’ final prototypes and presentations in April 2021.