About the year 2006
Competition
With this publication the Federal Office of Culture is presenting the work of young designers who were awarded prizes in the Federal Design competition in 2006.
In a first step, the members of the Federal Design Commission appointed by the federal office and supported by reputed international designers, appraised the portfolios submitted and made an initial selection from them. In a second round, the Commission assessed the selected work in conjunction with the experts. Following the Commission's proposal, the Federal Office of Culture granted a Federal Award to 21 young designers from among the 231 participants at this year's competition. The successful young designers can determine the form of their award themselves. They can choose between a sum of money, work experience in a design studio or a practical with an internationally reputed design company. The practicals, in particular, have become attractive and long-term effective instruments in the promotion of young talent. Practical places have been offered, among others, by Akris in St. Gallen (fashion design), Jakob Schlaepfer in St. Gallen (textile design), Barber Osgerby in London (industrial design), Kerr/Noble in London (graphic design), Industrial Facility in London (graphic design) and Peet Pienaar/Daddy Buy Me a Pony in Cape Town (graphic design). The Federal Office of Culture has been able to draw on an international network it has built up over the years to make these practicals possible.
The present publication is appearing to accompany the exhibition 'Selected - Awarded. Swiss Federal Design Competition 2006' that will be staged this year at the Museum für Gestaltung in Zurich. It presents the work which received awards in the competition; the fields represented include photography, industrial design, graphic art, typography, illustration, fashion design and ceramics. An extract from a survey on collecting design by public and private institutions provides an insight into questions and considerations in conjunction with the collection of design artefacts. The Federal Office of Culture commissioned Claude Lichtenstein to compile this study and will publish it unabridged in the near future. In this way the Office is, for the first time, providing an overview of the design collections in Switzerland as well as the strategies and policies in the context of the national design landscape.
According to government policy, the Federal Office of Culture is committed to the responsible task of promoting creative young designers. The Office is striving, with its measures, to improve the situation of young designers who work in Switzerland, effectively and sustainably and plays a central role with the competition, publication and exhibition in the field of design promotion in Switzerland. In future the promotion instruments of the Federal Office of Culture will be further adapted to the needs of the designers. Care should be taken, together with other public and private institutions, who engaged in design, to ensure that Swiss design earns the recognition and publicity it deserves.