About Swiss Design Awards 2019

The Swiss Design Awards are a unique opportunity to delve into the multifaceted world of current Swiss design. For a one-week period, all the disciplines represented in the competition come together under one roof: graphic design, fashion and textile design, product and industrial design, photography, scenography and mediation. Presented are objects embodying the traditional dialogue between form and function, as well as interdisciplinary projects that tackle complex issues and processes at work in modern society with a broader conception of what constitutes design. Both approaches–and everything in between–make design a vibrant and relevant discipline for culture, the economy and society in the 21st century.

The Swiss Design Awards competition is based on a two-stage process. The Swiss Design Awards 2019 exhibition presented the 48 works nominated from among 220 entries. Shortly before the exhibition opened, the Federal Design Commission, assisted by three experts, selected 17 projects to each received prize money of 25,000 Swiss francs. When judging the works presented, particular attention is paid to their quality, impact, contemporary relevance and innovativeness. The three winners of the Swiss Grand Award for Design were also represented in the exhibition through their works, as well as videos and photographs. Accompanied by a limited-edition publication, this presentation offered a detailed insight into the remarkable work of three exceptional talents.

The 17 Swiss Design Awards 2019 were presented in Basel on 11 June. Simultaneously, the event honored the winners of the Swiss Grand Award for Design. The winners of the renowned prize this year are product designer Rosmarie Baltensweiler, interior stylist Connie Hüsser and lithographer and publisher Thomi Wolfensberger.

Jury

The jury is made up of the seven members of the Federal Design Commission appointed by the Federal Council and three invited experts.

Chair
Jörg Boner
Product designer, Zürich

Members
Laurent Benner
Graphic designer, London

Claudia Caviezel
Textil design at Akris, St. Gallen

Dr. Davide Fornari
Associate professor Research and development ECAL, Renens

Tatyana Franck
Director
Musée d’Elysée, Lausanne

Christoph Hefti
Textile designer, Brussels

Aude Lehmann
Graphic designer, Zurich

Experts
Pierre Charpin
Product designer, Paris

Catherine Ince
Senior Curator, Design, Architecture and Digital Department
Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Radovan Scasascia
Web designer and musician, London

Imprint
Curator and Project management
Anna Niederhäuser, Bern

Co-Curator
Mirjam Fischer, Zurich

Exhibition Architecture
Lucas Uhlmann, Lausanne

Art Direction
Emmanuel Crivelli, Dual Room, Biel/Bienne
for the visual identity of the Swiss Design
Awards 2019

Editor Blog and Social Media
Yves Mettler

Photography
Philippe Jarrigeon, Paris for the visual
identity of the Swiss Design Awards 2019

Etienne Malapert, Paris, pour le site web

Art Direction–Swiss Grand Award for Design
Krispin Heé

Photography/Videos–Swiss Grand Award
for Design
Marc Asekhame, Paris/Zurich

Federal Office of Culture Team
Soraya Estevez Ruiz, Gerhard Friedli, Mirijam Ingold,
Marie-France Lombardo, Béatrice Mettraux,
Andrea Rosser, Alexandra Schwab,
Philomen Stucky, Matilde Tettamanti