Open to young Korean designers, applications accepted until August 13
‘Eco-Friendly Design, Live Green! Go Green! Act Green!’
The Embassy of Sweden in Korea, the Korea Institute of Design Promotion, and IKEA Korea are jointly hosting the ‘2020 Korea+Sweden Young Design Award’, a design competition aimed at discovering and nurturing Korea’s design talent.
Now in its second year, the ‘Korea+Sweden Young Design Award’ was created for passionate young Korean designers to expand design exchange between Korea and Sweden through diverse inspiration and creative design, and to raise interest in the field of design.
The ‘Korea+Sweden Young Design Award’ pursues design based on three core values—‘Innovation’, ‘Sustainability’, and ‘A Better Future’—and each year an additional new competition theme is set. This year’s theme is ‘Eco-Friendly Design, Live Green! Go Green! Act Green!’. It is hoped that, through responsible and original design that considers sustainability for both people and the planet, more people will come to realize the importance of sustainability—which is becoming an essential element—and join in that movement.
The competition is open to any adult of Korean nationality aged 34 or under. Applications will be accepted from August 3 to August 13, and applicants may submit images showcasing their design or design concept along with a portfolio through the official ‘Korea+Sweden Young Design Award’ website (https://www.ksyda.com). The competition covers all areas of design except food and music.
Judging will be conducted by a jury of 11 members, including various design experts and opinion leaders from Korea and Sweden, based on the evaluation criteria of creativity, aesthetics, inclusivity, impact, and sustainability.
The results will be announced through the official website at the end of September. The 20 award recipients will be given the opportunity to exhibit their work at the ‘Design Korea Festival 2020’ held in October, while the three final winners will receive a range of benefits including a design study trip to Sweden, supporting their growth as global designers. Further details about this year’s competition can be found on the official website.
Jakob Hallgren, the Swedish Ambassador to Korea, said, “I hope the ‘Korea+Sweden Young Design Award’ will serve as a stepping stone connecting sustainable design and designers in Sweden and Korea,” adding, “I hope it will introduce Swedish values to the younger generations of both countries and become an occasion for pursuing a more sustainable way of life.”
Director Yoon Ju-hyun said, “I hope that this award, which began with the lofty aspiration of growing into the Nobel Prize of the design world, will become a driving force enabling designers to soar onto the global stage,” adding, “As this year’s theme is eco-friendly design, I hope the award will serve as an opportunity to foster understanding of and empathy for protecting the global environment and for sustainable design.”
Fredrik Johansson, CEO of IKEA Korea, said, “I am delighted that once again this year, through hosting the ‘Korea+Sweden Young Design Award’, we are able to support Korea’s next-generation designers with their limitless potential and possibilities,” adding, “Under IKEA’s vision of ‘creating a better everyday life for the many people’, we will continue to lend our support so that even more people can enjoy a brighter future through more innovative and sustainable design.”