The German Design Awards have been presented by the German Design Council for the tenth time. The internationally renowned prizes are awarded to companies whose pioneering products and projects stand out in the categories of “Excellent Product Design”, “Excellent Communications Design” and “Excellent Architecture”. In addition to the “Winner” and “Special Mention” awards, the jury gave out a total of 81 “Gold” awards – the highest distinction of the German Design Awards.
Inspired by the work of the visionary designer and design theorist Horst Rittel, the German Design Council has chosen the motto “How designers think” for this year’s German Design Awards: how can solutions be found to those challenges for which Rittel, together with Melvin Webber, coined the term “wicked problems” in the 1960s; problems that are – or only appear to be – unclear, contradictory, volatile or even unsolvable?
The German Design Awards are the German Design Council’s most important prize and among the most recognised international design awards. Entries are judged by an international jury made up of leading experts from all disciplines of design. Their judgement is invaluable – anyone whose product/project impresses this jury has demonstrated a high level of competence in design innovation and a sharp focus on the demands of their own customers and the market. In short, whoever wins here is one of the best. An award – whether “Special Mention”, “Winner” or “Gold” – makes the work globally visible and opens up a valuable network with international reach to the designers and companies. See the awarded projects below:
Gold
The »Underground Station Rotes Rathaus« was opened in December 2020. The design identity is created by a strong concept of flowing space, expressive oval mushroom columns, materiality and meticulously designed details. The wall surfaces are made of fibre-reinforced concrete panels resembling polished terrazzo, an innovative use of materials. The design communicates the idea of movement and dynamics of travelling underground. Clarity, personal sense of security and well-being arise from the design.
Six-Directions Meditation Courtyard House by ICI ARCHITECTURE (Client: Kiming Temple)
The design follows the world outlook of Six-Directions in Buddhism and integrates the architecture into the surroundings from East, West, South, North, Sky and Earth as if it grew naturally from the wild. Meanwhile, it introduces natural factors into the space, enabling users to have a connection with the surroundings with their five senses. It creates a natural and peaceful space for people to slow down to spend time with nature and themselves in the face of rapid and intense urbanization nowadays.
The museum aims to display the entire manufacturing process of Jin Zhuan through the blending of architecture and landscape, as well as offering a vivid experience of the cultural and historical essences of the imperial kiln. It adopts an encircled planning to create a garden-style introverted space to maximize the area of the core reserve. The main body of the museum is an abstract summary of the imperial kiln and the imperial court with a forceful mass and a formal plainness inspired by the protruding eaves of traditional Chinese architecture.
The new 126-metre long red rust building replaces the former boiler house of the coal mine, which closed in 1993 and is part of the revitalization. The new building captures essential design features of the industrial architecture and forms the southern edge of the office campus. A transparent communication level, the »seam story«, stretches the length of the building. Two glass bridges link from here to the existing historical building. The entrance foyer vertically connects all building levels.
Winners
Quantum Memories by Refik Anadol Studio
»Quantum Memories« is Refik Anadol Studio’s epic scale investigation at the intersection of architecture, machine learning, the aesthetics of probability, and Google AI Quantum Supremacy experiments, exhibited on the largest LED screen that the National Gallery of Victoria has deployed to date. It is a data sculpture that draws upon more than two hundred million publicly available nature-related images, which are used to train a GAN AI algorithm. By proposing the possibility of “post-digital architecture,” it offers a futuristic view of our sense of spaces and translates the logic of new media technology into spatial design.
Old Jaffa House 4 by Pitsou Kedem Architects
A collection of three-hundred-year-old spaces built around a central patio. The basis of the concept - searching for a stitch between building traditions of Ottoman architecture and innovative technologies. The main design gesture is expressed in a dynamic metal cladding, which "travels" along the stone walls and accompanies them, containing behind all infrastructure. Occasionally, the wall cladding meets a joinery element and is functionally accompanied by it as a door, bed back or railing.
Special Mentions
Compound in the Hudson Valley by Rangr Studio
Designed to fit the site’s landscape and blend with the local architectural vernacular, three structures on a 75 acre lot in Columbia County, NY, resolve contradictions to provide a home for a young family of four. Simple forms are placed on the site to enhance each locations qualities. Two volumes intersect to form the main house, with a view across a valley. The guest house is benched into the land, giving it an intimate relationship with the hill, looking out to the forest and the river.
Employment support center for handicapped persons. With the money from crowdfunding and donations, the clothing store in the shopping district was renovated. They painted ball targets and jump scales on the walls and floor for children. University students and facility users participated in part of the construction. Forestry is the main industry in this area, The local sawmill provided the material. Although it is low cost, it creates a new space by confronting old and new.
FON 23 by Truedreams Construction CO., LTD
The exterior wall of this case is mainly made of elegant and simple clean water moulds, which reduce unnecessary exterior materials to achieve environmental protection. A wall of at least 20 cm thick provides heat isolation for buildings in the subtropical zone. »FON« in »FON 23«: The sound »FON« in Mandarin Chinese is the same as that of “abundant” and of “bee”. So the name »FON« implies that a family (or an enterprise) works hard and a good harvest will follow.
Haus SW by Fuchs Wacker Architekten BDA PartmbB
It was there from the very first meeting - the clients' desire for an exposed steel staircase. exposed, free-floating steel staircase. In the urban villa on the outskirts of Stuttgart, it has found its place. At the very first step over the threshold, it catches the eye and leads the eye with its filigree black contours through the three-story upwards through the three-story air space. If you follow the steel steps covered with smoked oak wood, you are greeted on the upper floor by an extrovert wall panel in Milanese natural stone wall panel in the spacious living-dining area. On the floor is the same warm-toned oak, which contrasts pleasantly with the white plastered walls and the surfaces of the kitchen furniture.
You can find all of the winners in the online gallery of the German Design Awards 2022 at the official website of the prize.
