On 25 September, the EUIPO celebrated creativity, innovation and brilliance in industrial design in Riga, Latvia.
From up-and-coming individuals and objects to industrial design legacies and leaders, the DesignEuropa Awards 2024 delivered four top prizes to exceptional registered designs and designers, recognising industrial design excellence among some 800 applications.
The top two company awards went to a sustainable record player and a patient-focused hospital bed. Young Italian designer Chiara Mignani received the Next Generation Award, and German industrial design legacy Dieter Rams received the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Entrepreneurs and Small Companies: Transparent Turntable
The Transparent Turntable was crowned the winner of the Entrepreneurs and Small Companies Award. This reinvention of a classic vinyl record player showcases an ever-evolving technology made for modern homes.
Designed by Per Brickstad for Sweden’s Transparent, the turntable is crafted out of aluminium and tempered glass and has a completely modular design. The jury praised its clean aesthetics and the fact that it is a repairable and circular product.
Industry: Essenza 300 LT
The Essenza 300 LT from Czech hospital bed manufacturer LINET took home the Industry Award. This innovative hospital bed enhances patient care and caregiver efficiency through state-of-the-art features.
Designed by LINET in-house design team with Divan Design Studio, it facilitates easy transportation and incorporates technology for safer patient exits, injury prevention and improved caregiver ergonomics. The jury highlighted its functionality and human-centred design.
Next Generation Design: Chiara Mignani
Talented young yacht designer Chiara Mignani received the first-ever Next Generation Design Award, a new category for 2024 to recognise emerging young designers under the age of 30.
The 27-year-old Italian is an emerging talent in yacht design, known for her designs of eco-friendly and high-performance yachts. She holds a master’s degree in naval and nautical design and has worked for well-known yacht design studios.
Her portfolio includes distinctive designs like the Nero 777 Evolution and Voltara 645. These lightweight, high-performance models use electric drive systems and carbon-fibre construction for enhanced durability and efficient manoeuvring as well as onboard comfort and space.
Lifetime Achievement Award: Dieter Rams
As previously announced, Dieter Rams, of Germany, was presented with this year’s Lifetime Achievement award.
Born in 1932 in Wiesbaden, Germany, Dieter Rams has made a profound impact in the field of product design. During his 40-plus year career at Braun, Rams and his team designed many iconic products.
Rams advocated “for a design ethos that respects our finite resources, urging designers and the public alike to consider the long-term impacts of consumerism”. In the late 1970s, he formulated his ‘Ten Principles for Good Design’, including his famous maxim ‘less, but better’.
Since 1994, the Dieter and Ingeborg Rams Foundation has been supporting responsible product design and addressing the future demands of industrial design. Congratulations to Dieter, a true icon of timeless design.
What it takes to win
The DesignEuropa Awards Jury selected the finalists for their design merit, market impact, social and environmental considerations and innovative use of the registered Community design system. It was led by chair Lorenzo Imbesi, architect and professor at the Sapienza University of Rome and president of the Cumulus Association. The jury included designers, academics, entrepreneurs, former winners and intellectual property experts.
Congratulations to all the incredible winners and the finalists!