2021 ’Korea+Sweden Young Design Award’ celebrates final winners at an award ceremony
[Seoul – October 12] IKEA Korea, the Embassy of Sweden in Seoul and the Korea Institute of Design Promotion (KIDP) held ‘2021 Korea+Sweden Young Design Award' award ceremony on October 8 and awarded three final winners, Kim Da-yeon (‘Universe’), Seo Han-ju (‘Hotel for Bees’), and Jung Han-eol (‘PYCT’).
The ‘Korea + Sweden Young Design Award’ is a design contest which aims to expand cultural exchange between Korea and Sweden through design, raise interest around the growing importance of design, and empower and inspire passionate young Korean talents to lead the future of design. Based on the core values of the ‘Korea + Sweden Young Design Award’s’: ‘innovation’, ‘sustainability’, and ‘better future’, the contest has been conducted with new theme every year. This year, along with this year’s theme of ‘Sustainable Design for a Better Future’, three final winners were selected based on their creativity, aesthetics, relevance and influence by a jury committee of 10 highly esteemed Korean and Swedish designers and opinion leaders of diverse backgrounds. The final design works were recognized for reflecting the power of design as a driving force to overcome climate change and bring about a better future. The final winners will also be given the opportunity to participate in various exhibitions and internship programs that will serve as a stepping stone to grow as a next-generation global designer to fully demonstrate their creativity.
22 finalists, including the three final winners, attended the award ceremony held on October 8. After the awards ceremony, a ‘design talk’ session was held for networking between Korean and Swedish designers. The ‘design talk’ session served as a venue to share examples of sustainable design, design philosophy, works, and was participated by previous ‘Korea + Sweden Young Design Award’ winners as well as numerous local and global emerging designers. The session was highlighted by Anton Högkvist, Interior Design Leader at IKEA, who presented on IKEA’s sustainable design philosophy.
“I was particularly impressed by how this group of talented young Korean designers have connected their ideas for a more sustainable future with new and exciting design concepts,” said Daniel Wolvén, Ambassador-designate of the Embassy of Sweden in Seoul. “Both Sweden and South Korea put a lot of emphasis on sustainability and the work on display today shows how innovative design can provide inspiring solutions.”
Yoon Sang-heum, President of the Korea Institute of Design Promotion, stated “Sustainability is the most important issue of our time. In this award, various creative ideas stood out by young designers who want to solve environmental problems and climate change through design. Korea and Sweden will continue to expand cultural exchange through design and strive to strengthen the role of design to solve social problems.”
“Through so many new and interesting submissions, we were able to see the novelty of young Korean designers who strive for a better future for the planet, and we commend them for their passion and dedication,” stated Fredrik Johansson, Country Retail Manager at IKEA Korea. “IKEA Korea will continue to support the many to lead the movement towards a sustainable future through design.”
About 2021 ‘Korea+Sweden Young Design Award’ winners
Kim Da-yeon - ‘Universe’
‘Universe’ is a collection of new sustainable fibers made by treating and dyeing foxtail grass with water filled with natural ingredients. The macro animal rights, human rights, and environmental issues of the textile industry are not only materials, but also irrational production processes and processing methods of those materials. Plant fur can replace fur, and healthy rainbow colors made without artificial pigments or chemical additives will be a solution to many problems facing the textile industry and an inspiration for consumers in everyday life.
Seo Han-ju - ‘Hotel for Bees’
The ‘Hotel for Bees’ is a simple, eco-friendly honeycomb made of coffee grounds and biodegradable plastics. The stones were scanned in 3D to create a beehive structure that is the same as can be found in nature and a protective film that protects bees from the outside. The mass deaths of honeybees globally is a result of harmful effects to the nervous systems of honeybees due to excessive use of pesticides; making them unable to return home. The ‘Hotel for Bees’ is placed in the middle of the path for bees to return to their honeycomb and aims to increase their survival rate.
Jung Han-eol - ‘PYCT’
‘PYCT’ is a platform for the Pyeongtaek City Succession Farmers' Association that pursues sustainable agriculture. It is a platform that connects eco-friendly agricultural products of successors in Pyeongtaek to local consumers to benefit producers and consumers, and is a project that proposes communication designs that link various media such as advertising campaigns and videos that highlight the stories of young farmers.
