- The first prize of 20,000 euros was awarded to Alexander Rehn of Munich, Germany for his innovative design of KAULU
- This edition has broken participation records with more than 250 projects from all over the world
Valencia, 16 December 2024 – Andreu World is pleased to announce the winner of the 23rd edition of the International Design Contest, an edition that has been notable for the high quality of the projects and the record number of participants. This year, the first prize of 20,000 euros was awarded to Alexander Rehn for his innovative design of KAULU, which stands out for its comprehensive approach to sustainability and the ability to close the product’s life cycle from a circular perspective.
This special edition focused on the Circular Design® Challenge, Andreu World’s international industry-wide challenge for achieving the full circular economy. The proposals submitted had to take into account not only functionality and aesthetics, but also a comprehensive approach to sustainability, ensuring that the design could be reused at the end of its useful life, adapting to the principles of circular economy and considering aspects such as the origin of the materials, the manufacturing process and their subsequent recycling or reuse.
This year’s jury was made up of internationally renowned professionals in design and sustainability, such as Ángela Montagud, director of Clap Studio and winner of Spain’s Premio Nacional de Diseño 2023; Marta Vall-llosera, president of the Higher College of Architects of Spain; Thomas Garvey, president of the World Design Organization (WDO) and Marta Alcañiz, Head of Design at BBVA Spain. The jury evaluated the projects based on their originality, impact on the product life cycle and their ability to respond to today’s global challenges.
At the award ceremony, advertising executive Luis Bassat gave a talk entitled “Creativity: a tool for transformation”. Bassat shared with the audience how creativity has been the driving force of his professional and personal career, highlighting how he has applied an innovative approach not only in advertising, but also in his daily life. Through advertising examples, Bassat showed how creativity can transform the way we approach both professional and personal challenges.
This year’s edition of the Andreu World International Design Contest has broken records with more than 250 projects submitted and a record number of entries in 2024. Since its inception in 2001, more than 35,000 young designers have participated in the contest, consolidating it as one of the longest running and most prestigious competitions in the world. Alexander Rehn (Munich, Germany) won first prize for his design of KAULU, a chair distinguished by its ability to close the product’s life cycle and encourage reuse through the use of recyclable materials and a responsible production approach.
In addition, three special mentions were also awarded this year to the following projects: Chair 392 by Illia Masko (Dnipro, Ukraine), Folded table by Michael C.Poulsen (Hellerup, Denmark) and Void Lounge Chair by Jonas Forsman (Göteborg, Sweden).
The award ceremony had an element of solidarity with those affected by the DANA and for each guest, Andreu World made a financial donation to support small companies, businesses and self-employed people in the affected localities through the campaign “Desde Valencia para Valencia” (From Valencia for Valencia), led by renowned Valencian chefs such as Ricard Camarena, Quique Dacosta and Begoña Rodrigo, who are committed to joining forces for the recovery of Valencia. The initiative is supported by the Valencian Business Association (AVE) and 100% of the proceeds will go to those affected through the Valencian NGO Mamás en Acción (Mothers in Action), with a ten-year track record and all the quality seals that guarantee transparency in its management.
Building a Better World
This edition has reaffirmed Andreu World’s commitment to promoting innovative and sustainable solutions. The contest not only encourages young designers to build a better professional future, but also invites them to actively contribute to a more responsible and transformative world.
About Andreu World
Andreu World is a global family-owned company that for 70 years has developed a solid industrial culture based on the manufacture of high quality and comfortable seating and tables for work, corporate and public spaces, as well as for outdoor, hotels, cafeterias and restaurants. With a firm commitment to spreading the culture of design, it works with internationally renowned designers and architects and throughout its history has been awarded prestigious international design prizes such as the Red Dot Design Awards, Best of Neocon, ADI Compasso d’Oro, Wallpaper Awards as well as Spain’s Premio Nacional de Diseño de España. It has 30 single-brand showrooms around the world and co-branded exhibition spaces in Europe, Oceania, Asia and America.
Good design, production capacity and commitment to sustainability are also its hallmarks. This is reflected in certifications such as B Corp, Cradle to Cradle, Level 3 and Green Health Approved, as well as practices such as eco-design, zero waste management and the achievement of a neutral carbon footprint. In addition, the company has promoted a culture of environmentally responsible production that enables it to manufacture its products using only wood from reforested forests certified by the FSC® (Forest Stewardship Council). www.andreuworld.com