This year’s FDS Award, organized by the online store Finnish Design Shop, has been won by Elina Ulvio’s Kakadu pendant light. The first prize is worth 7,000 euros.
”KAKADU IS A TIMELESSLY BEAUTIFUL pendant light suitable for a range of interiors, from classic to modern Scandinavian styles, in homes and public spaces. The lamp looks new and ageless at the same time,” the jury describes the winning design.
The winner, Elina Ulvio, is a Helsinki-based designer who specializes in furniture design and has a background in architecture. She has worked for both Finnish and international design companies, such as Northern, OK Design, Interface and Hakola.
The second prize worth 2,000 euros was won by Päivi Keski-Pomppu with Soukka & Patina, a rotating coat rack and hanger for small spaces. Keski-Pomppu is a goldsmith, jewellery designer and entrepreneur, who studies currently interior architecture at Aalto University. Her background in jewellery is reflected in the elegant finish of her competition entry.
Worth 1,000 euros, the third prize went to Regular Company’s minimalist Loop side table. Regular Company is a Croatian design agency, which works with products, interior design, branding and digital design. The Loop table charmed the jury as it can be easily dismantled and flat-packed. Also, the compact side table is a beautiful piece of furniture, which has a new look and suits any space.
Held for the third time, the FDS Award design competition attracted almost 400 entries from design students, aspiring designers and design veterans around the world. A few contemporary themes were highlighted in this year’s high-level competition: sustainability, natural materials shaped by hand, and multipurpose design for small homes in particular.
The jury believes that all of the winning entries are suitable for production, bring a novel and fresh touch to the design world, and have commercial potential.
”We also wondered into which design brands’ collections they would fit. Our aim is to get as many as possible of this year’s winning entries into production and onto shop shelves.
FDS Award 2019 winners
First prize, 7,000 euros
Kakadu – Elina Ulvio, Finland
The Kakadu pendant light by Elina Ulvio is an interpretation of the classic theme of pleats. Ulvio plays with gravity and basic geometry to create a unique, truly graceful shape. Kakadu provides both straight spotlight shining downwards through its open cones, and soft, indirect light filtered through its paper pleats.
Second prize, 2,000 euros
Soukka & Patina – Päivi Keski-Pomppu, Finland
Designed by Päivi Keski-Pomppu, Soukka is a rotating coat rack and Patina is a coat hanger made from brass. Soukka & Patina make a beautiful combo, which is perfect for hanging clothes in small apartments and hallways.
Third prize, 1,000 euros
Loop – Regular Company, Croatia
Regular Company’s Loop side table is designed for dynamic and changing living spaces in particular. Loop’s minimalist yet playful look is both inviting and distinctive, but can still blend into almost any space. The table consists of a metal pipe frame and a solid wood top, which can be flat-packed for easy transportation.
See also:
• FDS Award 2019 shortlist revealed >
• Elina Ulvio – a playful functionalist >
Portrait: Jaanis Kerkis Images: Designers