FINAL PROPOSALS UNVEILED FOR LEXUS DESIGN AWARD 2021

Designs for a Better Tomorrow compete for Grand Prix honors

TOKYO, Japan (April 13, 2021) – Lexus today unveiled the refined proposals of the six finalists of the Lexus Design Award 2021, a global competition recognized for nurturing the next generation of creatives. The finalists were chosen from 2,079 submissions from 66 countries, using Lexus’ three key design principles, Anticipate, Innovate and Captivate as judging criteria. The finalists have been mentored by Joe Doucet, Sabine Marcelis, Mariam Kamara, and Sputniko!, who helped bring each proposal to fruition with the intent of leading to a Better Tomorrow.

Mentorship is a uniquely attractive core element of the Lexus Design Award. Six finalists are given the irreplaceable once-in-a-lifetime experience of being mentored directly by world class creators. Mentors provide diverse perspectives and help finalists refine their ideas through continued discussion. Nurtured by the synergy of the finalists’ insatiable curiosity and the mentors’ passion, each idea has evolved into an even more innovative proposal within the limited period of about three months.

Mentor Mariam Kamara said, “I’m impressed by the amount of work the finalists have been able to do in such a short time. They have really taken the advice and feedback we have given them in their stride, and showed a lot of passion and dedication into pushing their ideas to be all that they can be. It is obvious they care about the effect and impact their works can have, and it definitely comes across. The deep level of compassion they all show is absolutely commendable. I’m really staggered by everything they’ve been able to achieve.”

The six finalists will present their final proposals to a jury of renowned design leaders: Paola Antonelli, Dong Gong, Greg Lynn and Simon Humphries. One Grand Prix winning design will be announced on April 27th, marking the climax of this edition of the Lexus Design Award.

LEXUS DESIGN AWARD 2021 FINALISTS

• CY-BO by Kenji Abe (Japan)
  Sustainable, reusable packaging material that can be assembled like cells.
• Heartfelt by Gayle Lee and Jessica Vea (New Zealand & Tonga, based in New Zealand)
  A device that reimagines what being ‘present’ means in an isolated world.
• InTempo by Alina Holovatiuk (Ukraine)
  Phone cover and app that may help distract from stressful situations by novel usage of rhythm and music.
• KnitX by Irmandy Wicaksono (Indonesia, based in USA)
  Digital 3-D knitting of electronic textiles for immersive multi-modal gestural, auditory, and tactile material interaction.
• Portable Solar Distiller by Henry Glogau (Dual New Zealand & Austria, based in Denmark)
  A portable and low-tech Solar Distiller, which merges water production with community architecture.
• Terracotta Valley Wind by Intsui Design (China, based in Japan)
  A terracotta evaporative cooling system for subway stations utilizing train-induced wind to function

For more information, please visit LexusDesignAward.com

Official Hashtag: #lexusdesignaward