Hungarian Design Award Winners 2023

The 21st Laboratory project workshop has published an extraordinary volume of studies exploring the new possibilities of enhancing human capacities in the digital era, with a primary focus on creativity. Ferry forces readers to move out of their comfort zones. The structure of the book is not linear, i.e. the studies are not simply arranged in direct succession, but in such a way that it inspires us to think, thanks to messages that will remain thought-provoking for many years and can be reread over and over. The subjects of the volume are centred on the possible scenarios and answers faced by creative man, as well as the role and place of art, and questions of the future of higher education in art. Deserving of the content of the book, the design is unconventional and complex, in many ways clearly breaking with the traditional notion of books as objects carrying information. Thanks to the versatile combinations and dynamic interpretations of cultural references, a wide array of writings and excerpts of texts, Ferry is a tangible tool with which a possible map can be drawn to navigate the way of thinking that is evolving in our increasingly digitalised world, possibly helping to make our connection with the future generations smoother.

Jury Statement

The experimental volume is outstanding in several respects. Looking at it as an object, we can see that every detail of the printing was carefully thought through and, fully exploiting the currently available technological solutions, a high-quality book was made. When examining the content and its function, it can be said that the diverse typographic layout system provides a creative form for the message it conveys. The publication’s strongest point is that while focusing on readability it applies the typographic elements with creativity, which results in the book itself becoming a typo-graphic element. All in all, this is a book that is nice to hold and browse, while it also provides a great visual experience.

The greatest challenge in design is to provide efficient solutions of newly emerging problems rather than repeatedly creating new forms for already existing functions. Rati Nook’s products successfully embraced this challenge: in the hyperdigitalised car interiors of today they managed to eliminate a very much analogue problem of stabilising small objects than can run loose, flying and rolling around in the trunk. The Velcro-fitted accessories can be easily attached to horizontal and vertical surfaces alike. They can be manufactured cost-effectively and require a minimum amount of heat-resistant and high-tensile materials. They are suitable for supporting bottles and other objects with irregular shapes, while, their potential can be made virtually endless – and can be extended even beyond the confines of car spaces – with the addition of extra accessories, such as ropes, pins and elastic rings. Such a design, which encourages creative solutions during its use, has a thoughtful colour scheme: the bright tones help users to locate these objects in dark spaces crammed full, such as trunks, pantries and built-in furniture.

Jury Statement

Rati Nook is a simple and lovable car accessory for securing packages. The objective of the design process, which started with establishing user needs, was to find a versatile and reliable securing solution for packages. The process of product design is determined by design thinking, and within the framework of production planning, the manufacturer, Rati Ltd, develops car accessories by drawing on its professional experience in the car industry. They created their new, innovative product in collaboration with the Flying Objects Design Studio. Factors of cost-effective manufacturing were taken into account; moreover, the packaging has a function even when not in use as it protects the non-slip and Velcro-fitted cushions from dust and dirt. The appearance and the use of materials make Rati Nook a distinctive product on the market.

The pandemic impacted our lives in several respects, including the expanding and modified functions of our living spaces. Besides home office gaining ground, the biggest change was the increased demand for home workout, which, however, unlike the furniture required by home office work, was not supported by the stylistic rehauling of sporting equipment. In contrast to the soulless equipment manufactured decisively from faux leather and metal equipment to satisfy the requirement of easy cleanability, the home workout bench called At Least introduced a natural, stylish and diverse alternative with its sleek design, high-quality materials and its resemblance to upholstered seating furniture. The bench can be inclined to 45 and 80 degrees and is mainly designed for simpler exercises with hand weights and own-body exercises. It also has an aesthetically implemented storage function, while, when not used for workout, it is a practical bench in the hallway. The Scandinavian-style, ergonomic design has an easy-to-clean finish, making it harmonise with modern interiors. This multifunctional object holds the potential of being further developed in the future in more than one way.

Jury Statement

The project represents great value in its form and function too: it is a simple bench, storage area and a piece of exercise equipment in one, characterised by the well thought-through use of high-quality and sustainable materials. It rarely happens that so many things and uses can be found together like in this object distinguished by an outstandingly diverse and fresh thinking of its designers, who accomplished their idea without intruding into another area and still managing to create a product concept with utmost harmony and integrity. Congratulations on the result and the team effort.

HUPLE is a medical device and method that have been used successfully and extensively in movement therapy in the last twenty years in the diagnosis, treatment and development of primarily prematurely-born, neurologically disabled and physically challenged children with non-standard paths of development. The concept of the HUPLE system using the tools of design is aimed at broadening the scope of its users: the main object is a hemispherical shape, into which plastic cards can be inserted with a single movement to develop cognitive skills for example, while adding a support element transforms the object into sports equipment for balancing exercises. Various accessories expand the functionality of the product, enabling it to address numerous new health-related challenges, now not only for infants and children but also for adults. A unique advantage of the concept is that it also focuses on cost-effective manufacturability, as well as on easy and sustainable packaging and transportation.

Jury Statement

A responsible design approach is required to achieve the kind of successful further development of functional objects that was accomplished by the design team in the case of the HUPLE medical movement therapy device, now in use for twenty years. In addition to refining the functionally fixed form to the already determined functions with a high degree of sensitivity, the designers added extra accessories, which increase the utility value of the ensemble and may help to monitor the development examined during the therapeutic process. A unique value of the planned product group is that the form, the function and the ergonomic properties of the objects as well as the colours, the elements of the visual identity and the packaging are combined into an integral whole that is exemplary and thus outstanding in the specialised area of medical devices.