The Design Award of the Federal Republic of Germany is the country‘s highest distinction in the field of design. It is known as the »Prize of Prizes«. The reason: no other design award sets such strict criteria on entries. Thus, a company can only enter the competition for the Design Award if its product has already been awarded a national or international design prize. Another precondition for entry is that companies must have been nominated by the Ministries and Senators of the Federal States or by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology.

 

The festive presentation of this year's Design Award of the Federal Republic of Germany will take place on February 12, 2010 at the opening of the international Ambiente trade fair in Frankfurt. This year, 45 achievements from the product and communication design sectors were selected. The independent jury bestows a gold award upon ten winners. At the occasion, Ingo Maurer will receive the Design Award Personality for his lifetime achievements. For the first time, a competition for young talents was organized for 2010; its winners will also be announced within the framework of the presentation ceremony. Photos from the presentation will be available in the afternoon of Feb. 12, 2010 for download. The winners of the product design awards will be presented in an exhibition during the Ambiente trade fair (February 12-16, 2010) in the Galleria. The award-winning communication design works will be shown in a separate exhibition from February 13 until March 7, 2010 at Frankfurt's Museum für Angewandte Kunst (opening on Feb. 12, 2010 at 6 p.m.). All winners and further information at www.designpreis.de/index.php

An annual endowed award for outstanding young designers will be given together with the Design Award of the Federal Republic of Germany 2010. The aim of the award is to support and promote young designers in the phase immediately following their university education.

 

The sole prerequisite for participation in the competition is nomination by the ministers or senators of economics of the German states or the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology. The competition is open to designers of all styles with a university degree, which must have been taken within the last five years. Participants can be either individuals or design studios with more than one designer.

 

The jury will select five finalists from all valid entries, and they will be invited to come to Frankfurt for the awards ceremony in February 2010. This forum will give young designers the opportunity to make contact with representatives of design-oriented companies, design studios, the press and politics, and to build up networks.

 

The Young Designer of the Year will be announced during the presentation of the Design Award of the Federal Republic of Germany on 12 February 2010. He or she will receive an endowed award worth € 8,000.