National Design Award of Latvia 2018

RIGA - The exhibition National Design Award of Latvia 2018 will be on view at the Museum of Decorative Arts and Design in Riga (Skārņu iela 10/20) from 17 April to 20 May 2018.

2017 witnessed the birth of a new tradition in the field of design in the form of the first ever National Design Award of Latvia (NDAL; Latvijas Dizaina gada balva / LDGB) competition, which took place for the second time this year. The National Design Award of Latvia is an annual national design industry competition, whose goals are to identify, judge and promote the best accomplishments of Latvian designers, thus facilitating the use of design created in Latvia and the long-term development and growth of the Latvian design sector.

The competition is the biggest event of the year in Latvian design, and the award itself is the highest prize in the Latvian design sector. The competition is open to organisations and private individuals that use design as a driving force for innovation and create products or services.

The exhibition’s 20 finalists have been chosen by an international and interdisciplinary competition jury comprised of seven industry professionals: Director of the Berlin Office of Ralph Appelbaum Associates (RAA), the world’s leading practice specializing in museum planning and exhibition design, exhibition design and museum planning expert Timothy W. Ventimiglia, long-standing G–Star RAW Creative Director and designer, strategy design and interior design expert Pieter Kool, Head of the Exhibition Centre of the National Library of Latvia, architect, journalist, author and exhibition curator Ieva Zībārte, co-founder of Madara Cosmetics, brand identity designer of a number of well-known Latvian brands, graphic designer, and lecturer Liene Drāzniece, art curator and theoretician Kaspars Vanags, Accenture Latvia Digital Service Design Lead Kaspars Auzarējs-Auzers, as well as the internationally renowned, Latvia-born Amsterdam-based product designer Germans Ermičs.

The exhibition with the 20 best works submitted for the National Design Award of Latvia 2018 competition showcases the current situation in Latvian design. The main message of NDAL 2018, communicated through both the award’s visual identity and its conceptual content, is “Design Connects”, which highlights the interaction between industries. The exhibition has been devised with the goal of promoting an active process of learning as well as a meaningful discussion about the need for quality design. Viewers will be invited to vote for their favourite design solution.

The digital dimension of the project is being organised by the main partner of the National Design Award of Latvia, Accenture Latvia. During the exhibition, nominations will be sought for the new Digital Designer’s Award.

During the exhibition, the organisers of the National Design Award of Latvia in collaboration with the Museum of Decorative Arts and Design will present a wide programme of events. Design Talks will take place on Wednesdays from 17.00 to 19.00, Design Walks conducted by a guide will be on Thursdays from 16.00 to 17.00, while Accenture Latvia’s Digital Design Workshops for Youth as well as the art education centre Three Colours’ Design Workshops for Families with Kids” will be held on Saturdays from 12.00 to 14.00.