Red Dot Award 2017: looking back on the design highlights of the year

Record submissions, successful galaevents, an anniversary, special exhibitions and a re-opened museum – Red Dot can look back on a successful and especially year 2017. This year, the submitted products, communication projects, packagings, design concepts and prototypes were once again evaluated individually and the Red Dot seal was only given to projects that convinced through high design quality and creativity.

Red Dot Award: Product Design 2017
From furniture to domestic appliances, home electronics to vehicles, medical technology to industrial equipment – also in 2017, designers and manufacturers from all over the world could enter their best products to the Red Dot Award: Product Design 2017. This year, they could choose from 47 different categories. Under the motto “In search of good design and innovation”, 39 experts from all over the world entered the judging of the more than 5,500 entries from 54 different nations.

This year, 1,406 products received a Red Dot. In addition, the highest distinction “Red Dot: Best of the Best” was bestowed on 103 works.
Product designers celebrate at the Red Dot Gala in Essen
On 3 July 2017, the international design scene convened in Essen’s Aalto-Theater to duly celebrate the successes of the prize winners. At the Red Dot Gala, the laureates of the Red Dot: Best of the Best received their trophies on stage in front of around 1,200 guests. The highlight of the event was the awarding of the Red Dot: Design Team of the Year 2017 title. This year, the title of honour went to the Canyon Design Team, which has stood out thanks to its consistent and extraordinary design achievements. Simon Kidd, Director of Industrial Design at Blackmagic and holder of the 2016 title, passed on the “Radius” challenge cup together with Professor Dr. Peter Zec, initiator and CEO of Red Dot.

Subsequent to the award ceremony, the Designers’ Night took place in the Red Dot Design Museum Essen. Within the course of the after-show party, the laureates of the Red Dot received their certificates. At the same time, the special exhibition “Design on Stage” was opened, which presented all of the award-winning products of 2017 for five weeks. The Red Dot: Design Team of the Year presented itself with the self-designed exhibition “Design that talks”.

Red Dot Award: Communication Design 2017
The Red Dot Award: Communication Design celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2017. Agencies, designers and companies from 50 countries entered a total of 8,051 projects across 18 categories. This way, they set a new record in terms of entry numbers and raised the level of internationalisation compared to last year.

The jury was likewise very multicultural: 24 experts from 11 countries convened in Essen to evaluate all of the entries and assess their individual performance. They awarded the Red Dot seal only to projects that won them over with their high design quality and creativity. The renowned label was awarded to 749 works. In addition, the jury bestowed the Red Dot: Best of the Best on 67 works.

Red Dot Gala 2017 in Berlin: communication designers celebrate their awards
Only at the award ceremony on 27 October 2017 at the Konzerthaus Berlin in Germany, the Red Dot: Grand Prix was awarded – to five projects, which were honoured as the best in their category. Furthermore, the outstanding work by an up-and-coming talent came from the School of Design Ravensburg, Germany, this year: Sarah Müller received the Red Dot: Junior Prize along with its prize money of 10,000 Euros for her book “See Acoustics – Rhapsody in Blue” (“Akustik sehen – Rhapsody in Blue”), which visualises music.

This year, two companies stood out in particular and received the competition’s coveted honorary titles: Being the most successful brand in the Red Dot Award: Communication Design 2017, Audi was honoured as Red Dot: Brand of the Year 2017. The title of honour is the recognition for design quality and consistent decisiveness in brand management. Giovanni Perosino, Vice President Marketing Communication at Audi, accepted the trophy in the course of the Red Dot Gala. The most successful agency in 2017 was thjnk. The honouring of the creative minds as the Red Dot: Agency of the Year 2017 was the final highlight of the award ceremony.

At the Designers’ Night in the E-Werk Berlin, the successes of the year were duly celebrated on the same evening. The exclusive winners’ exhibition “Design on Stage” presented the award-winning communication design works during the after-show party. Until 14 January 2018, selected works will be on show in the studio exhibition “Best Communication Design – Red Dot Winners Selection 2017” at the Museum for Communication Berlin.

Red Dot Award: Design Concept 2017
Companies, design studios, research institutions and designers from 58 countries entered a record of 4,724 entries in 34 categories to the Red Dot Award: Design Concept 2017. 20 experts from all over the world convened and assessed each idea in an adjudication process lasting several days.

This year, 240 concepts were awarded a Red Dot, 43 were honoured with a “Red Dot: Best of the Best” for its exceptional design quality. 62 concepts also received an Honourable Mention. The Red Dot jury nominated three concepts of the 43 Red Dot: Best of the Best laureates for the Red Dot: Luminary. “Halo City”, a ready-to-launch micro-electric and foldable scooter, won the race.

Prof. Dr. Peter Zec and Mr. Ken Koo, President of Red Dot in Asia, handed over the awards at the award ceremony in Singapore. The success could be celebrated at the following Designers’ Night in the new opened Red Dot Design Museum Singapore.

Re-opened Museum at a prominent spot
The Red Dot Design Museum Singapore changed its place of business from the flame red building in the Maxwell Road to the well-known Marina Bay, a coast in the south of the country. The building used to be the Marina Bay City Gallery. After some architectural changes it now has various galleries and showcases an exhibition of over 345 futuristic concepts, and which all were awarded in the Red Dot Award: Design Concept. Until 2 a.m., it attracts tourists and locals with its iconic building.

In addition to the exhibitions, the museum features a shop with carefully chosen design objects as well as products designed by Singaporean designers and a coffee bar offering food, craft beer, gourmet coffee and tea.

China Good Design 2017
In 2017, with “China Good Design”, the Red Dot supported design competition in China was conducted for the third time. It has the goal to discover good designs in China from an international perspective, aiming to improve the future design atmosphere in China and expressing Chinese design culture as well as promoting the country’s design and culture worldwide. Among 3,341 entries from 11 countries, in 2017, the highest single distinction “China Good Design Gold” was awarded 14 times, 114 products were bestowed with the quality seal “China Good Design” and 23 products were awarded with an Honourable Mention.

interzum award 2017
In 2017, the “interzum award: intelligent material & design” was held again. In the course of the competition, which Koelnmesse organises in cooperation with Red Dot every two years, the best designs in the international supplier industry for the furniture and interior decorating industries were awarded. The competition registered a total of 244 entries from 28 countries. These were assessed live and on site at Koelnmesse by five respected and independent international experts from design and architecture.

Together the jurors awarded the title of “High Product Quality” to 40 products which significantly stand out from comparable products thanks to their excellent design. In addition, 12 excellent design achievements that set new standards in form and function in their industry were awarded the “Best of the Best”. The winners were announced and celebrated on 15 May 2017 during the award ceremony in the Theater am Tanzbrunnen in Cologne, Germany. The event marked the start of the “interzum” trade fair, where representatives from the global furniture supplier industry convened. The award-winning products were presented to the international specialist audience at an exhibition on the trade fair boulevard.

Selected Red Dot exhibitions 2017
Red Dot presented the award-winning products, communication works and design concepts on a national and international level in the course of special and touring exhibitions:

DANSK LYS – Lighting and Lamp Design from Denmark
15 November 2016 – 15 January 2017
Red Dot Design Museum Essen

Under the Sign of the Circle: Red Dot awarded Innovations from Japan
25 November 2016 – 19 March 2017
Vernissage: 24 November 2016
Red Dot Design Museum Essen

Juxtapositions: Red Dot awarded Product Benchmarks from Taiwan and Abroad
7 December 2016 – 23 April 2017
Red Dot Design Area Taipei

Bike | Design | City
29 January – 30 July 2017
Gewerbemuseum Winterthur, Switzerland

World’s Best Communication Design and Highlights from NRW
6 April 2017 – 6 June 2017
Vernissage: 5 April 2017
Red Dot Design Museum Essen

PLEXIGLAS® – From inspiring material to innovative design
A special exhibition for Evonik Performance Materials
10 May 2017 – 11 June 2017
Red Dot Design Museum Essen

Dialogue – Red Dot awarded Communication Design
3 July – 15 October 2017
Red Dot Design Area Taipei

Design on Stage – Winners Red Dot Award: Product Design 2017
4 July 2017 - 6 August 2017
Vernissage: 3 July 2017
Red Dot Design Museum Essen

“Canyon – Design that talks”
Special exhibition of the Red Dot: Design Team of the Year 2017
4 July – 27 August 2017
Vernissage: 3 July 2017
Red Dot Design Museum Essen

“Design is International”
27 September – 30 October 2017
Mixed C World Mall, Shenzhen, China

Best Communication Design – Red Dot Winners Selection 2017
29 October 2017 – 14 January 2018
Vernissage: 28 October 2017
Museum for Communication Berlin, Germany

Homo Ex Data – The Natural of the Artificial
25 November 2017 – 27 May 2018
Vernissage: 24 November 2017
HKDI Gallery, Hong Kong

Events and more 2017
The numerous activities of Red Dot were completed by various events on the topic of design. Here is a selection:

Red Dot Gala & Designers’ Night (Red Dot Award: Product Design 2017)
3 July 2017
Aalto-Theater and Red Dot Design Museum Essen

“Insider Stories” by Professor Dr. Peter Zec
28 September 2017
KOREA UNIVERSITY School of Art and Design, Seoul, South Korea

Lecture by Professor Dr. Peter Zec at the 16th SIBAC Annual Meeting
29 September 2017
Four Seasons Hotel, Seoul, South Korea

Red Dot Gala (Red Dot Award: Design Concept 2017)
18 October 2017
Red Dot Design Museum Singapore

Opening of the new Red Dot Design Museum Singapore
19 October 2017
Red Dot Design Museum Singapore

Red Dot Gala & Designers’ Night (Red Dot Award: Communication Design 2017)
27 October 2017
Konzerthaus Berlin & E-Werk Berlin, Germany

Designers‘ Night
21 November 2017
OMNI Nightclub, Taipei, Taiwan

“Icons of brand design”: guided tour with Professor Dr. Peter Zec
5 November 2017
Museum for Communication Berlin, Germany

Design objects under the hammer: charity auction 2017
3 December 2017
Red Dot Design Museum Essen

Outlook for 2018
The regular registration phase for the Red Dot Award: Product Design 2018 is well under way: Manufacturers and designers can enter their best products at the regular rate up until 16 January 2018. “Latecomers” still have until 9 February to register. Also, the Red Dot Award: Communication Design 2018 is raring to go: Between February and June, agencies, designer and companies can register for the award. Between 2 January and 21 March, there is time to register for the Red Dot Award: Design Concept 2018.

» More information about the Red Dot Award: Product Design
» More information about the Red Dot Award: Communication Design
» More information about the Red Dot Award: Design Concept

Red Dot wishes you a Merry Christmas and all the best for 2018. We look forward to a successful year with exciting innovations and lots of creativity!