Final Call for Entries to Lexus Design Award 2020 as Competition Deadline Approaches

The submission period for entries to the prestigious Lexus Design Award 2019, which is being held this year under the theme ‘Design for a Better Tomorrow,’ is drawing to a close, with aspiring creators having a few days remaining to submit their ideas for consideration. Now in its eighth year, the distinguished international competition offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for talented creators from around the world, whose innovative works will be showcased as part of the globally renowned Milan Design Week 2020. 

The next generation of designers who would like to participate this year will need to consider how their creative ideas incorporate three fundamental principles from the Lexus brand, namely: ‘Anticipate,’ ‘Innovate,’ and ‘Captivate,’ as well as how their designs predict the needs of tomorrow’s society. They will have to develop innovative designs that bring new, imaginative solutions. At the same time, their ideas and designs should be captivating and engaging to the audience, and more importantly, to the esteemed judging panel. 

The six finalists are due to be announced in early 2020, and each will benefit from a unique opportunity to put their ideas into practice under the guidance of prominent figures from a range of design backgrounds. The exclusive mentorship program offers an individual production budget of up to JPY 3 million (over USD 25,000), allowing participants to turn their design concepts into functional prototypes that will be exhibited at the Lexus design installation as part of Milan Design Week 2020. 

The Grand Prix winner will be chosen following the presentation of prototypes by each of the six finalists on a globalstage during a press day at Milan Design Week 2020. This year, Jeanne Gang, named one of 2019’s Most Influential People in the world by Time Magazine, joins other esteemed design leaders to form the panel of judges. Gang, whose projects include an expansion to the American Museum of Natural History in New York and the O’Hare Global Terminal in Chicago, has been recognized internationally for a design process that expands beyond architecture’s conventional boundaries to foreground relationships between individuals, communities, and environments. The richly diverse panel also includes luminaries such as Paola Antonelli, Senior Curator of Architecture & Design at The Museum of Modern Art; John Maeda, Technologist and Chief Experience Officer at Publicis Sapient; and Yoshihiro Sawa, President of Lexus International. 

Yugo Miyamoto, Chief Representative, Middle East and Central Asia Representative ‎Office, Toyota Motor Corporation, said: “At Lexus, we believe in the power of creativity and design to change the world and build a better future for everyone, and the Lexus Design Award offers us an opportunity to take this belief forward and continue our passion for creating amazing experiences. Through the Lexus Design Award, which is being held this year under the theme ‘Design for a Better Tomorrow,’ Lexus is supporting the next generation of designers and creators by offering them a platform to explore their creativity and develop their unique design ideas while working under expert guidance to showcase their designs to the world.” 

Miyamoto added: “We look forward to revealing this year’s shortlisted participants and seeing what they will bring during this eighth edition of the award. I want to thank everyone involved in the Lexus Design Award for contributing to this valuable platform, as well as our loyal customers, whose continuous support inspires us all to reach beyond the conventional and create amazing experiences.” 

To mentor the six finalists, Lexus welcomes a stellar ensemble of creative pioneers from around the globe. These include Joe Doucet, a designer, artist, entrepreneur, inventor, and creative director who exhibits globally and has been honored with numerous international awards; celebrated British designer Bethan Gray, whose distinctive furniture and furnishings are inspired by world cultures and made in collaboration with master craftspeople; British-Canadian Philippe Malouin, an award-winning architectural, interior, and product designer, also known for his art objects and installations; and renowned architect Shohei Shigematsu, who heads OMA New York and will again be bringing out the creative potential of young designers – as he did during last year’s Lexus Design Award.