The annual Red Dot Award: Product Design is widely recognized as one of the largest and most prestigious design competitions across the globe. With 51 categories, its motto is “In search of good design and innovation”.
In the year 2023, many designers and companies participated in the competition in order to secure the coveted award. After rigorous evaluation, the international panel consisting of 43 design experts has completed the selection process. The winners will be revealed during the award ceremony, which is scheduled to take place on June 19, 2023. The successful candidates will have the opportunity to attend a celebratory event at the Aalto Theater in Essen and the Red Dot Design Museum.
For a span of two years, the panel had to carry out their duties solely through online means. However, this year marked a significant shift as the evaluation process returned to a live and on-site format. Professor Dr. Peter Zec, who serves as the CEO and founder of Red Dot, highlights the distinction between the two methods: “When assessing designs remotely, the jury primarily relies on photographs, and at times, even digital representations. Yet, in the realm of product or industrial design, the ability to interact with the actual products is essential. It is imperative to examine cars outside and hold technical devices in one’s own hands, which contributes to making an informed and serious judgment.”
The products that receive recognition from the Red Dot panel share an exceptional level of design quality, regardless of whether they prioritize aesthetic appeal, functionality, intelligence, or innovation. The companies and product designers who participate in the competition introduce fresh benchmarks with their entries, which range from fashion and accessories to household aids, furniture, vehicles, and consumer electronics. For the Red Dot Jury members, the assessment process is also a highly communicative endeavor: “The constraints of the Covid pandemic did not alter the way the panel operated for me. Despite the circumstances, the experts remained the same, and there was no difference in the jury’s duties.”
This year’s Red Dot judges are:
- David Andersen, Denmark
Renne Angelvuo, Finland
Prof. Masayo Ave, Germany/Japan - Martin Beeh, Germany
Arch. Luisa Bocchietto, Italy - Gordon Bruce, USA
Gisbert L. Brunner, Germany - Rüdiger Bucher, Germany
Vivian Wai-kwan Cheng, Denmark/Hong Kong
Mag. Art Wan-Ru Chou, Taiwan - Mårten Claesson, Sweden
Vincent Créance, France
Martin Darbyshire, UK
Robin Edman, Sweden
Joachim H. Faust, Germany
Prof. Lutz Fügener, Germany - Hideshi Hamaguchi, Japan
Prof. Renke He, China - Prof. Carlos Hinrichsen, Chile
- Simon Husslein, Switzerland
- Guto Indio da Costa, Brazil
- Qiong Er Jiang, China
- Gerald Kiska, Austria
Annette Lang, Germany
Dr. Thomas Lockwood, USA
Uwe Melichar, Germany
Nina Mihovec, Slovenia
Prof. Jure Miklavc, Slovenia
Adriana Monk, Switzerland
Prof. Dr. Ken Nah, South Korea
Ken Okuyama, Japan
Simon Ong, Singapore
Hon.-Prof. Dr. Sascha Peters, Germany - Dirk Schumann, Germany
Mario Selic, Germany
Dick Spierenburg, Netherlands
Kazuo Tanaka, Japan - Aleks Tatic, Germany /Italy
- Prof. Axel Thallemer, Germany
- Nils Toft, Denmark
- Prof. Danny Venlet, Belgium
- Sylvia Vitale Rotta, France
- Dr. Joseph Francis Wong, Hong Kong