Finnish designs awarded in the United States
The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and the European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies have announced the annual GOOD DESIGN awards for the year 2011. GOOD DESIGN, dating back to 1950, is the oldest, largest, and also one of the most prestigious awards programs organized worldwide. It was founded by Charles and Ray Eames, Edgar Kaufmann, Jr, George Nelson, Eero Saarinen, and Russel Wright.
The GOOD DESIGN awards are given to the most innovative and cutting-edge industrial, product, and graphic designs produced around the world within a 2-year-period before the award year. The selection criteria used today is the same as that used by the original jury. It is not only about aesthetic merit, but also takes into consideration utility, functionality, durability, energy efficiency, and sensitivity to the environment. The GREEN GOOD DESIGN award was added to the program in 2009.
The 2011 program was the largest to day, and the winning entries once again included “everything from the spoon to the city” as the program’s founders intended. The jury held in Los Angeles gave a total of over 500 awards to submissions representing the work of several thousand designers and manufacturers from over 50 countries.
Best known for it’s scissors, axes and gardening tools, Finland’s oldest company Fiskars, founded in 1649, received 10 awards for its household products, children’s products and tools, including its reel mowers, hedge shear, and eco bin composter. The other awarded Finnish products were the Sinituote Star-Wash Brush by designer Tapani Holma, the Keraplast Tip LED pendant by designer Tapio Anttila, and the Mestari log carrying rag designed and manufactured by Kari Saaren-Seppälä.
