Mattel, IIDA and Harvard GSD Were iF Design Awards 2025 Jurors
Alpha Kilo — February 25, 2025 — Art & Design
References: ifdesign
iF Design, a respected member of the international design community headquartered in Germany, kicked off the preliminary jurying round of the iF DESIGN AWARD 2025 this past December. Regarded as one of the most prestigious accolades in the design world, the iF DESIGN AWARD brings together an international jury of some of the most highly respected experts in their respective fields. This year’s jury pioneered the implementation of iF Design’s newly established sustainability criteria, ensuring that environmental and social impact were key considerations for all submissions.
iF Design is one of the oldest independent design institutions in the world. Since 1953, iF Design has organized the prestigious iF DESIGN AWARD, which recently, brought in nearly 11,000 entries from 70 countries across 9 design disciplines and 82 categories. Category leaders such as Apple, Samsung, Bosch, and PepsiCo continually submit their designs to the rigorous, two-step jury, competing for an award, especially the coveted iF Gold. With previous jurors such as Dieter Rams, Richard Sapper, Franco Clivio, Stefan Dietz and Paola Picasso, the award continues to be one of the most notable in the industry.
The 2025 jury for the awards represents a dynamic and diverse cross-section of global design talent, bringing together 131 professionals from various disciplines and regions. This year, iF Design also celebrated a milestone marking the one year anniversary of opening its first U.S. subsidiary, strengthening ties with the North American design community. Lisa Gralnek was appointed as iF’s first-ever Global Head of Sustainability & Impact, a role she holds in tandem to her position as Managing Director of iF Design USA Inc. Notable U.S.-based jurors for this year’s edition of the awards programme include Chris Down, Chief Design Officer at Mattel, Cheryl Durst, CEO of IIDA (International Interior Design Association), Hlynur Atlason, Founder of Atlason Studio and others while global jurors include Daisuke Ishii, Sony Group (Japan), Lani Adeoye, Studio Lani (Nigeria), Patrick Abbattista, DesignWanted (Italy) and more.
The intensive jury process, one of the most rigorous among award programs, began the first week in December with an online pre-selection phase where 50% of top-scoring entries across all categories will advance to the final round. Then in February, the jurors convene in Germany for two and a half days of in-depth evaluation, examining entries in person - testing, reviewing and handling each submission to select 2025’s winners. Entries are assessed based on five criteria: Idea, Form, Function, Differentiation and Sustainability. Starting in 2025, Sustainability now represents one-fifth of the judging criteria, focused on critical social and environmental factors as determined by a group of sustainability experts from around the world and across disciplines. To ensure the jury are trained in these new standards, jurors will collaborate with this Sustainability Working Group, reinforcing the organization’s ongoing commitment to elevating responsible design practices and ushering positive change in the industry and beyond.
iF Design is one of the oldest independent design institutions in the world. Since 1953, iF Design has organized the prestigious iF DESIGN AWARD, which recently, brought in nearly 11,000 entries from 70 countries across 9 design disciplines and 82 categories. Category leaders such as Apple, Samsung, Bosch, and PepsiCo continually submit their designs to the rigorous, two-step jury, competing for an award, especially the coveted iF Gold. With previous jurors such as Dieter Rams, Richard Sapper, Franco Clivio, Stefan Dietz and Paola Picasso, the award continues to be one of the most notable in the industry.
The 2025 jury for the awards represents a dynamic and diverse cross-section of global design talent, bringing together 131 professionals from various disciplines and regions. This year, iF Design also celebrated a milestone marking the one year anniversary of opening its first U.S. subsidiary, strengthening ties with the North American design community. Lisa Gralnek was appointed as iF’s first-ever Global Head of Sustainability & Impact, a role she holds in tandem to her position as Managing Director of iF Design USA Inc. Notable U.S.-based jurors for this year’s edition of the awards programme include Chris Down, Chief Design Officer at Mattel, Cheryl Durst, CEO of IIDA (International Interior Design Association), Hlynur Atlason, Founder of Atlason Studio and others while global jurors include Daisuke Ishii, Sony Group (Japan), Lani Adeoye, Studio Lani (Nigeria), Patrick Abbattista, DesignWanted (Italy) and more.
The intensive jury process, one of the most rigorous among award programs, began the first week in December with an online pre-selection phase where 50% of top-scoring entries across all categories will advance to the final round. Then in February, the jurors convene in Germany for two and a half days of in-depth evaluation, examining entries in person - testing, reviewing and handling each submission to select 2025’s winners. Entries are assessed based on five criteria: Idea, Form, Function, Differentiation and Sustainability. Starting in 2025, Sustainability now represents one-fifth of the judging criteria, focused on critical social and environmental factors as determined by a group of sustainability experts from around the world and across disciplines. To ensure the jury are trained in these new standards, jurors will collaborate with this Sustainability Working Group, reinforcing the organization’s ongoing commitment to elevating responsible design practices and ushering positive change in the industry and beyond.
Trend Themes
1. Sustainability Integration in Design Awards - Design awards are increasingly incorporating sustainability as a key judging criterion, reflecting a broader industry shift towards environmentally and socially responsible practices.
2. Global Diversity in Design Evaluation - The jury for design awards such as the iF DESIGN AWARD is featuring an increasingly diverse panel of international experts, highlighting the trend toward inclusive and varied perspectives in design assessment.
3. In-person Design Assessment Resurgence - Despite the digital age, prestigious design awards are prioritizing in-person evaluation by experts, underscoring the enduring value of physical interaction with design submissions.
Industry Implications
1. Sustainable Design Consulting - A growing focus on sustainability criteria in design awards indicates expanding opportunities for consulting services that help firms meet rigorous environmental and social standards.
2. Global Design Collaboration Platforms - The diverse international jury panels demonstrate a burgeoning need for platforms that facilitate cross-cultural collaboration and knowledge sharing among design professionals.
3. Event Management for Design Competitions - The complex, multi-phase process of evaluating design awards like iF DESIGN AWARD suggests evolution in event management services catering specifically to the needs of global design competitions.
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