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The shortlisted entries for the second round of the National Design Award of Latvia 2024 winter application session were announced on 29 April 2024. From the 65 applications received, the selection jury has shortlisted 27 entries for the second round of the competition. Entries were judged in five categories: products, services, communication, environment and digital solutions. The most entries were received in the environmental design category - 22, closely followed by the communication and product design categories with 19 entries each. 

All entries were judged by the selection jury which consists of renowned Latvian design professionals - a chairperson and two jury members for each category. The category chairs were Brigita Bula, leading architect at «Brigita Bula arhitekti», Edgars Zvirgzdiņš, designer and entrepreneur, Kirils Kirasirovs, graphic designer, and Mārcis Miķelsons-Germs, head of UX design and partner at «Cube». The jury members were Edijs Ļaksa, the designer of the military vehicle «VR–1–FOX» that won the LDGB 2023 product design category award; Dārta Apsīte, creative director; Baiba Ripa, fashion and interior designer; Anna Andersone, design entrepreneur and head of the «Riga TechGirls» movement; Didzis Jaunzems, architect and head of the design studio «DJA». 

The selection jury evaluated the entries according to the evaluation criteria defined in the competition rules:

• originality and creativity of the idea,
• the defined problem and task(s), and the chosen solutions to solve the problem,
• co-creation, stakeholder involvement and cooperation in the work process,
• functionality and technological solution,
• aesthetics and other dimensions of quality of experience,
• economic relevance, sustainability, and circularity,
• social relevance, inclusion, availability and accessibility.

Environmental design

The largest number of entries - 21 - was judged in the Environmental Design category, of which seven made it to the second round of the competition. Brigita Bula, Chair of the jury for the Environmental Design category, comments: «The entries in the environmental design category varied greatly in size and in their attitude to the assessment criteria. While we can forgive some shortcomings in small, low-budget works on topical social themes, which essentially meet our everyday need for well-presented and comprehensible design information, we cannot do so in large-scale, publicly funded works where open processes, visitor experience, inclusion and consideration of other social needs go hand in hand with impeccable aesthetics. Therefore, abstracting from the pressure of size, importance, emotional and substantive weight of the applicants' work, the jury put inclusion and user experience, social responsibility of the work, progressive approach and subversion of preconceptions in solving the challenges, sustainability also as a conceptual footprint, ability to lead by example and aesthetics at the forefront.»

Nominees for the environmental design category:

1. «Ra–drošā telpa» visitor journey and spatial design. Authors - «MAGIC», «KID Design». Commissioned by «Centrs Dardedze».
2. Adaptation and reconstruction project of the industrial heritage of the temporary Valmiera Theatre space «Kurtuve». Authors - Ilze Liepiņa, Reinis Liepiņš, Dāvis Jansons, Renāte Karjavčenko, «Sudraba Arhitektūra». Commissioned by Valmiera Municipality / Valmiera Theatre.
3. Children's programme at the Ziedonis Museum. Authors - «Overpriced», «Gateris Works», Ziedonis Museum. Commissioned by the Ziedonis Museum.
4. Exhibition «DIZAINēšana». Author and commissioner - MIKC Liepaja School of Music, Art and Design.
5. Construction and design of the new windows of the Riga Castle Chapel. Authors - Reinis Liepiņš / Ainars Plankajs / Artis Nīmanis /«Sudraba Arhitektūra»/ «An Angel» / «Mark Arhitekti»/ «Rīgas Pils Kastelas projekts» / «UPPE», Aldis Cimmermanis. Commissioned by the Latvian National Museum of History.
6. Multimedia installation «Staying afloat». The author - Karīna Vītiņa. Commissioned by Valmiera International Multimedia Festival. 
7. Exhibition «Ant». The author of the work - SIA «Aģentūra Raugs». Commissioned by the Latvian National Museum of Natural History 

Product design

In the Product Design category, 19 entries were received for the winter call for submissions, of which eight were shortlisted for the second round. «We are grateful to all the entrants, whose work demonstrates the breadth and diversity of the product design industry. From innovative sports equipment to a line of furniture inspired by folklore and brutalism, the winter submissions showcase the extent of the product design industry, where Latvian manufacturers stand out for the high quality of their products,» says Edgars Zvirgzdiņš, chairman of the product design jury.

Nominees for the product design category:

1. «M–Arts» designed bike seat for children. Aauthor and contractor - Marts Erdmanis.
2. Betona lampu «Sowa Stone» dizains. Darba autors — «SOWA STONE». Darba pasūtītājs — Dainis Sovinskis.

3. «Gateris Works» furniture collection. Author and contractor — «Gateris Works».
4. SUP paddleboard «EO NEBULA». Author and commissioner — «EO SUP».
5. SUP paddle «EO FORTIS». Author and commissioner — «EO SUP».
6. Electric scooter «Bee ElectricAuthor and commissioner — Aldis Kalniņš.
7. Lounge chair «NEST». Author and commissioner — Aldis Circenis.
8. Climbing cube — house for children «CUBITRI». Author and commissioner — SIA «Snores», «Ette Tete».

Communication design

Communication Design was the second category with 19 entries. Eight entries were nominated for the second round. Kirils Kirasirovs, Chairman of the jury for the Communication Design category, said: «We have selected eight entries from the winter selection round to be taken forward. Alongside visual identities, communication campaigns and print designs, it was a nice surprise to see a more unusual genre in our category: animation. We thank the designers for their excellent work and are excited to see the final results.» 

Nominees for the communication design category:

1. «RIGA IFF 2022» visual identity. Authors - Dans Jirgensons and Marta Folkmane. Commissioned by Riga International Film Festival.
2. «RIGA IFF 2023» visual identity Authors - Dans Jirgensons and Marta Folkmane. Commissioned by Riga International Film Festival.
3. Educational animated film «Funis the Dog and Our Latvia». The authors - Ziedonis Museum, design studio «Overpriced», Elza Kārkliņa, Aigars Mamis, Zigfrīds Niklavičs, Agnese Vanaga, Jānis Holšteins-Upmanis, Krists Krūskops, Rolands Briedis. Commissioned by the Ziedonis Museum.
4. National celebration communication campaign in Riga. Authors - Kristiāna Marija Sproģe, Dārta Apsīte, Dārta Sakārne. Contractor - Riga City Council. 
5. «Articul» brand visual identity development. The authors of the work - Design studio «Overpriced» (Jānis Klaučs, Elīza Grīnberga), «Articul» team (Bruno Vāvers, Aldis Circenis). The commissioning partner is «Articul». 
6. The book «When war becomes personal». Author - Gatis Šulcs. Contractor - Juris Alberts Ulmanis.
7. Semjons Haņin's poetry collection «Two Seconds». The authors - Estere Betija Grāvere, Semjons Haņins. Commissioned by the publishing house «Orbīta». 

The book «LATVIAAA. Basketball World Cup 2023». Authors - Mikus Kļaviņš, Madara Krieviņa. Commissioned by SIA "Consulto". 

Service and digital solutions design 

In the Digital Solutions category, three entries were judged, from which the jury shortlisted two for the next round. Two entries were submitted in the service design category and both were selected for the next round of the competition.

Service Design category nominees:

1. «Stopify», the donation platform for Ukraine» . Authors of the work on voluntary initiative - Māris Upenieks, Mārcis Miķelsons-Germs, Miks Miķelsons.
2. Venēcijas biennāles 18. arhitektūras izstādei radītā Latvijas paviljona «T/C Latvija» ekspozīcija. Komisārs — Jānis Dripe, Latvijas Republikas Kultūras ministrija. Dizaina komanda — Ernests Cerbulis, Ints Menģelis, Toms Kampars, Karola Rubene. Kurators — Uldis Jaunzems–Pētersons. Komunikācija — Kalvis Kidals. Projekta vadītāja — Austra Bērziņa. Produkcija un palīdzība — Mārcis Benužs, Solvita Bernande, Reinis Lansmanis, Markuss Brieze, Jūlija Lazdiņa, Katrīna Mediniece, Kristaps Deičs, Krists Ernstsons, Caterina Coroneo. Skaņa — Andris Strazds. 

Nominees for the digital solutions design category:

1. Ziedojumu platformas Ukrainas atbalstam «Stopify» digitālais risinājums. Authors of the work on voluntary initiative - Māris Upenieks, Mārcis Miķelsons-Germs, Miks Miķelsons.
2. «The Dematerialised LTD (DMAT)» app». Darba autori — «The Dematerialised» LTD komanda. UX/UI vadīja Latvijā dzimusī dizainere un māksliniece Irina Špičaka. Darba pasūtītājs — «The Dematerialised» LTD.

Dalībai Latvijas Dizaina gada balvas 2024 konkursa otrajā kārtā kopā izvirzīti 58 darbi. Pilns nominantu saraksts ir pieejams vietnē www.dizainabalva.lv. Konkursa otrā kārta norisināsies 2024. gada maijā, kad fināla žūrija vērtēs nominantus un izvirzīs finālistus. Fināla žūrija arī lems par katras kategorijas uzvarētāju un Latvijas Dizaina gada balvas Grand prix ieguvēju. Konkursa otrā kārta noslēgsies ar Dizaina gada balvas apbalvošanas ceremoniju 2024. gada 24. maijā Rīgas cirkā. 

A total of 58 works have been nominated for the second round of the National Design Award of Latvia 2024. The full list of nominees is available at www.dizainabalva.lv. The second round will take place in May 2024, when the final jury will judge the nominees and nominate the finalists. The final jury will also decide on the winner of each category and the winner of the National Design Award of Latvia Grand prix. The second round of the competition will conclude with the Design Award Ceremony on 24 May 2024 at the Riga Circus.

The National Design Award of Latvia is the highest award in the design field in Latvia, which is presented with the aim to identify, evaluate and promote the best achievements of Latvian designers and advance the development of the Latvian design industry.