Designblok in Prague: light as the theme – and an honour for Marcel Wanders
The Prague design festival has wrapped its 28th edition: more than 300 designers and brands, a reopened Industrial Palace and a prize for students.
Archive image · Photo: ŠJů (cs:ŠJů) / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped and resized)
The Designblok design festival took place in Prague from 6 to 11 October, this year under the theme of light. According to Dezeen, more than 300 designers, studios and brands took part. Design site Archipanic reports that Designblok was the first major event in the Central Hall of the Industrial Palace at the Výstaviště exhibition grounds after four years of reconstruction.
Highlights included 'Beacon', a light installation made of recycled glass by British designer Lee Broom and Czech lighting brand Brokis, in front of the Rudolfinum. At Prague Castle, the study that Bořek Šípek designed in 1993–94 for President Václav Havel was on show again. Dutch designer Marcel Wanders received the award for outstanding contribution to global design.
Wanders said, according to Dezeen, that the honour was also for the belief that "imagination, beauty and emotion still have an important place in the world we are building together". According to trade magazine Stavitel, the international jury chaired by Dezeen editor Max Fraser gave the Grand Prix to all exhibiting students; 'Lichen' by Rozálie Vlachová won best designer novelty.