Winner of Rado Star Prize announced during designjunction
During designjuction, Rado announced the winner of its inaugural UK edition of the Rado Star Prize.
The competition aims to support young, unestablished designers, providing a platform for them to present their work. Rado welcomed entries from numerous design disciplines with one stipulation; the design must benefit the lives of individuals or communities, now or in the future.
This year, Joachim Froment, a design student from the Royal College of Art, was named the winner for his 0.6 chair. Froment impressed the stellar judging panel which consisted of industrial designer Konstantin Grcic; design journalist Corinne Julius; Vice President of Product Management at Rado Hakim El Kadiri; design journalist Katrina Burroughs and designjunction Event Director Will Sorrell.
Above: Winner of the inaugural Rado Star Prize UK, Joachim Froment with his 0.6 Chair
Froment’s innovative design, the 0.6 chair, is a long-lasting dining room and café chair with a simple production which sets it aside from its contemporaries.
“"The 0.6 chair is the perfect winner of the inaugural Rado Star Prize UK, with a fantastic story of saving time during manufacture. The sleek design is the epitome of cutting-edge design, and we are delighted to have it as part of designjunction" comments Will Sorrell, designjunction Event Director.
To create the chair, Froment has utilised a new process which involves laminating wood to create a sandwich of wood veneer and carbon fibre that reduces the thickness to just o.6cm. The creation of the chair uses a reduced amount of materials and production time by using a mould in two parts which minimises consumption.
Above: The first-ever winning design of the Rado Star Prize UK - 0.6 Chair designed by Joachim Froment
Entries for the competition had to meet the brief ‘Design Meets Time’, a theme which explored the longevity, sustainability and conceptual ideas behind products. The 0.6 Chair was selected from a shortlist of ten designs.
“A forward-thinking and pioneering approach to materials and design is a fundamental part of the Rado brand DNA," comments Rado CEO Matthias Breschan. "We were impressed with how Joachim's project combined striking design with an innovative and eco-friendly manufacturing concept."
As the winner of the competition, Froment will receive £5,000 and Rado Ceramica watch.
The public prize winner will also receive a Rado Ceramica as a prize for his/her achievement.
“If you design for people, you have to design from the heart. I’d like to thank Rado for all their support and this amazing experience” Froment said about winning the prize.
