The biennial Australian Furniture Design Award by the NGV and Stylecraft is all about celebrating the most interesting, innovative furniture and lighting design in contemporary Australia. The organisers are considering a wide-ranging set of criteria: the recognition of outstanding new design ideas, critical and creative thinking, sustainability, material development, and research that explores innovative production processes.
This year’s shortlisted finalists have been named as Bala Ga’ Lili (Bonhula Yunupingu and Damien Wright), Marta Figueiredo, Michael Gittings, Nae Tanakorn, and supermanoeuvre + Tomkins Design. The competition’s call for entries closed on 18 October 2023. From the entries received, with these five candidates selected by the jury to proceed to Stage Two of the design competition.
“For 70 years, Stylecraft has been guided by the principle of active collaboration with the global and Australian design community,” says Anthony Collins, Stylecraft CEO. “The Australian Furniture Design Award is unique in the national design landscape for its combination of recognition, professional development, financial support and very importantly, a commercial opportunity for an Australian designer. We are excited to build upon the legacy of this important award, founded by Stylecraft and the JamFactory, in 2015.”
The five finalists will be invited to present their realised designs for exhibition and judging at the Stylecraft showroom during Melbourne Design Week 2024. With a cash prize $20,000 and an invitation to develop a commercial range or product with Stylecraft on the line, the stakes – and the standards – are high.
Meanwhile, the 2024 jury is made up of Ewan McEoin, Senior Curator, Contemporary Art, Design and Architecture at the NGV (Chair); Tony Russell, Brand Director at Stylecraft, Melbourne; Anne-Claire Petre, Founder Anaca Studio, Melbourne; Hamish Guthrie co-director Hecker Guthrie, Melbourne, and Elliat Rich, Alice Springs-based designer and 2017 AFDA winner. Competition advisor 2024 is Simone LeAmon, Curator, Contemporary Design and Architecture, NGV.
Tony Ellwood AM, Director NGV, adds: “The Australian Furniture Design Award presents an invaluable platform for local furniture and lighting designers to showcase their extraordinary work. This Award celebrates the incredible creativity and innovation empowering this design discipline, as well as its contribution to design discourse and Australian culture.”
Image: Ashley Eriksmoen, 'The Dream, or: the view from here is both bleak and resplendent', 2022.
