Australian Furniture Design Award 2022

The National Gallery of Victoria and Stylecraft present the Australian Furniture Design Award 2022 (AFDA) as part of Melbourne Design Week. AFDA is an opportunity for design practitioners to submit a new and original furniture or lighting design concept to be in the running for Australia’s richest furniture design prize.

From the many entries received, a shortlist of five entrants have been invited to proceed to Stage Two and present their realised designs for exhibition and judging at the Stylecraft showroom during Melbourne Design Week 2022.

The shortlisted designers are Ashley Jameson Eriksmoen, Chris Connell, Elliot Bastianon, Danielle Brustman Studio and Trent Jansen.

The jury for the Australian Furniture Design Award 2022 includes Tony Russell, Brand Director, Stylecraft; Simone LeAmon, The Hugh Williamson Curator, Contemporary Design and Architecture, NGV; Brian Parkes, CEO, JamFactory; Ross Gardam, Designer, Ross Gardam; and Kirstin Stanisich, Director, Richards Stanisich.

The winner will be announced and the realised designs by the shortlisted competitors exhibited at Stylecraft’s showroom during Melbourne Design Week 2022.

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The Australian Furniture Design Award began in 2015 as Australia’s richest furniture design prize.

The Award celebrates the most interesting furniture and lighting design being created in Australia today, with a particular emphasis on new design ideas, critical and creative thinking, sustainability, material development and research that explores innovative production processes.

Now in its fourth iteration, the NGV and Stylecraft present the Australian Furniture Design Award as a two-stage competition with the first stage being an open call for a new and original furniture or lighting design concept and information on your professional practice.

The jury will review stage one submissions and shortlist up to five competitors to present their realised designs for stage two judging and exhibition at the Stylecraft showroom during Melbourne Design Week 2022.

All shortlisted competitors will receive an honorarium of $2,000 (ex GST) to assist with the realisation of their design for exhibition.

Please note: Both the design concept submitted in stage one and the realised design submitted in stage two must not have been published, exhibited or commercially produced prior to the time of the AFDA exhibition, 17 March 2022.

STAGE ONE
Registration Period 27 August 2021 – 15 October 2021
Stage One Launch 6 September 2021
Question Period 6 September 2021 – 15 October 2021
Stage One Close 22 October 2021 (5pm AEST)
Competitors Informed 1 November 2021

STAGE TWO
Stage Two Launch 8 November 2021
Question Period 14 November 2021 – 7 February 2022
Stage Two Close 14 February 2022 (5pm AEST)
Freight Collection 14 February (ready for collection from 5pm AEST)
Stage Two Presentations (Competitor attendance required virtually) 10 March 2022
Exhibition Launch 17 March 2022
Exhibition Event and Winner Announcement 18 March 2022

Tony Russell, Brand Director, Stylecraft
Simone LeAmon, The Hugh Williamson Curator, Contemporary Design and Architecture, NGV
Brian Parkes, CEO, JamFactory
Kirstin Stanisich, Director, Richards Stanisich
Ross Gardam, Designer, Ross Gardam

The winning designer will receive:

Cash prize: AUD$20,000 (ex GST) cash prize with associated press activity;

Stylecraft invitation: an invitation to develop a commercial range or product with Stylecraft; and

JamFactory residency: an invitation to do a two-week professional development residency at JamFactory in Adelaide: travel costs and accommodation will be provided as part of the Award. The winner will have the opportunity to develop a tailored program, during which they will have access to facilities and technical assistants to experiment with new ideas and materials, prototype new work or explore new making processes in JamFactory’s ceramics, glass, furniture or metal and jewellery studios or related local manufacturers.

The Australian Furniture Design Award began in 2015 as Australia’s richest furniture design prize. Sydney-based designer Seaton McKeon won the inaugural award in 2015 with The Sun The Moon and Me, a freestanding light and mirror. In 2017 Alice Springs-based designer Elliat Rich received the award for her sculptural vanity, Place. In 2020 Sydney-based industrial designer James Walsh won, impressing the jury with Anthropic bench, which combined rammed earth with recycled glass filings to produce a sustainable and hard-wearing composite.

For all Australian Furniture Design Award queries please complete our contact form

Melbourne Design Week 2022