Czech Grand Design Awards 2024: Celebrating Excellence in Design

The Czech Grand Design Awards 2024 recently honored outstanding achievements across various design disciplines, recognizing both established names and emerging talents. From fashion and jewelry to graphic design and manufacturing, the awards highlight the innovative spirit and artistic vision of Czech designers.

Jan Černý Named Designer of the year

jan Černý was awarded the prestigious Designer of the Year title for his boarding collection created for the Czech Olympic and Paralympic team 2024. Andrea Březinová from the expert jury praised Černý’s ability to transform a strong author’s vision into a contemporary streetwear product,making Czech Olympians and Paralympians instantly recognizable. According to Březinová, “Jan Černý was able to transform a strong author’s vision into a contemporary streetwear product in which Czech Olympians and Paralympians were unmistakable.”

Award of the Ministry of Culture for Kateřina Handlová

Kateřina Handlová received the Award of the Ministry of culture for her exceptional work, including the “UNREALITY” collection for the Rückl glassworks and “Flare” luminaires for the Bomma brand. The jurors admired Handlová’s approach to glass,treating it as a limitless medium and infusing her creations with deep existential questions. She also designed the medals for the world Hockey Championship 2024.

Other Award Recipients

• Jewelry Designer of the year: Magdalena Štědníková for the “tender Tendrils” collection and “Drape” jewelry for the Cruise24 collection by Tomáš Němec.
• Manufacturer of the Year: Master & Master for their affordable products with high aesthetic qualities.
• Graphic Design: Filip Blažek and Linda Kudrnovská (MOWSHE studio) for the “Identity” project – Story of Czech Graphic Design.
• Illustrator of the Year: Michal Bačák for the incentars design for Prague Bar Forbin.
• Photography: Lena Knappová for her work with Circ and Blue Paper magazines.
• Finding of the Year: Natálie Navrátilová for the design of stainless steel cutlery for the Fabini brand and office supplies for mikov. “In the design, it seeks to achieve harmonious and user -pleasant proportions, and also the maximum use of production capacities,” said the juror Petra Cieslar.

Hall of Fame: Libuše Jarcovjáková

Photographer Libuše Jarcovjáková was inducted into the Hall of Fame of Czech Design. The national Gallery in Prague is hosting a large retrospective of her work at the Trade Fair Palace.

Conclusion

The Czech Grand Design Awards 2024 showcased the breadth and depth of talent within the Czech design community. From Jan Černý’s functional fashion for athletes to Kateřina Handlová’s artistic glass creations, the winners demonstrated innovation, creativity, and a commitment to excellence. explore the work of these exceptional designers and discover the future of Czech design. Visit the websites of the winners and follow their journey in shaping the world of design.

Can Kateřina handlová’s innovative use of glass in her work be classified as “contemporary” or “modern” design?

Archyde Exclusive: A Conversation wiht Kateřina Handlová on Winning the Czech grand Design Award

Kateřina Handlová, recipient of the prestigious Award of the Ministry of Culture at the Czech Grand design Awards 2024, joins us to discuss her innovative approach to glass design and the inspiration behind her award-winning work.

The Creative Spark: Inspiration and Design Beliefs

Archyde: Kateřina, congratulations on your amazing achievement! Your work, including the “UNREALITY” collection for Rückl glassworks and the “flare” luminaires for Bomma, has been widely praised. Could you share what initially drew you to working with glass as a medium?

Kateřina Handlová: Thank you so much! I’ve always been fascinated by glass’s transformative qualities – its ability to be solid yet clear, fragile yet enduring. It’s a material that invites experimentation and challenges conventional boundaries. I see it as a dynamic canvas where I can explore complex ideas.

Crafting the Hockey Championship Medals

Archyde: You also designed the medals for the World Hockey Championship 2024.can you tell us about the process of creating such an iconic symbol? How did you balance the need for a striking, memorable design with the weight of tradition?

Kateřina Handlová: Designing the medals was both an honor and a significant duty. I aimed to create a design that reflected the dynamism of the sport, using sharp lines and reflective surfaces to suggest speed and precision. At the same time, I wanted to incorporate elements that spoke to Czech identity and history, ensuring the medals felt both contemporary and timeless.

“UNREALITY” and Existential Questions

Archyde: The jurors specifically noted your ability to infuse your creations with deep existential questions. How dose the “UNREALITY” collection for Rückl, for example, explore these themes?

Kateřina Handlová: The “UNREALITY” collection is an exploration of perception and the idea of impermanence. Each piece challenges the viewer to consider the nature of reality and the way we interpret the world around us. I wanted to create objects that aren’t just aesthetically pleasing, but also prompt reflection and conversation.

The Future of Czech Glass Design

Archyde: Where do you see the future of Czech glass design headed? What trends excite you, and what challenges do you anticipate?

Kateřina Handlová: Czech glass design has a rich heritage, and I believe its future lies in embracing innovation while honoring tradition. I’m excited by the increasing use of sustainable practices and experimental techniques. One challenge will be balancing artistic vision with the demands of commercial production, ensuring that we continue to create meaningful and impactful designs.

A Question for Our Readers

Archyde: if you could collaborate with any artist, living or deceased, who would it be and why?

Kateřina Handlová: That’s a splendid question! I would choose working with Architect Frank Gehry.The way he challenges conventional architectural forms, creates dynamic, fluid designs, and the material and sense of “unreality” he is able to achieve truly inspires my design. I would love to see our creative minds explore a collaborative piece!

Archyde editorial note:Readers, what elements of design truly move you? Share your thoughts about the creative inspiration of kateřina Handlová and other exceptional names who are redefining the world of Czech design.