The results are in for the iF DESIGN AWARD 2022 +++

iF Design has just hosted its first major live event in Berlin this year with 75 design experts from 23 nations: the iF Final Jury 2022!

In a historically protected industrial facility, the Wilhelm Hallen in Berlin, the independent iF jury – together with a number of experts who joined the event digitally – presented the iF DESIGN AWARD 2022.

It was one of the first large-scale live design summits in two years: the iF Final Jury 2022 – in Berlin from 29 to 31 March. 75 design experts from 23 different countries from around the world got together in the former industry facility, the Wilhelm Hallen, to select the winners of the iF DESIGN AWARD 2022! 70 jurors were actually on location, five joined the event digitally. All together, they judged the 5,424 entries that had made it to the short list of the total of some 11,000 entries overall (!) that were submitted from 57 nations for the iF Online Preselection in January 2022.

It took three days of intensive jury work, during which competent discussions, arguments, examinations, and tests took place, and there they were – the winners of the iF DESIGN AWARD 2022. 1,973 participants were finally able to celebrate receiving the iF DESIGN AWARD 2022. The jury honored a number of outstanding achievements in the field of design with a very special award: 73 of the entries earned the coveted iF DESIGN AWARD 2022 Gold!

The jurors hard at work - go to the video
All the iF DESIGN AWARDS 2022 at a glance - Winners´ Website

Uwe Cremering, CEO iF International Forum Design GmbH is thrilled:

“We are proud of the most successful iF DESIGN AWARD of all time! Never before had so many entries been submitted to our competition. A true reflection of the trust that our participants place in our organization and in the international, independent, and fair jury of experts. I would like to express my sincere thanks for this: to all participants and jurors, to the entire iF team and, of course, to the fact that so many companies and designers sent their entries to Berlin on time. After all, this is what made it possible for us, after two years of ‘digital only’, to finally organize a live jury again!”

A perfect hygiene concept made it possible to get a live jury together. The unique charm of the Wilhelm Hallen provided the jurors with a fitting setting in which to judge the entries from the disciplines of Product, Communication, Packaging and Service Design, Architecture and Interior Architecture and User Experience (UX), User Interface (UI) and Professional Concepts with great care and fairness.

The Awards Ceremony is scheduled to take place in the Friedrichstadt-Palast on 16 May.

All of the award winners will be honored and celebrated in Berlin on 16 May 2022: The glamorous iF DESIGN AWARD NIGHT 2022 will be taking place in the Friedrichstadt-Palast for the first time – on the world’s largest theater stage.

The iF DESIGN AWARD 2022 at a glance:

• almost 11,000 entries

• from 57 different countries

• 9 disciplines / 80 categories

• 1,973 iF-award-winning participants

• 73 iF DESIGN AWARDS 2022 Gold

What was said during the jury session:

For the second time, specially appointed chairpersons - independent design experts - acted as the main judges on the iF jury. They ensured fair and independent judging by providing supportive advice and special guidance to the jury groups. Here are some of the things they had to say during the process:

Isabelle Dahlborg Lidström, Head of Design, Grow – Future proof brands, Sweden:

“Love being a part of the iF family! It's a special time we live in and as a designer you can make a change in the world of sustainability. We discussed for days how complex it is today to design packaging that is also a product. We tried to filter out companies and brands that are holistic, and also have craftsmanship, sustainability and impact.”

Friederike Faller, Partner & Senior Project Manager, Holscher Design, Denmark:

“Acting as Chairperson at the iF DESIGN AWARD is a great honor and privilege that I enjoyed very much. The many discussions were very educational and inspiring and gave me the unique opportunity to get an overall picture of current design trends. Where are the general or global trends, and what are the drivers of change? Which segments are evolving the most – and how?

Thank you, dear iF team, for your trust! I was once again able to convince myself of the high level and conscientiousness of the entire judging process.”

Fritz Frenkler, Owner, f/p design gmbh, Germany and Japan:

“After this long pandemic phase, it was enormously impressive to see the many entries against the backdrop of this old production plant. The personal exchange was important and inspiring – iF's stringent hygiene concept made this possible in the first place. Thank you very much! I was particularly impressed by the entries in the Cameras category: although these are already high-tech products, the designers still manage to add just a bit more in terms of improvement. This was also seen in the tools: The bar was raised even higher once again. Especially in auxiliary and rescue tools, selected materials are used and these are planned down to the last detail. It is almost impossible to distinguish between the different brands in the field of computers. In general, I would like to recommend that the entrants invest more in the presentation of their submissions and to present them to the maximum.”

Michael Lanz, Managing Director, designaffairs/Fjord, Austria:

“Overall, the entries submitted were of quite a high standard, although there were categories that showed significantly better design quality than others. Particularly in the case of small electrical appliances, some manufacturers still have room for improvement in terms of product quality and usability design. Innovations tend to lie in intelligent details that improve the utility value of the products. It is encouraging that many manufacturers take the issue of sustainability seriously and have optimized their products accordingly, e.g. by using more environmentally friendly materials, reducing energy consumption or improving reparability.”

Achim Nagel, Founder and Owner, PRIMUS developments GmbH, Germany:

“While everyone is eagerly awaiting the end of the pandemic, iF finds the right format for a jury meeting and, with the fantastic Wilhelm Hallen, the spacious venue in Berlin for face-to-face judging. Somewhat cautious and reluctant at first, the jurors quickly find the long-lost personal exchange and togetherness that makes the iF jury so unique and special.”

Stina Nilimaa Wickström, Vice President Volvo Group Design, Sweden:

“Inspiring to see that we are seeing the signs of more sustainable approaches in design – sustainability is “the new luxury” – meaning replacing some of old aspirations, with new and meaningful aspirations.”

Andy Payne, Global Chief Creative Officer, Interbrand, Great Britain:

“Across the categories of Communication, User Interface, User Experience and Branding. What stood out for the juries?

1. Clarity of insight – A human truth at the heart of everything – bringing the brand closer to understanding real audience’s needs.

2. Then a clear translation of that insight into a driving idea, a trajectory to propel the brand towards its desired future and

3. Brand Moves – New and improved creations that change the experience, realizing the idea on the audience’s terms, building new relevance through greater utility and desire.

When these three points aligned, we saw the best work!”

The iF jury at a glance - All jurors

More about the iF DESIGN AWARD

Since 1954, the iF DESIGN AWARD has been a globally recognized trademark when it comes to excellent design. The iF brand is internationally recognized as a symbol of design excellence. The iF DESIGN AWARD is one of the most important design prizes in the world. It honors design achievements in all disciplines: product, packaging, communication and service design, architecture and interior architecture, as well as user interface (UI), user experience (UX) and professional concept. All the award-winning entries are presented on www.ifdesign.com and published in the iF Design App.