The purpose of the Madrid Design Festival Awards is to contribute to greater democracy in design, conveying the importance of an activity that transforms our lives daily, and to establish Madrid and Spain on the international design map. The first edition of this festival – hosted on 15th of February by the Fundación Giner de Los Rios, Institución Libre de Enseñañnza – rewarded Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec and Martí Guixé with the Madrid Design Festival Awards, Tristan Eaton received the Johnnie Walker Design Award and Paula Claveria and Pablo Vidiella won, ex aequo, the Radio Star Prize Spain. Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec Ronan (1971) and Erwan (1976) Bouroullec partnered in 1999 to produce works in permanent dialogue against a backdrop of precision and finesse. Their work spans a number of fields ranging from the design of small objects to spacial architecture, from handicrafts to industry, from drawings to videos and photographs, always based on research, nature and poetics. Many of their creations are acknowledged as 21st-century classics. Among others, they have worked with Cappellini, Vitra, Magis, Kvadrat, Ovalle, Artek and Nani Marquina, and their works are exhibited at venues such as the MoMa in New York. Chosen as creators of the year at the Salón del Mueble in 2002 and by Maison et Objet Noe1 2011, they have been won awards such as the Grand Prix du Design de la Ville de Paris 1998, the New York Design Award of the New York International Contemporary Fair in 1999 and the Fihn-Juhl Prize of Copenhagen in 2008, and now the Madrid Design Festival Award for the best international career. Martí Guixé Martí Guixé (1964) celebrated his first 20 years in the profession in 2017. Trained in Barcelona and Milan as an interior and industrial designer, his career is marked by the search for new product systems, the introduction of Food Design and presentations by way of performances. Among other companies, he has worked with Alessi, Authentics, B-sign, Camper, Cha-cha, Chupa Chups, Corraini, Rome Film Festival, Saporiti Italia, Trico, Very Lustre, Vitra and Watx. In 1994, while working as a consultant in Seoul (South Korea), he began to work on a new understanding of product culture in Berlin. His unconventional view furnishes ideas of brilliant simplicity and interesting integrity. Rado Star Prize 2018 The Rado Star Prize Jury recognised, ex aequo The chair by Paula Claveria, for its interpretation of design from the point of view of the concept, and for her project The chair, and Kuria Table by Pablo Vidiella Huguet, for its interpretation of design from the point of view of the object. This project also received the audience award. Rado Star Prize Spain recognises new young talent in the Spanish design scene and is held during Madrid Design Festival. Rado, a Swiss watch brand linked to the world of design, has organised this first edition to find the most promising young designers in Spain. The 10 finalists, chosen by a jury composed of renowned representatives from the world of design, including Oskar Zieta and Rossana Orlandi, will exhibit their works (in the fields of interior, industrial and technology design) during the month of February at the Madrid Design Festival. The Rado Space, located in the COAM, will serve as a platform for avant-garde, innovative, and contemporary design. Tristan Eaton, Johnnie Walker Design Award Madrid Design Festival and the renowned Scots whisky distiller Johnnie Walker have joined forces to create the Johnnie Walker Designer Award. The purpose of this award is to boost the work of talented individuals who have made significant contributions in the field of design or who are foreseen as making a lasting impact in the coming years. From among designers across the world, for this first edition, the American street artist Tristan Eaton was chosen, this being the first award he receives in Spain. It was presented at the Festival’s Award Ceremony, together with those given to the winners in other categories. Johnnie Walker, one of the major sponsors of the festival, recognises the role of artists as part of the brand’s commitment to the world of design. Tristan Eaton has collaborated with Johnnie Walker in its limited-edition Artist Series. Tristan Eaton (Los Angeles, 1978) started out as an urban artist painting billboards and rubbish containers. At the age of 18 he designed his first toy for Fisher Price, and since then he has continued to create striking works based on the collage technique. After opening his creative agency, Thunderdog Studios, in New York in 2008, he designed posters that were used in Barack Obama’s presidential campaign. Now, with the inspiration of the taste and aroma of Scotch whisky, Eaton has used Johnnie Walker’s iconic striding man in a series of colourful special editions.
