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On 14 October 2022, the State of Baden-Württemberg presented its international design award Focus Open 2022. The Baden-Württemberg International Design Award, Focus Open, is one of the most prestigious German design competitions with an international orientation.

Dr Patrick Rapp, State Secretary at the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labour and Tourism, and Susanne Bay, President of Stuttgart District Government, honoured a total of 44 prize winners at the Scala in Ludwigsburg. “Design expertise and creativity are important success factors for Baden-Württemberg and play a valuable role in its economy – as demonstrated once again by the outstanding works that have won awards in the Focus Open competition,” emphasised State Secretary Dr Patrick Rapp in the course of the evening’s celebrations.

   
 

“For more than 30 years now, Focus Open has been illustrating design’s importance when it comes to ensuring that industry and companies have the ability to innovate,” State Secretary Dr Patrick Rapp continued. Susanne Bay, President of Stuttgart District Government, emphasised the broad spectrum covered by design: “I never fail to be impressed by the wide-ranging and multifaceted nature of designers’ work. It’s also commendable that they are increasingly factoring sustainability into the products they design.”

A six-strong jury of experts was responsible for selecting this year’s prize winners. In addition to classic design products like furniture and household appliances, the award-winning entries also include products that might not initially attract attention on account of their design, but which were honoured because their innovative and user-oriented approach adds value – objects such as a power supply unit for charging electronic devices like tablets and smartphones on planes or a ski touring boot.

Many of the Focus Open 2022 winners come from small and medium-sized enterprises.

“That,” as State Secretary Dr Rapp pointed out, “is very much in keeping with the philosophy behind the Baden-Württemberg International Design Award. It is an important part of the state’s efforts to promote economic development and a fantastic opportunity to present innovative products to a broader public – regardless of whether you’re an established company or a young, up-and-coming firm.”

The Focus Open 2022 award ceremony was live-streamed and the video will soon be available on the Design Center Baden-Württemberg website. The Focus Open 2022 and Mia Seeger Prize 2022 exhibition at the MIK (Museum – Information – Art) in Ludwigsburg will be open to the public from 15 October to 20 November 2022.
 

Innovation very definitely doesn’t depend on the size of the company: a striking number of the Focus Open 2022 winners come from small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The philosophy behind the award plays a considerable role in that: because the Baden-Württemberg International Design Award is part of the state’s efforts to promote economic development, it is not profit-orientated and the affordable fees make it interesting even for firms or startups with a modest budget. As a result, this year’s winners again include not just established firms and industrial heavyweights but lots of young companies with new and intriguing concepts as well.

“Design expertise and creativity are important success factors for Baden-Württemberg and play a valuable role in its economy – as demonstrated once again by the outstanding works that have won awards in the Focus Open competition,” says Dr Patrick Rapp, State Secretary at the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labour and Tourism.
 

The jury presented a total of nine Gold awards in 2022. No fewer than three of them went to the Capital Goods category, which was strongly represented this time round: a firefighting helmet, an autonomous forklift and a mobile power supply unit all received top marks from the jury.

The project honoured by this year’s Meta award for cross-disciplinary concepts is also unusual: it involves a transformation initiative that is turning an old industrial complex in Ludwigsburg into a new world of work with a climate-neutral approach and excellent connections with its urban surroundings. In addition, 18 entries received a Focus Silver award and another 16 were awarded a Focus Special Mention.

All in all it is apparent that design is far more than pure product design: it can redefine our living spaces and have a social impact, to say nothing of its positive effect on the sustainability of products and services. In that respect too, Focus Open 2022 provides some interesting examples with a great deal of potential. In concrete terms, design can make important contributions to sustainability and deliver solutions that make more intelligent use of resources, save energy and last longer.

“I never fail to be impressed by the wide-ranging and multifaceted nature of designers’ work. It’s also commendable that they are increasingly influencing products’ sustainability,” says Susanne Bay, President of Stuttgart District Government.
 

Every year, the Design Center Baden-Württemberg appoints six jurors to evaluate the many entries. The jurors change every year and, because they are practitioners themselves, are able to make their assessments from a first-hand perspective. The jury spends two days working its way through all the entries submitted, examining and discussing them before making its independent assessments.

Find out more about the members of the jury here.

BACKGROUND: WHAT MAKES FOCUS OPEN SO SPECIAL
Moderate costs, a fair assessment, an independent jury, broad-based publicity: that’s what Focus Open stands for. Focus Open is one of the few non-commercial design awards with an international orientation in Germany. The costs for taking part are moderate – even newcomers, startups and small companies can afford to enter their innovative products and compete at international level. New jurors are appointed every year. All members of the jury are independent and agree not to submit any of their own work. And if a juror’s product were to make its way before the judges via a client, it would be excluded.

The organisers have no vote and no influence on the judging – nor is the jury told how many awards are to be presented.

As is always the case with Focus Open, there was no pre-selection of this year’s entries on the basis of photographs – every design solution was presented to the jury in the form of the actual product. Only in exceptional and justified cases did the jury make its assessment without the product being physically present.

The benefits for award-winners are considerable – besides feedback from the independent experts of the jury, they can also look forward to a publicity boost via the Design Center Baden-Württemberg’s numerous communication platforms, which include the international yearbook, an exhibition lasting several weeks, a festive award ceremony and placement in social media and networks. This has a particularly positive impact on brand communications: the Focus Meta, Focus Gold, Focus Silver and Focus Special Mention labels are a mark of quality and a valuable branding tool.