Pure Talents Contest 2019

03/12/2018 - Where can you find tiles made of paper and tabletops manufactured from waste timber, high-quality woolen fabrics for the mass market and lamps with non-toxic salt batteries? At the Interior Business Event, imm cologne, from the 14th to the 20th of January 2019, right next to the latest chairs, the most original furniture for storage spaces, folding lounge chairs and centrally arranged kitchen modules.

Young designers are thinking about sustainability, interactivity and cross-generational design for all ages, entering the 16th edition of the Pure Talents Contest.

POP by Rongjie Yang

Of 926 products submitted from 69 nations only 27 made it through to the exhibition, which will attract many designers and design enthusiasts to imm cologne. This year’s jury is made up of high-profile designers, museum curators and journalists among others.

The 27 nominated designs represent the product areas of furniture, flooring, wallpapering and textiles, lighting, smart home, household accessories and kitchens.

In view of LivingKitchen taking place alongside imm cologne, kitchen products will be curated as a stand-alone competition segment for the first time. For the LivingKitchen Selection of the Pure Talents Contest, six products have been nominated from amongst kitchen accessories, kitchen appliances and kitchen concepts. A separate prize will be awarded for the LivingKitchen Selection, meaning that the Pure Talents Contest will offer a total of four prizes this year. The self-contained presentation 'FutureDesign' is another new addition to the LivingKitchen event.

2018 by Zohair Zouirech

The jury was struck by the many international entries. ‘I think that the result is a good combination of very beautiful, saleable objects and designs that make you think’, says Suvi Saloniemi, commenting on the jury’s selection. The competition, promoted and organized by Koelnmesse, is specifically aimed at designers who are still studying or have recently completed their education, helping to launch new talents in the world of design.

The jury’s selection acknowledges the sustainability concepts of many designs and the combination of familiar and new unconsidered materials.

Pure Talents Contest 2019 entry by Jingbei Zheng

The broad spectrum of functions, materials and different approaches seen in the chosen designs includes: a series of 21 prototypes designed as a study on sitting; a piece of bubble-like architectural furniture that creates a private area within a public space; and a lounge chair that looks almost clunky and radiates a bold industrial look thanks to its undisguised combination of steel tubing and heavily screwed wooden planks.

Billy Chair by Joe Smith

Jury member Johannes Hünig sees this positively: ‘I like it when designs are initially visually challenging and you have to spend a little time with them first. You have to work for some designs. In return, they are much more sustainable in the way you live with them’.

The names of those taking home prizes will be announced in an awards ceremony at the event forum 'The Stage' on Monday, 14 January 2019.