Check out the record-breaking finalists for this year’s Best Design Awards

August 9, 2017

Dogs with beards, designer mouth guards, collectible cardboard cut-outs fundraising for Kaikoura, a crosswalk keeping you conscious of surrounds, the new shapeshifter vinyl, the latest greatest gearbox, and even a digital assistant for firemen.

These designs are among the finalists in New Zealand’s own annual Best Design Awards, organised by the Designers Institute of New Zealand.

Photo credit: Osborne Shiwan

There was a record breaking amount of entries this year – with 1,178 entries submitted from a broad set of disciplines including graphic, interactive, moving image, spatial and product design.

Interactive convener, Matthew Buchanan summed up the judges’ sentiment saying this year saw a trend in the use of design for practical application and for public benefit. “Where in the past excellent design might have been a way for an organisation to show its status and success, what we are seeing particularly this year is design being used for practical effect in every facet. As an industry, New Zealand designers are producing incredible work that we can all be proud of.”

According to an industry report released last month, the total contribution of design to the New Zealand economy was approximately $10.1 billion in the year to March 2016, which equated to 4.2 percent of the GDP.

If design were treated as an individual industry, its contribution to the New Zealand economy would be larger than agriculture ($8.1 billion) and on-par with retail trade ($10.6 billion) and food, beverage and tobacco product manufacturing ($10.6 billion).

CEO Cathy Veninga says design is a key way to help accelerate growth for a business, a city and a country. “Kiwis businesses are recognising that good design is good business. Innovation that uses design drives the economy forward. Design can also play an important role for social good. This year’s finalists show that there is confidence in our design community and that clients are using design to positive effect,” she said.

The awards programme includes a new category – the user experience award which celebrates putting people at the heart of a design, whether that’s an experience with a product, in a space, or online.

Judge David Howell, director of DHD Design and a Kiwi expat, flew from New York to Auckland to be a part of the awards in the spatial category. “I recognised an NZ vernacular in the designs – perhaps in the raw sophistication. In spirit it is forthright but with a lot of finesse. Materials are handled very carefully with a fine hand,” he said. “Many were pure genius in my opinion.”

A full list of finalists in each category can be viewed at bestawards.co.nz. Join the conversation by using #bestawards or follow @bestawards for updates.

Winners of the 2017 edition of the Best Design Awards will be announced on Friday, October 6 at a gala dinner in Auckland. In the meantime, feast your eyes on the impressive array of finalists.

Complete 2017 Finalists

User experience

NV Interactive

New Zealand Fire Service | Mobile Response Application

Empowering

NV Interactive

Auckland War Memorial Museum | He Pou Maumahara Medals Collection | Large Scale Digital Installation

Empowering

DNA

Immigration New Zealand

Empowering

Serato

Serato Sample

Empowering

FCB New Zealand

Escape My House

Empowering

Digital Arts Network

Auckland Council Website Redesign

Empowering

BNZ Digital

Home loans: Repayment tool

Empowering

Clemenger BBDO Touchcast

The Conscious Crossing

Innovating

NV Interactive

Auckland War Memorial Museum | He Pou Maumahara Medals Collection | Large Scale Digital Installation

Optimising

NV Interactive

Revera CloudCreator

Optimising

Alphero

VTNZ Practical Drivers License Test

Optimising

Alphero

Genesis Energy MyAccount

Optimising

Digital Arts Network

ANZ – Banker Work Bench

Optimising

Spatial

Beca Architecture

Emerson’s Brewery

Built Environment

Jasmax

Auckland University of Technology Mana Hauora Building

Built Environment

Jasmax

Burwood Hospital

Built Environment

Cheshire Architects

Tantalus

Built Environment

Rafik Patel

The Green House

Colour Award Spatial

Alex Fulton Design

Murphys Road House

Colour Award Spatial

Jasmax

Harewood Underpass

Colour Award Spatial

Jasmax

Auckland University of Technology Mana Hauora Building

Colour Award Spatial

Cheshire Architects

Tantalus

Colour Award Spatial

Material Creative Ltd

Naumi Hotel

Colour Award Spatial

KOTOAKI ASANO Architect & Associates

Three Cubes in the Forest