Slovak Design Award 2025 Winners Announced

The 22nd edition of the Slovak Design Award (NCD) ceremony took place yesterday, October 21, at the Nová scéna Theatre. This year’s edition was dedicated to product design. A total of 195 works were submitted to the competition and evaluated in seven categories through a two-round voting process by an international expert jury.

127 works advanced to the second round, of which 90 were presented in an online exhibition on the competition’s website. During the gala evening, 27 nominations were introduced. 7 main awards, 4 special awards, and 3 awards for design personalities were presented.

“Slovak product design once again convinced the international jury of its healthy diversity and dynamic originality. We are living in challenging times that, on one hand, stimulate product designers to seek and implement solutions to problems, but on the other hand, our society functions in a strange inertia without strategic frameworks and without a clear vision of the future, which is now full of uncertainty and fear. That is why I appreciate the increasing number of submitted projects each year even more. This number is not only a reflection of interest in a prestigious design award, but above all an indicator of the vitality of design creation in Slovakia. I am convinced that Slovak design does not need a center or a design award to be of high quality and succeed domestically or internationally. What Slovakia truly needs is a healthy structure where design is mapped, supported, collected, and awarded. Each Slovak Design Award significantly contributes to the rich mosaic of design history in our country. Let us please not destroy what the surrounding world envies us for,”
said Maroš Schmidt, Director of the Slovak Design Center.

The submitted works were evaluated by a seven-member international expert jury: Michala Lipková (SK), Radek Hegmon (CZ), Bibiana Zdútová (SK), Martin Šichman (SK), Eva Slunečková (CZ), Bystrík Míček (SK), and Claudia Banz (DE). Michala Lipková also served as jury chair.

 

The Award and Visual Identity

The authors of the unique award are Mário Coufal, a graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts and Design (VŠVU), and graphic designers Terézia Baláž Denková and Barbara Kowalczuková, who also created this year’s visual identity.

The award takes the surprising form of a “sample box” — a foldable object made of prints revealing the NCD logo, produced from Primolen material by Slovnaft, ideal for 3D printing.

The gala evening was hosted by Barbara Jagušák, wearing a model by Zuzana Vrábeľová, winner of the Best Fashion Talent 2023 award.

The Slovak Design Award 2025 once again confirmed its importance as a platform for supporting and showcasing creativity, innovation, and quality design practice in Slovakia.

“Art and design combine creativity, responsibility, and a sense of value — whether aesthetic, social, or cultural. They reflect how we think about society, space, and the future. Long-term support of projects such as the Slovak Design Award is a natural part of J&T BANKA’s (a leading private bank in Slovakia) philosophy — linking economic growth with cultural development and thus contributing to building a wealthier Slovakia. Wealthier not only economically, but also culturally and socially,”
said Anna Macaláková, Director of J&T BANKA in Slovakia.

 

SLOVAK DESIGN AWARD 2025 – PRODUCT DESIGN

MAIN CATEGORY AWARDS

  1. Fashion and Fashion Accessories

Jana Vaterková, Painting Motifs / original print: Helen Tóth
Places

The project connects architecture, textiles, and the cultural heritage of northern Orava into a contemporary artistic language. Inspired by local traditions, Vaterková transforms them into original textiles with a unique identity. These pieces are not just garments but carriers of memory, dialogue, and intergenerational connection. Sustainability goes beyond the use of local materials; it creates a lasting community legacy. The work invites creative dialogue and demonstrates how design can preserve and evolve cultural identity in a contemporary context.

  1. Sport and Leisure

Tomáš Kráľ; manufacturer: JAVORINA, v.d.
Sana Gym

SANA is an all-wood, modular set for home exercise and a cornerstone of the JAVORINA GYM product line. Crafted from premium solid oak, this wall-mounted system brings the gym to your home without compromising on style or space. At the heart of SANA is a wall-mounted pull-up bar with a support board. Its exclamation-point shape serves as a daily reminder to pause, move, and break free from the sedentary routines that often define modern life. The set can be customized with additional components, allowing you to create a complete home gym that is as versatile as it is beautiful.

  1. Home and Public Space

Adam Janečka, co-author: Juraj Horňák
MOKU Bed

MOKU Bed is an easy-to-assemble solid wood bed frame you can build in under ten minutes, with no tools and no hassle. Its modular construction allows future upgrades, and it is finished with eco-friendly treatments, repairable, and shipped in recyclable packaging designed by students of the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Bratislava, ready for creative reuse. The joints slide together with smooth precision, offering a quiet, tactile experience of craftsmanship. The design is influenced by Japanese woodworking, rooted in clean lines, attention to detail, and the natural beauty of wood. MOKU Bed is a calm object built to last, in both form and values.

  1. Work and Mobility

Bystrík Míček, Miloslav Melichárek, Adam Danko, Šimon Kožička (WERKEMOTION s.r.o.); manufacturer: SAM INDUSTRIES a.s.; client: Balatoni Hajózási Zrt.
Bahart Ships for Lake Balaton

The Bahart fleet comprises two catamarans and two ferries that offer a modern solution for transporting tourists on the largest lake in Central Europe. The new vessels increase passenger comfort and capacity, support eco-friendly operation, and establish a cohesive visual identity of the Bahart brand. They mark a significant advance in ship design and promise a new chapter in the shipping heritage of Central and Eastern Europe. The project was launched in response to rising demand for modern, sustainable transport on the Lake Balaton and to replace outdated vessels that no longer meet current standards of safety, comfort, and efficiency for passengers.

  1. Art, Design and Craft

Viktor Tabiš
Segment

How can a mistake be intentional, and how can chance become a tool? Segment is an experimental ceramic project that deliberately disrupts traditional production methods. The core principle lies in omitting the model during mold creation, an intervention that creates space for chance and material intuition. The casting cavity is created by directly drilling into the mold, resulting in a delicate surface bearing traces of the process. These surfaces cannot be replicated using standard techniques, giving each piece authenticity and unpredictability. The collection consists of five ceramic objects arranged in graduated sizes. Each piece bears a visual imprint of the process and retains the unique character of handcraft.

Special Award – Art, Design and Craft

Zuzana Gombošová
Malai Koodai Collection

The Malai Koodai Collection is a series of four fashion accessories, co-created with craftswomen from Tamil Nadu skilled in the traditional koodai weaving technique, originally used to make baskets from plastic strips. The collection uses Malai, a biodegradable biocomposite made from bacterial cellulose, whose strength and flexibility make it a natural substitute for plastic. The seamless construction enables 3D forms without stitching, and each piece includes a removable cotton lining for easy care. The project combines innovation, craft, and social impact, offering women a dignified source of income through traditional skills. Grounded in the philosophy of design as a connector between people, objects, and the environment, the collection is produced in small batches.

  1. New Horizons

Marián Laššák; collaboration: Vstúpte, n.o.
Connecting Workshop

Connecting Workshop is a social-inclusion project that, since 2024, has been building a platform to bring the majority together with people facing social disadvantage through creative work. Connection is a fundamental construction principle in design and, at the same time, an essential social activity necessary for life. For the National Design Award, we present the outcomes of a pilot project carried out in cooperation with Vstúpte, a social facility for people with intellectual disabilities in Malacky that operates its own sheltered workshop. The result is a series of intimate objects made from fragments of waste material sourced from local furniture manufacturers. The seemingly random compositions emerged from a mutually enriching dialogue between the author and the facility’s clients. The objects are not the goal; rather, they are a record of the process and a means of questioning stereotypes.

  1. Student Design

Lucia Stümpel Krnčanová – Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Faculty of Architecture and Design
In Good Hands

This design focuses on a set of tools aimed at supporting and developing fine motor skills and cognitive functions, with an emphasis on the needs of the elderly. It accounts for natural age-related changes in motor abilities that significantly affect daily activities and the overall quality of life. The proposal also explores the social dimension, stressing the value of shared activities, communication, and intergenerational interaction. Each tool in the set develops a different grip and motor principle while allowing the task difficulty to vary. The In Good Hands set offers a comprehensive approach to developing fine motor skills, supporting cognitive functions, and motivating users through integrated tasks.

SPECIAL AWARDS

Public Award

The winner was GONOE by Patrik Platek and Max Basala with 216 votes out of 1,492. The brand transforms worn clothing into unique designer pieces using innovative techniques and sustainable approaches. The winners receive a media package from Refresher, the main media partner of the Slovak Design Award (NCD).

 

Slovak Design Center Special Award (New European Bauhaus Initiative)

Marián Laššák – Connecting Workshop

Recognized as an outstanding example of socially responsible design connecting communities and emphasizing dignity as the foundation of sustainability.

 

Award for Economic Contribution in Design

KARPIŠ Furniture

Founded in 1992 by Alojz Karpiš, the company is now one of Slovakia’s most successful solid wood furniture manufacturers, exporting most of its production to EU countries and collaborating intensively with product designers.

 

DESIGN PERSONALITY AWARDS

Emerging Designer

VNEM Studio – Tímea Kepová & Georgios Somarakis
A studio combining rational function with unconventional solutions, creating emotionally resonant objects and custom projects.

Established Designer

Crafting Plastics! Studio – Vlasta Kubušová & Miroslav Král
An interdisciplinary research-driven studio developing compostable biomaterials under the NUATAN® brand, collaborating with global brands such as Nike, Dior, and Lexus.

Cultural Contribution to Design (Ministry of Culture Award)

Pavol Thurzo
A key figure in Slovak industrial design, known for numerous Tesla electronic devices and recipient of multiple domestic and international awards.

 

Exhibition

The winning works can be viewed in the City Exhibition of the National Design Award 2025 on citylights in central Bratislava from October 22 to October 27, 2025, and in an expanded online exhibition on the official website.

Organizing Team

NCD Coordinator: Zuzana Böhmerová
Director of the Slovak Design Center (SCD): Maroš Schmidt
PR, Media Contact: Katarína Barloková
Professional Collaboration: Silvia Seneši Lutherová
Accompanying Events Production: Gabriela Rybáriková

Collaboration: Slovak Museum of Design

Jury Chair: Michala Lipková (SK)
Jury: Michala Lipková (SK), Radek Hegmon (CZ), Bibiana Zdútová (SK), Martin Šichman (SK), Eva Slunečková (CZ), Bystrík Míček (SK), Claudia Banz (DE)

Graphic Design: Barbara Kowalczuková, Terézia Denková

 

Competition Announcers

Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic
Slovak Design Center

 

SCD Partners

General Advertising Partner: J&T BANKA
Main Partner: Antalis
Exclusive Media Partner: Designum

 

NCD Partners

Main Partners: Slovnaft, CEF, Nová scéna Theatre, Antalis
Main Media Partner: REFRESHER
Print Partner: DIW print

With the support of the Slovak Fashion Council

 

Media Support of NCD

Aktuality.sk
Archinfo
Čerstvé ovocie
Denník N
DeTePe
Dobré noviny
Interez
Protisedi.cz
Rádio FM

 

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