Press releases

All press releases

17. Apr. 2023

"one&twenty": "The Essence of Biocement" receives “Best of Best” award of the young talent competition by German Design Council in Milan

As "Best of Best", the German Design Council today honored the German designers Julia Huhnholz and Friedrich Gerlach for their project "The Essence of Biocement." The seating furniture they developed is made entirely of self-produced biocement. As part of their design studies at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, the award winners were looking for more climate-neutral manufacturing processes for their product designs. The project has produced a piece of furniture with an impressive design language that exemplifies how forward-thinking design can increasingly emerge from the research impulses of young designers.

22. Mar. 2023

one&twenty 2023: German Design Council announces winning projects. Award ceremony in Milan.

The winners of the international newcomer competition »one&twenty«, organised by the German Design Council - formerly known as »ein&zwanzig« - have been selected. The prestigious jury chose 21 winning projects from 545 entries submitted by young emerging designers from 134 universities and 53 countries. The award ceremony is scheduled for 17th April in Milan, on the occasion of the Salone del Mobile.

14. Nov. 2022

Call for entries for one&twenty 2023: The German Design Council will be presenting 21 up-and-coming international designers at Milan Design Week 2023

»one&twenty – world’s best design talents«: the German Design Council is underlining the international focus of its young talent competition with a new name (previously »ein&zwanzig«). one&twenty honours 21 outstanding achievements of young, up-and-coming product designers and showcases the winners at an exclusive exhibition in Milan during Salone del Mobile 2023. Potential entrants from around the world can now submit their work for consideration at www.one-and-twenty.de.

07. Jun. 2022

“ein&zwanzig” newcomer awards: “Best of Best” distinction goes to the modular furniture system Apio

Each year, the German Design Council commends outstanding work by up-and-coming designers with its international young talent competition, “ein&zwanzig”. A jury of well-known designers pick the 21 best product and project ideas from the many entries made by young talent, design students and graduates. One project which particularly impresses the jury is also given the coveted “Best of Best” special award.

05. Apr. 2022

German Design Council presents the winners of the ein&zwanzig 2022 newcomer awards in Milan

The 21 winners of ein&zwanzig, the German Design Council’s international competition for new design talent, have been chosen. To mark the 60th Salone del Mobile taking place between 6 and 12 June 2022, this year’s awards ceremony will be held in Milan. With three months left to go until the highly regarded newcomer awards are presented, the judges have offered a first glimpse of this year’s product and project ideas. This year, the winning design students and graduates have come up with some impressive combinations of aesthetics and utility by applying their curiosity, uncompromising inquisitiveness and in-depth understanding of intelligent problem-solving.

24. Nov. 2021

Call for entries for “ein&zwanzig” 2022: the German Design Council presents talented international designers in Milan

A unique opportunity for talented young designers: with its young talent competition “ein&zwanzig”, the German Design Council helps design students and graduates from around the world to network and boost their visibility. Anyone who would like to enter the competition can now apply at www.ein-und-zwanzig.de by submitting examples of their interior and lifestyle work. The 21 winners will be presented at an exclusive exhibition during the Salone del Mobile 2022 in Milan.

06. Sep. 2021

ein&zwanzig newcomer awards: Best of Best distinction for multipurpose vacuum cleaner

The “ein&zwanzig” awards honour the excellent designs by international young designers every year. The German Design Council’s renowned awards for up-and-comers showcase the 21 best products designed by young talent. Today on 6 September, the high-calibre jury announced the winner of the coveted “Best of Best” special award: it goes to Ivo Erichsen and Tobias Bihlmeyer for their Super Vacuum Cleaner design. The innovative design combines a vacuum cleaner with a chair, coffee table and storage solution – and turns a household appliance that is only rated aesthetically to a limited extent into an attractive design piece. In addition, twenty other designs received the distinction of “Winner”.

01. Dec. 2020

Enter now: the German Design Council encourages international design talent through its ein&zwanzig competition 2021 for emerging designers

With its ein&zwanzig competition for emerging designers, the German Design Council is supporting design students and graduates from around the world by providing them with greater exposure and the chance to expand their network. If you are interested, you can apply now at www.ein-und-zwanzig.com to submit your project for the Product or Lifestyle categories.

21. Apr. 2020

ein&zwanzig newcomer award: "Best of Best" distinction presented for textile installation

The international ein&zwanzig competition is a staple of the German Design Council’s support for young talent. Each year it recognises the 21 most impressive products from up-and-coming designers internationally. Juliette Berthonneau, a designer from France, received the highest distinction, “Best of Best”. The work of all 21 prizewinners is being exhibited in detail on the German Design Council’s digital platforms, the website www.ein-und-zwanzig.com and on Instagram under #einundzwanzigcompetition. Image and video documentation provide extensive background information about the awardees. Additional content on the winners’ focus topics will be progressively published on the ndion platform.

24. Mar. 2020

ein&zwanzig 2020: The winners of the international newcomer awards demonstrate expressive force and an impressive wealth of ideas

The 21 winners of the German Design Council’s ein&zwanzig newcomer awards put on a firework display of creativity. A total of 21 product and project ideas from international design students and graduates were selected from among the 1,035 entries. This means that the competition attracted 25% more entries than the previous year. Newcomers from 74 nations competed for the awards. The supreme title “Best of Best” will be announced on 20 April.

05. Nov. 2019

Enter now: the German Design Council encourages international design talent through its ein&zwanzig competition for emerging designers

08. Apr. 2019

ein&zwanzig 2019: “Best of the Best” honoured in Milan

The winner of the “Best of Best” title was announced today at 6:30 pm on the occasion of the opening of the ein&zwanzig 2019 exhibition: The delighted Simon Frambach won over the jury with his DFC Dynamic Folding Chair – a folding chair that accommodates movement while the occupant is seated. All of the 21 winning projects will be on show in the Tortona Design District in Milan from09–14 April 2019, in an exhibition created by design duo Studiopepe.

19. Mar. 2019

ein&zwanzig 2019: The winners of ein&zwanzig, the international competition for emerging talent, have been selected!

The German Design Council’s 'ein&zwanzig' competition promotes and supports up-and-coming designers: prizes have been awarded for the best 21 projects from a total of 824 entries from 73 countries. These will be presented over the course of a week during the Salone del Mobile 2019 exhibition in Milan. The exhibition has been designed by the well-known design studio, Studiopepe.

15. Mar. 2019

Disruption through design: Challenging our current system of production and consumption

Press roundtable in Milan
8 April 2019, 4 – 5.30 p.m.

We invite you to a panel discussion on "Disruption through design: Challenging our current system of production and consumption". The discussion will take place at the exhibition venue - Via Tortona 31. It will discuss questions about production conditions and consumer habits, how we can change them and what role design plays in this process.

30. Jan. 2019

Milanese design duo Studiopepe to create exhibition architecture for ein&zwanzig

This year's exhibition for ein&zwanzig, the award for emerging talents, will be designed by Arianna Lelli Mami and Chiara Di Pinto, founders of Studiopepe. Once again the German Design Council will pay homage to 21 outstanding design talents, giving the most promising emerging designers on the international scene the opportunity to display their products and product designs in an exhibition in the Tortona Design District during Milan Design Week 2019.

01. Nov. 2018

'ein&zwanzig' 2019 is now open – the German Design Council will be showcasing international design talents in Milan

Calling design students and graduates from all over the world – registrations are now open for 'ein&zwanzig', the international competition for emerging talent. Visit www.ein-und-zwanzig.com to enter your innovative, pioneering work in the fields of furniture, home accessories, lighting, floor covering, wallpaper, textiles and lifestyle.

16. Apr. 2018

Summit meeting in Milan: The ein&zwanzig jury selects the Best of Best

The 'ein&zwanzig' ('twenty-one') awards were presented this evening on the occasion of Milan Design Week 2018 in Zona Tortona. The 21 most innovative product and project ideas of talented international up-and-coming designers received this prestigious accolade. The climax of the event was the awarding of the Best of Best prize, which went to Berlin-based Sofia Souidi for the design of her Gradient lamp. All of the winning projects will be on view at the ein&zwanzig exhibition in Milan, from 17 until 22 April.

20. Mar. 2018

'ein&zwanzig' in Milan: curtain up on the stars of tomorrow

On the occasion of Salone del Mobile 2018 in Milan, the German Design Council is showcasing the 21 up and coming talents in the newcomer competition called 'ein&zwanzig' (German for “21”). Of 736 projects that were submitted from 60 countries from the fields of interior design and lifestyle, these 21 individuals are the core group that will shape the future. This year 30 percent more projects were submitted than last year. The exhibition opening and awards ceremony will be held this coming 16 April in the Tortona Design District, which is also a hubbub of design excitement during Milan Design Week.

05. Mar. 2018

Nina Bruun is the designer for the competition for up and coming young designers, ‘ein&zwanzig’

This year the design consultant and trend expert Nina Bruun developed the design concept for the international competition for up and coming young designers ‘ein&zwanzig’. This year, as in past years, the German Design Council will be showcasing 21 outstanding young product designers, whose innovative work will be on display this coming 17-22 April as part of Milan Design Week in the Tortona Design District. Milan Design Week is held on the occasion of the Salone del Mobile in Milan.

25. Oct. 2017

‘ein&zwanzig’ is back – German Design Council to return to Milan with new design talents

The international young designers competition ‘ein&zwanzig’ is entering its latest edition. The event is open to design students and graduates who are producing innovative, pioneering work in the areas of furniture, home accessories, lighting, floor coverings, wall coverings, textiles and lifestyle.

03. Apr. 2017

The next-generation competition 'ein&zwanzig': vernissage in the Zona Tortona, twenty winners and one 'Best of Best'

The vernissage for 'ein&zwanzig' was held today in the Zona Tortona. This international competition and its awards were initiated by the German Design Council to support young designers at the start of their careers. 'The high quality of so many international entries fills me with pride,' commented Andrej Kupetz, the executive director of the German Design Council and chairman of the jury.

15. Mar. 2017

Next-generation competition ein&zwanzig: The German Design Council presents 21 design newcomers from around the globe in Milan

The winners of 'ein&zwanzig', the international competition for the next generation, have been selected! A total of 574 works from 36 countries were submitted in the first round of the competition. 'The intricacy and complexity of the projects entered is surprising, and reflects the transformation of the discipline,' said Andrej Kupetz, chairman of the jury and executive director of the German Design Council.

07. Mar. 2017

The shortlist for 'ein&zwanzig', the international competition for the next generation, is complete

From 4–9 April 2017, the German Design Council will present the works of twenty-one upcoming talents during Tortona Design Week as part of the Salone del Mobile 2017 in Milan. The names of the twenty-one contestants will be announced on 13 March. The shortlist of the top 56 projects with a chance of receiving a spot in the exhibition in Milan is now available at www.ein-und-zwanzig.com.

11. Jan. 2017

Studio Besau-Marguerre creates the exhibition design for the international next-generation competition ein&zwanzig

The Hamburg-based design studio Besau Marguerre came up with the exhibition design for the presentation of the winners of the international next-generation competition 'ein&zwanzig* ('twenty-one'), which the German Design Council is hosting for the first time this year. Only three years ago, the designer duo Eva Marguerre and Marcel Besau themselves were among the finalists for the 'Newcomer' prize of the German Design Awards in 2014. Today, their portfolio includes noteworthy projects such as the furnishing of the Hamburg Elbphilharmonie, the city's renowned concert hall. During Tortona Design Week 2017 in Milan, they will stage the works of the twenty-one young winners of the 'ein&zwanzig' competition with an innovative exhibition featuring impressive imagery that highlights the visionary intention of the award and showcases the winning products.

21. Nov. 2016

Talented designers wanted in Milan! With the international competition 'ein&zwanzig', the German Design Council is promoting the designers of tomorrow

Via the 'ein&zwanzig' competition, twenty-one up-and-coming designers will be given the opportunity to exhibit their prototypes during Tortona Design Week 2017 at the Salone Del Mobile in Milan. In addition to the chance to take part in the world's most important design event, the German Design Council will enable the winners to establish contacts within its unique network that will open up long-term perspectives for them.