Seats of Understanding: 15th International Design Contest

The Trieste Contemporanea Committee is pleased to announce the 15th edition of its International Design Contest. Participation is open, without charge, to professionals from Central Eastern Europe. Besides the Award Ceremony for the winning designs, a number of projects selected by the panel of judges will be exhibited at Trieste Contemporanea and an exhibition catalogue will be published online. The winners will have their Trieste Award Ceremony travel and accommodation expenses covered by the organizing Committee.

Submissions dates: January 30 to May 12, 2024.

Trieste Contemporanea, a contemporary art hub of research and dissemination in Central Eastern Europe, is excited to announce the latest edition of its international design competition, which this year is unique because it runs in unison with the EU Slovenia-Italy cross-border project for Nova Gorica and Gorizia, designated European Capital of Culture (ECoC) in 2025. In preparing the ECoC event, organizing bodies from the two cities (which form one continuous urban area on the border) declare to “share the same commitment: being the European Capital of Borderless Culture”.

So, the competition is an initiative towards the “GO! 2025—Nova Gorica and Gorizia European Capital of Culture 2025” event, and produced by the Trieste Contemporanea Committee with the support of the Regione Autonoma Friuli Venezia Giulia and in collaboration with the Central European Initiative (CEI), which has provided for one of its main prizes since 2006, and the Studio Tommaseo in Trieste.

The competition and awards
The "International Design Contest Trieste Contemporanea" is a biennial event established in 1995 by the Italian scholar of aesthetics and design Gillo Dorfles with the aim of showcasing the most original contemporary design offerings from the countries of Central Eastern Europe.

–Beba Prize for the youngest designer individually participating, among those selected: 1,000 EUR.
–CEI Prize for the best design from one of the non-EU CEI countries: 3,000 EUR.
–Gillo Dorfles Prize / First Prize Trieste Contemporanea for contest edition best design: 4,000 EUR. Also, the winning project will be presented by Trieste Contemporanea to the “GO! 2025” organizing bodies: should they decide on its subsequent realization, the winner will be informed on this and the full details of the production and event in due time.

Eligibility and submissions
The competition is open to designers, of any age, born in the following countries: Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine. Contestants are invited to submit original and unpublished projects with supporting documentation through a specific online application form via the Trieste Contemporanea website.

To support preliminary project studies, two webinars and a study visit to Nova Gorica and Gorizia will be organized for contestants. Dates and details will be provided on the website.

Deadline: May 12, 2024, at 11:59pm, CET. Full details here.

15th edition theme
This edition of the competition seeks a potentially iconic item of street furniture that could represent symbolic meanings linked to historical location of Nova Gorica/Gorizia, and the sharing of cultural values.
Street furniture is more than just a functional tool, it embodies social values and community action. As such, does it have the potential to also influence and shape those values and action? What can be sustainably transmitted in this location, at this point in time, through urban design to future citizens?

The contestant should design a seating installation (e.g. a bench) with the above concept and sentiments and of course for resting, viewing the panorama and socializing. The designed street furniture must be absorbed into the daily social life of the cities and should be designed merging functionality, formal simplicity, comfort, durability and minimal maintenance. It should be reproducible in a small series.

Go to previous Contest Editions / Read about Trieste Contemporanea.

For more information, contact: Marina Lutmann, Trieste Contemporanea Committee, info [​at​] triestecontemporanea.it / T +39 040 639187 (Tuesay–Friday: 4–8pm).