TOYOTA PICKS 4 FOR LEXUS DESIGN AWARD 2017

TOKYO, Japan – January 31, 2017―Lexus International today picked four out of 12 finalists for the Lexus Design Award 2017.

The four designs are HAVING NOTHING, AND YET POSSESSING EVERYTHING, Ahran Won (Korea)A capsule for mobile living, Having nothing YET Everything. PIXEL, Hiroto Yoshizoe (Japan) A structure to experience the existence of Light YET Shadow. PLAYER’S PFLUTE, Jia Wu (China) Vegetable YET a Musical instrument provides fun and learning experience.

STRUCTURAL COLOR – STATIC YET CHANGING, Jessica Fügler (USA) Static YET Changeable structure depending on viewpoint.
To provide creative guidance to the above four finalists, Lexus Design Award 2017 has enlisted four renowned mentors: architects and interdisciplinary designers Neri & Hu, designer Max Lamb, designer/architect Elena Manferdini and artist/architect Snarkitecture. All served as mentors to last year’s finalists, as well.

The four completed prototypes will be featured as part of the Lexus exhibition at this year’s Milan Design Week, along with presentation boards introducing the other eight finalists’ designs. The event will run from April 3 (press and award presentation day) through April 9. On April 3, the finalists will present their designs to the judges and international media. The judges will evaluate the four prototypes and announce the Grand Prix winner, marking the climax of the Lexus Design Award 2017 award cycle.

First launched in 2013 to help stimulate the ideas necessary to build a better tomorrow, Lexus is celebrating the 5th anniversary of this international design competition that supports up-and-coming designers and creators worldwide. Lexus Design Award 2017 drew 1,152 entries from 63 countries under the theme of “Yet.”




As the philosophical soul of Lexus innovation, “Yet” is particularly appropriate for the 5th anniversary of this Lexus event. “Yet” inspires us to find synergy effects by fusing seemingly incompatible goals―spacious yet aerodynamic design―for example. By harmonizing contradictory elements, “Yet” opens up visionary frontiers of progressive design and technology to deliver amazing, new experiences to the world.

In November 2016, a panel of world-renowned designers and creative mentors gathered to judge the entries. After rigorous evaluation and extensive discussion, the judges chose 12 finalists.