Rimowa Design Prize 2025: the 7 finalists and their initiatives
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In partnership with Rimowa
Socially accountable city seating techniques; a wearable system to assist autonomy in dementia victims; air-pollution-notification know-how; a digital-inheritance resolution; and a brand new tackle the standard crutch are among the many mobility-focused improvements of the not too long ago introduced Rimowa Design Prize 2025 finalists.
We discover all seven initiatives beneath, however first, to speak about their concepts round design and mobility, Wallpaper* met with the younger designers and made a brief movie (above) to seize their ideas. The placement, the Bauhaus Dessau – this 12 months celebrating the a hundredth anniversary of the Bauhaus Faculty’s transfer from Weimar to its iconic house designed by Walter Gropius – was the right backdrop for a design dialog.
Rimowa Design Prize 2025 finalists outdoors Bauhaus Dessau, in a nonetheless from Wallpaper’s brief movie
(Picture credit score: Wallpaper* movie nonetheless. Route: Bastian Thiery)
The dialogue turned to the Rimowa Design Prize’s temporary, the definition of mobility in 2025, and the notion that the time period represents extra than simply the flexibility to go from one place to a different. ‘We now have to think about social mobility and cultural mobility additionally,’ stated the group. They acknowledged a rising consciousness that design shouldn’t simply clear up issues however must also work in a symbolic and an emotional method, that selections made must embody empathy in addition to practicality. The prize, the younger designers determined, ‘is the perfect platform for altering that perspective’.
The Rimowa Design Prize
Now in its third iteration, the Rimowa Design Prize was established to honour Germany’s design heritage and to empower the following era of rising expertise. Collaborating college students – from 39 German universities – are inspired to think about the holistic affect of mobility, an important component of bodily and psychological wellbeing, whereas upholding the Rimowa model values of resilience, transformation and timeless design.
Having supervised a two-month mentoring interval, Rimowa’s handpicked jury of specialists from various fields throughout the international design trade is watching the 2025 prize enter its closing section. The seven shortlisted initiatives are at the moment advancing to the sensible growth stage, and the finalists will then be invited to showcase their work at an awards ceremony at Gropius Bau, Berlin, on 13 Could, when the winner might be introduced.
The seven shortlisted initiatives
‘Compath’ by Jonas Krämer
(Picture credit score: Courtesy Rimowa)
Below the mentorship of Dr Mahret Ifeoma Kupka, curator at Museum Angewandte Kunst in Frankfurt, Jonas Krämer from the Folkwang Universität der Künste, Essen, created ‘Compath’ as an intuitive, wearable assist system for dementia victims. Designed to make sure fear-free mobility through steerage, reminders and (if wanted) emergency help, ‘Compath’ addresses the challenges of dementia, serving to victims keep confidence and agility of their each day routines.
‘Layers’ by Nick Geipel
(Picture credit score: Courtesy Rimowa)
From the Weißensee Kunsthochschule Berlin, Nick Geipel’s ‘Layers’ venture posits a social conundrum. ‘What if the general public area was set as much as invite and host the general public? What if the event of shared areas inspired neighborhood as a substitute of perceived management and order?’ Mentored by Niklas Bildstein Zaar, co-founder and artistic director at Sub, and designed by Geipel as a response to ‘hostile structure’ and ‘antihuman design’, ‘Layers’ is a modular bench system that reconfigures the general public area to assist foster neighborhood and humanise the city open air.
‘Memento’ by Sophie Ludwig
(Picture credit score: Courtesy Rimowa)
‘Memento’ is a considerate method to remembrance. Designed by Sophie Ludwig from the Hochschule Pforzheim, who was mentored by Ute Meta Bauer, professor at NTU ADM and principal analysis fellow at NTU CCA, ‘Memento’ preserves chosen moments from an individual’s life – within the type of pictures, movies and music, for instance – and makes them accessible to these left behind. ‘It’s a brand new method of coping with digital inheritance and facilitating aware remembrance,’ says Ludwig.
‘Tonbo’ by Marius Kintzel and Julian Solmsdorff
(Picture credit score: Courtesy Rimowa)
Rethinking the easy perform of the wheelbarrow, Marius Kintzel and Julian Solmsdorff from the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar – mentored by Katharina Janku, CEO at USM Germany – pursued the concept of a lighter, stronger, extra aesthetically pleasing model. Combining modern aluminium and recycled carbon-fibre development with most stability, the ‘Tonbo’ handtruck has an especially gentle and resilient construction, impressed by bionic ideas. The consequence? A web weight of simply 4.8kg with a load capability of 100kg and one of many lightest handtrucks in its class.
‘Hottie’ by Marc Hackländer and Elisabeth Lorenz
(Picture credit score: Courtesy Rimowa)
Mentored by Nic Galway, SVP artistic route product design at Adidas, college students Marc Hackländer and Elisabeth Lorenz, from the Hochschule für Gestaltung Schwäbisch Gmünd, current ‘Hottie’, a discreetly wearable system designed to handle menstrual discomfort and problem menstrual stigma. Manufactured from extremely conductive, silver-plated nylon yarn, the system integrates adjustable warmth remedy and TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation), stimulating nerves, selling the manufacturing of endorphins, and successfully relieving interval ache.
‘Standalone’, designed by Tom Kemter and Niels Cremer
(Picture credit score: Courtesy Rimowa)
Additionally from the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar is ‘Standalone’, designed by Tom Kemter and Niels Cremer, who had been mentored by Pierre Jorge Gonzalez and Judith Haase, founders and managing administrators at Gonzalez Haase AAS. A brand new interpretation of the forearm crutch, ‘Standalone’ transforms a as soon as unattractive and limiting support into an ergonomical, user-friendly and empowering instrument, selling independence and dignity. Progressive fold-out legs allow the crutch to face independently, releasing up customers’ arms.
‘cAir Pin’ by Jan Stackfleth
(Picture credit score: Courtesy Rimowa)
The air that we breathe powers our mobility, so optimising its high quality and monitoring toxins could possibly be key to well being and longevity. Designed by Jan Stackfleth from the Hochschule Anhalt, who was mentored by Moritz Krueger, founder and artistic director at Mykita, the wearable ‘cAir Pin’ is a smartphone-connected system that gives real-time air high quality data and empowers customers to make knowledgeable selections primarily based on their atmosphere. The system ‘makes the invisible, seen’, say its inventors. ‘It helps navigate the chaos of pollution, allergens, and dangerous gases, educating customers within the risks of air air pollution and its results on respiratory well being.’
This 12 months’s jury – together with the mentors already talked about, and accomplished by honorary jury members Alexandre Arnault, chairman at Rimowa, and Hugues Bonnet-Masimbert, chief government officer at Rimowa – will award a prize of €20,000 for the profitable venture. There can even be a prize of €10,000 and a particular point out for a second venture; and the 5 remaining finalists will every be granted €5,000.
The winner of the Rimowa Design Prize might be introduced on 13 Could 2025, rimowadesignprize.com.
With due to the Bauhaus Dessau Basis. The Bauhaus moved to Dessau 100 years in the past. To mark the centennial, a cultural programme of exhibitions, conferences and festivals organised by the Bauhaus Dessau Basis will happen within the metropolis of Dessau from September 2025 to March 2026. For extra data, go to bauhaus-dessau.de
Filmed at Bauhaus Dessau, designed by Walter Gropius. © DACS 2025
