Leading figures in global design complete the judging and mentoring line-up for the Lexus Design Award 2021

• Distinguished line-up of judges and mentors in place for the 2021 Lexus Design Award, supporting emerging creative talent to build a better tomorrow
• Internationally celebrated architects Dong Gong and Greg Lynn join the award judging panel
• Artist and designer Sputniko! completes the team of mentors who will work with the 2021 award finalists

Lexus is pleased to welcome leading figures from the design world to the line-up of judges and mentors for the Lexus Design Award 2021. Their skills and experience will be central to the award’s mission to identify and nurture emerging creative talent to build a better tomorrow.

Architects Dong Gong, from China, and the American Greg Lynn complete the distinguished judging panel, while Japanese artist and designer Sputniko! joins the group of mentors who will be working with next year’s award finalists.

Dong Gong, who recently became a member of France’s Académie d’Architecture, has earned international acclaim for his work, including the famous Seashore Library in Eastern China.

Lynn, who is also the founder and CEO of the Piaggio Fast Forward robotics company, is recognised for his use of technology to reimagine the relationship of architecture and design with society. His wide-ranging work brings together different disciplines in interconnected spaces where he uses technology to experiment and innovate.

Dong and Lynn join the award’s returning judges: design influencer Paola Antonelli, senior curator in the Department of Architecture and Design of MoMA, the Museum of Modern Art in New York; and Simon Humphries, the head of Toyota and Lexus Global Design.

The judging panel will seek to identify the next generation of talent, evaluating the award entries on the basis of how well they apply Lexus’ three key design principles, Anticipate, Innovate and Captivate, to build a better tomorrow.

First-time judge Dong Gong commented: “I think the most exciting thing about being a juror will be having the chance to see designs by young designers, especially as they will not be limited to just architecture but will include all other areas of design. It’s about a process of engagement and interaction.”

Greg Lynn added: “I am happy to join the jury as I am certain to learn a great deal from the vision and values of the participants, from the insight of the mentors and from the perspectives of the other jury members. I have followed the award in the past and am impressed by its ability to connect design with cultural challenges. It is exciting to be involved with a programme dedicated to discovering, mentoring and awarding talented young designers who focus on tomorrow. Now more than ever there are so many challenges for design to address, including social inequity, economic instability, climate crisis and a health pandemic, so I am sure to be inspired. This will be a case where the pleasure will be all mine.”

The award finalists will have the unique opportunity to receive direct, interactive guidance from world-renowned designers to bring their ideas to life and develop prototypes of their concepts for the final judging. Sputniko! is a new mentor for 2021, a designer and artist whose innovative video and multimedia installations address technology’s impact on society. She joins the team of Joe Doucet, Mariam Kamara and Sabine Marcelis who will mentor the six finalists chosen from the worldwide entries.

The prototypes of the six finalists’ design ideas will be displayed at the finale of the Lexus Design Award 2021, scheduled to be held in April 2021. Each finalist will present their prototypes and ideas to the judges, watched by an audience of global media and guests, before the selection of the single Grand Prix winner.

Entries for the Lexus Design Award will be accepted up until October 11, 2020.