Design 32: results announced

Konrad Mańskowski's Adaptive Vehicle transforms from a small city car into a sports car in an instant. The jury of the competition which ended in Katowice last Saturday decided that this was last year's best diploma project at Polish art schools. The futuristic vehicle and other distinguished projects can be viewed at the Design 32 exhibition at the Rondo Sztuki Gallery in Katowice until 2 June.

This is the 9th time the AFA Katowice has organized the competition, which includes all Polish state academies of art. They all nominate their best diploma projects of the year. The jury selects the winners. 'Every year the decision is difficult because the scope of students' exploration is really wide,' says Prof. Bogna Otto-Węgrzyn of the AFA Katowice, chair of this year's jury.

This diversity permeates the Design 32 exhibition at the Rondo Sztuki Gallery in Katowice. A lot of the projects are pragmatic solutions to everyday life problems, however some are futuristic visions on a global scale. This year, the jury has focused their attention on the numerous projects that refer to social issues. The winning Adaptive Vehicle – according to the intention of its creator, Kordian Mańkowski – is meant to reduce the global production of cars and limit environmental pollution. Thanks to its zero emission and the flexibility of the construction, at the touch of a button the vehicle changes from a sports car into a compact city car that can be parked almost anywhere. The working model can be viewed in front of the Rondo Sztuki Gallery in Katowice. It looks like it has just left a factory production line, however the young designer built it himself in his workshop. The work took three years.

Kordian Mańskowski has won the main prize awarded by the rectors of the Academies of Fine Arts. The Award of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage went to Monika Szybiak of the Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków for her project titled 'Restore the hope. Aid to war victims. Selected elements of visual identity for a clothes brand supporting Iraqi refugees.' The Award of the Marshal of the Silesian Voivodeship went to Magdalena Płońska of the AFA Katowice for 'Farmer's calendar. A comprehensive tool supporting the data collection, planning, organization and financial management of an agricultural farm.' Paulina Kozicka (AFA Gdańsk) has won the Award of the Mayor of Katowice for 'LITERARIUM. Game facilitating learning to read.'

Design 32 exhibition at the Rondo Sztuki Gallery in Katowice is open until 2 June. Next, it will be shown during the Gdynia Design Days from 6 to 14 July.