Decision of the Jury for the Designers in Residence 2024 Program
Pforzheim, Germany, will welcome three young designers from around the world in the spring of 2024 as part of the "Designers in Residence" international fellowship program. The selected designers are Alejandra Alarcón from Mexico/Finland, Elisa Lutteral from Argentina/USA, and German product designer Simon Rogalla.
Elisa Lutteral, an Argentine-American designer, will explore materials as carriers of power and design alternative futures where boundaries are less defined. Her project during the fellowship involves creating jewelry pieces with a unique twist—each piece will have a soft and a hard counterpart.
Alejandra Alarcón, currently residing in Finland, aims to rethink the concept of tableware to create multisensory and meaningful dining experiences. She will question Western eating rules through practice-based research during her fellowship, focusing on investigating social dynamics at the table and exploring new sensory experiences in eating.
Simon Rogalla, a product designer from Germany, will delve into different rope techniques for building furniture and other objects, inspired by his time as a scout. His project aims to reflect on our relationship with possessions and objects, and show how furniture can be created that is flexible and temporary.
The "Designers in Residence" program offers young designers intense project work, access to workshops, materials, and a network of experts and creative professionals. The winners will work at the EMMA creative center from April to June 2024.
Over 400 applications were received for the 2024 fellowships, a 43% increase compared to the previous year. Applications came from 65 countries, demonstrating the global reach of the program. The jury for the fellowships included Louise Bennetts, a fashion designer and lecturer at the Royal College of Art in London, product designer Romin Heide, and jewelry artist Jiro Kamata.
Almut Benkert, head of the creative economy department at the Pforzheim Economic Development and Marketing Agency (WSP), noted the success of the program. She expressed her excitement about the diverse backgrounds and unique ideas that the selected designers will bring to Pforzheim.
While specific project focuses of the three selected designers, aside from Jacob Marks who is featured in the Designers in Residence exhibition by EMMA Kreativzentrum in Pforzheim, were not detailed in the available information, consulting official EMMA Kreativzentrum or Pforzheim Jewellery Museum sources may provide more updated or detailed information.
Alejandra Alarcón's project during the fellowship will delve into the realm of education-and-self-development as she questions Western eating rules through practice-based research, aiming to rethink the concept of tableware and create multisensory and meaningful dining experiences.
Elisa Lutteral's exploration during the fellowship aligns with the education-and-self-development sector, as she investigates the use of materials as carriers of power and designs alternative futures where boundaries are less defined, creating jewelry pieces with a unique twist—each piece will have a soft and a hard counterpart.
