Czech Grand Design 2014 Winners

The results are out! Below is a list of the winners of this year's Czech Grand Design Awards.


Designer of the Year
DECHEM - Materiálová váza (Křehký), Vase study, Bandasky, Laboratory Lights (Kavalierglass)

Fashion Designer of the Year
LaFormela - kolekce S/S 2015

Jewelry Designer of the Year
Janja Prokić - kolekce Hidden place

Graphic Designer of the Year
Tomáš Celizna, Adam Macháček, Radim Peško - koncepce a vizuální styl 26. Bienále grafického designu v Brně

Photographer of the Year
Adam Holý - The Overview Effect (Polansky Gallery a VICE)

Manufacturer of the Year
Kavalierglass - kolekce svítidel Laboratory Lights (DECHEM)

Retail Store of the Year
Kurator - výběr oblečení, módních doplňků, šperků a designových objektů

Discovery of the Year
Tadeáš Podracký a Markéta Kratochvílová - diplomové práce Dioscuri (Tadeáš Podracký), Enfant Terrible (Markéta Kratochvílová) a kolekce Skywalker, Pineapples, Finland Objects

Awarded by Public
Milan Pekař – Krystalické vázy

Grand Designer of the Year
DECHEM

Czech Grand Design 2014

The Czech Grand Design awards have become an annual prestigious event, highlighting the country's best designers of the year. Selected by the Academy of Design Czech Republic, the awards this year will be announced March 14th and will cover the following categories: Designer of the Year, Fashion Designer of the Year, Jewelry Designer of the Year, Graphic Designer of the Year, Photographer of the Year, Retail Store of the Year, Manufacturer of the Year, Discovery of the Year and Hall of Fame. The public can additionally vote in the category Grand Designer of the Year. This year, the trophy for the winners is a kimono, designed by the fashion designer Monika Drápalová, the winner of last year's Grand Designer of the Year.

Below is a lost of the recently announced finalists in each category, together with a few select photos of their work. The good news for lovers of great design is that you can see all the works at the National Technical Museum in Prague till the end of March. More information about the awards can be found here.


In the category Designer of the Year
DECHEM - Material vase (Křehký), Vase study, Bandasky, Laboratory Lights (Kavalierglass)
Koncern Design Studio - Car seat for children Aton Q, Solution Q-fix (Cybex)
Milan Pekař - Crystal vases

DECHEM - Laboratory lights (Kavalierglass), photo: Michal Šeba

In the category Fashion Designer of the Year
LaFormela - collection S/S 2015
Ivana Mentlová - collection S/S 2015 Pietro Filipi Silverline
Jakub Polanka - collection S/S 2015

 Ivana Mentlová - collection S/S 2015 Pietro Filipi Silverlin, photo: Pietro Filipi  

In the category Jewelry Designer of the Year
Nastassia Aleinikava - Bow & Pearls, Vermeer
Janja Prokić - collection Hidden place
Zorya - conceptual collection Poklady

 Nastassia Aleinikava - Bow & Pearls, Vermeer, photo: Alex Belyaev

In the category Graphic Designer of the Year
Tomáš Brousil a Radek Sidun - písmolijna Briefcase Type Foundry
Tomáš Celizna, Adam Macháček, Radim Peško - concept and visual style of the 26th International Biennial of Graphic Design in Brno
ReDesign - Prague Spring 2014

Tomáš Celizna, Adam Macháček, Radim Peško - concept and visual style of the 26th International Biennial of Graphic Design in Brno

In the category Photographer of the Year
Jan Grombiřík - portraits of Jana Kratochvílová (Bluepaper)
Adam Holý - book The Overview Effect (Polansky Gallery a VICE)
Václav Jirásek - photographs for the catalog TON 2014-15

 Jan Grombiřík - portraits of Jana Kratochvílová (Bluepaper), photo: Jan Grombiřík

In the category Retail Store of the Year
Bistro & obchod No. 19 - concept of the store and bistro and the project Zástěrka
Kurator - selection of clothing, fashion accessories, jewelery and designer objects
Lavmi - visual style and concept of the store in Zlatnická 12

 Lavmi - visual style and concept of the store in Zlatnická 12, photo courtesy of Lavmi

In the category Manufacturer of the Year 
Kavalierglass - collection of lighting Laboratory Lights (DECHEM)
Lasvit - Lights Moulds (Jan Plecháč a Henry Wielgus), Ice (Daniel Liebeskind), Das Pop (Maarten Baas) a Frozen (Maxim Velčovský)
TON - collection of furniture Merano (Alexander Gufler)

 Kavalierglass - collection of lighting Laboratory Lights (DECHEM), photo: Michal Šeba

In the category Discovery of the Year 
Jan Horčík - Boyscouts of Freedom (ve spolupráci s Tomášem Bilinou), Endless Illusion, Cutulum
Tadeáš Podracký a Markéta Kratochvílová - diploma study Dioscuri (Tadeáš Podracký), Enfant Terrible (Markéta Kratochvílová) and the collection Skywalker, Pineapples, Finland Objects
Klára Vystrčilová - leather clothing with hand embroider appliques

 Tadeáš Podracký a Markéta Kratochvílová Finland Object, photo courtesy of  Tadeáš Podracký a Markéta Kratochvílová

Marshal Apparel

Have you heard of Marshal Apparel yet? Launched only a few days back, this young fashion brand comes straight out of the streets of Prague. Its signature look? Monochromatic minimalism. Beautiful combinations of black and white contemporary minimalistic design and attention to production and materials. That's what makes Marshal Apparel unique. And we love the look!

The brand was founded by Jiří Marshal (graphic designer and film director) and the famous albino model Shaun Ross is the face of the new collection. Below is a teaser of what you can expect. Check out the Marshal Apparel online store or showroom for more.

     Images courtesy of Marshal Apparel

Designblok 2014

Are you ready for this year's Designblok (Prague Design and Fashion Week)? Starting October 7th and running till 12th. More info here. We'll be watching closely, so follow us...

 

Čezeta

Have you heard the great news? The legendary scooter from Prague - Čezeta is planning a comeback! The original 501 model, also known as 'the pig' (due to its shape) first appeared in Czechoslovakia in 1956 and was designed by J. F. Koch. Today a new company, registered as Čezeta motors s.r.o. is testing and developing the production of a 506 model - five electric scooter prototypes inspired by the 50s design. There is a website entirely in English dedicated to Čezeta, where you can read more about the history of the scooter, as well as browse through the original models for sale... Wouldn't this be a great souvenir from Prague?

Below are a few pictures and videos that will take you down memory lane...careful, you will fall in love!

The new 506 model will look like this:

Photos courtesy of Čezeta

Building of the year 2014

As always, we're following the Czech 'Building of the Year' competition closely and this time, we're very thrilled to find some exciting nominees among the top 15 buildings. Our votes are in and below are our top 3 personal favorites. Have you cast your vote yet?   

1/ The Science and Technology Center in Ostrava

2/ The Krkonoše Mountains Center for Environmental Education in Vrchlabí

3/ The New Pavilion of the Kindergarten at Kostelní 37, Prague 7

All photos courtesy of Stavba roku 2014

Top Young Czech Talents in Fashion Design

Are you a fashionista looking to spend more money than you can afford, just for the love of textile? We've compiled a list of the top young Czech fashion designers that stand out of the crowd and provide a nice relief from the hordes of mullets and bleached blondes out there.* 

Enjoy!


Petra Ptáčková

)




Jakub Polanka

)




Jana Mikešová

)




Hana Frišonsová


HANA FRIŠONSOVÁ // BLOOMING SS13 from Hana Suus on Vimeo.


Some of these (and more!) you will find at the Molo 7 online store here.







 * No offense intended.  ;)

Top 6 Vegetarian Restaurants in Prague

What if I told you that you could find great vegetarian food in Prague...would you believe me? You should. And here is a list of the top 6 restaurants serving the best greens out there. Whether you're vegetarian or you've had your fair share of goulash and are looking for a change, you should drop in - these restaurants serve not only great food but will also dazzle you with their unique interiors.

And if you're not vegetarian, you're gonna wish you were. Promise! :)


Maitrea
Týnská ulička 6/1064
Prague 1
www.restaurace-maitrea.cz

Photo courtesy of Maitrea

Lehká hlava
Boršov 2/280
Prague 1
www.lehkahlava.cz

Photo courtesy of Lehká hlava

Radost FX
Bělehradská 120
Prague 2
www.radostfx.cz

Photo courtesy of Radost FX

Secret of Raw
Seifertova 13
Prague 3
www.secretofraw.cz

Photo courtesy of Secret of Raw

Plevel Restaurant
Krymská 126/2 101 00
Prague 10
www.restauraceplevel.cz 
 

 

 Photo courtesy of Plevel Restaurant

Bílý jeřáb
Štefánikova 51
Prague 5
www.bily-jerab.cz

 

Photo courtesy of Bílý jeřáb

Coffee / tea collection, Good Design 2013

For all you lovers of great design and good coffee, here comes a product that should sit proudly on your kitchen worktop. Designed by Martin Žampach and Matěj Chabera, this tea / coffee maker set has recently won the prestigious Good Design 2013 award. The set is manufactured by Kavalierglass A.S. in Prague for the brand SIMAX and is available for purchase at the Kavalierglass store in Smíchov.

Good Design is the world’s oldest Design Awards program, founded in Chicago in the 1950s, and is organized annually by The Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design in cooperation with the European Centre for Architecture, Art, Design and Urban Studies.

Photo: Petr Karšulín, foodstyling: Iva Jakešová

Bubble offices, Prague

Office Snapshots, a website that displays and discusses the latest trends in office design has once again come out with its annual list of the Top 25 Most Popular Offices of 2013. This year we were pleased to find out that the office of the Czech social media agency Bubble made it to the list and ranked 24th. From the photos of Bubble offices, we can clearly tell it is a well deserved place...

What does your office space look like?

Images courtesy of Bubble and Office Snapshots.

Mad men do Prague

We thought we would do something a little more 'fun' this time and decided to group a few designer objects and places we love around a single theme. And since everyone seems to be obsessed with Mad Men...


The top 5 Mad Men inspired things to do when in Prague:

1/  GET A HAT

You can't be Don Draper without a good hat and there isn't a better company in the Czech Republic that knows how to cover your head in style than Tonak. 

 2/ SUIT UP

A slim-fit suit is a must and for a true gentleman a custom suit is the only option. Made to measure suits are now available with Blažek or Le Premier.

3/ WALK IN STYLE

Let's kick it up a notch with some tailor-made shoes. You heard me. Salon Lawart has been making them for the Czech elite since 1995. 

4/ CHECK THE TIME

There is nothing classier a man can wear than a stylish watch. Prim is a brand with tradition, the sort of company that was around when your grandfather got his first watch.

5/ PERHAPS A DRINK AND A CIGAR / ETTE ?

The perfect place to do it is at Bar and Books in Prague.

Images courtesy of Tonak, Blažek, Salon Lawart, Prim and Bar and Books.

Apartment restaurants, Prague & Hospozín

We like to keep you updated on the latest trends in dining, so that you're always in the know when it comes to good food. Let's just say we like you to be the cool kid on the block. This time we have discovered a trend that will not only please your palate but will also take care of your social life. We're talking about apartment dining.

Some of you may have come across this trend in other countries, others may be hearing about this for the first time. The principle is quite simple. Food enthusiasts organize dinners in their own homes and offer a seat at the table to anyone interested to join. Hence, the name apartment restaurant. We already found two in the Czech Republic that are active and becoming increasingly popular.

This form of dining is not only the perfect way to enjoy some great food but also a great opportunity to meet new people. So how can you attend a house dinner and how much will it cost? Follow the Facebook page of any of the two below mentioned restaurants and look out for the dates and menu of their upcoming dinners. The price for the dinner will be mentioned on the menu. If you find something you like, sign up fast because there are limited seats available and they do get booked quickly! Happy dining! Oh and do drop us a note if you attend, we would love to hear how the food was and

Balcony restaurant Nová Harfa

Image courtesy of Balcony restaurant Nová Harfa

Apartment restaurant Na faře

 Image courtesy of Apartment restaurant Na faře

Designblok 13, Prague

Don't forget to attend Designblok this week! Running from October 7th - 13th, Designblok is more than just the Czech equivalent of the various fashion weeks established in major fashion capitals around the globe. It is also an international exhibition of contemporary furniture design, industrial design, lighting, product and jewelry design. Designblok has been running since 1999 and with its rather long tradition, it has managed to attract some of the most renowned local and international designers this year. 

This year Designblok is held in three major locations in Prague. The interior, lighting and product design exhibition, which forms the major part of Designblok is held at Nákladové nádraží Žižkov in Prague 3. Fashion and jewelry design can be found in the Kafka house in Staroměstské náměstí, Prague 1. An exhibition exploring the fine line between design and art and showcasing the works of major international designers is being held in the Colloredo-Mansfeld palace in Karlova street, Prague 1.

A ticket will cost you 250 Czk and will get you into all three of the locations of the Designblok during the entire week. Tickets can be purchased at any of the three listed locations. If you're interested in attending the fashion shows, make sure to review the program here and book your tickets for the particular shows you're interested in early.   

Images courtesy of Designblok

Signal Festival, Prague

Ever heard of video mapping? Also called projection mapping, video mapping is the art of using projection technology to turn objects, such as buildings into a display surface for video projection. In other words, with this technique almost any surface can be used to become a dynamic video display of 2D and 3D images, creating various illusions for the audience. Why the interest in video mapping? Coming up in October, Prague will witness its first Signal light festival, which will display some of the greatest works in the field of video mapping from around the world. Additionally, light installations and sculptures will also be a part of the program.

The event is set to take place from 17th to 20th October and installations will be scattered across the center of Prague. Entry is free and for easy access to individual installations, the organizers have already listed the participating artists (local & international), the details of their work and the location of each installation on their website. So rather than wandering through Prague aimlessly on the night of the festival, you may want to start browsing through the program now, to select the installations that interest you the most. We've certainly picked out some of our favorites!



This flashy installation (literally) is an interactive sculpture made from 6,000 light bulbs, created by the Canadian artists Caitlind r.c. Brown and Wayne Garrett. Take a look at the video to get a taste of what to expect, it will certainly be exciting to see the sort of public interaction this sculpture creates.


CLOUD: An Interactive Sculpture Made from 6,000 Light Bulbs from Caitlind r.c. Brown on Vimeo.



We're also looking forward to exploring the works of some great local artists, such as the famous Czech designer Rony Plesl, who will be exhibiting a suspended light sculpture made of 35 green uranium glass tubes.

Photo courtesy of Rony Plesl and Signal Festival.

And finally, here are some examples of video mapping as part of a teaser for the Signal Festival:

Public Transport Museum, Prague

We love chairs and we also love competitions. Imagine a combination of the two...Well, the Museum of Public Transport in Prague is currently holding a competition, in the form of a survey that allows the public to vote for the most comfortable public transport seat. There are altogether 8 prototypes to choose from, including ones that you may recognize from your local bus or tram. The Prague Public Transit Company has also introduced 4 new designs. The competition will run till November 17th and you can take part by either visiting the museum personally or voting online. By taking part, you will automatically be included in a prize draw and can win books and other small items. Unfortunately, the online voting form is only available in Czech, so it may be better for you to visit the museum yourself. And let's be frank here, how do you expect to vote for the most comfortable seat, without actually trying it?

    Photo courtesy of The Prague Public Transit Company

Krust helmets, Prague

It's about time we wrote about product design! It may seem that while we were getting carried away with gourmet restaurants and designer shops, we lost sight of all the great young Czech product designers that are slowly making their way into the spotlight...Wrong! We have kept our eyes peeled for these young talents and are happy to introduce them to you. Today, we'll have a look at a young company Krust, which specializes in designer helmets.

Krust was founded by the passionate cyclists Alexander Klimeš and Jaroslav Endršt, who being bored of the design of the classical bicycle helmet, decided to take things into their own hands. They joined forces with the young design studio deFORM and came up with their first collection of funky helmets. What we love about their product is that not only does it bring style to biking, rollerblading, skateboarding but it also meets all safety norms and is certified. As the company revealed, we should keep an eye out for a collection of snowboard and ski helmets in the future! Below is just a teasing sample of Krust's product range, to view more visit their website.  

 Images courtesy of Krust.

The Real Meat Society, Prague

This post may seem a little out of place compared to the usual things we blog about but let me assure you that it rightly deserves to be in the spotlight. Remember our post about the Sansho restaurant in Prague? Well, its chef Paul Day has caught our attention once again, this time with his meat shop The Real Meat Society.

Unique not only in its concept but also its product offering, The Real Meat Society will please even the most demanding carnivore. This meat shop prides itself on selling meat that is antibiotic and hormone free and comes from small local farms. The shop also sells less famous breeds and abides by a nose to tail philosophy (all animal parts can be effectively consumed, including parts rarely used). Though the price of the meat is on the higher side, Paul Day's experience as a butcher and a famous chef should serve as an assurance of quality. 

Though right now their website is only in Czech, it is worth a visit to get a sense of the entire unique concept of the store. Who would have thought there is an art in selling meat? For those of you who understand Czech, you may enjoy browsing through some of the recipes The Real Meat Society regularly posts online.  

The Real Meat Society
Náplavní 5, Prague 2
http://www.trms.cz/
Opening hours:
Tue - Wed 11-18
Thur - Fri 11-19
Sat 9-13