In seven categories, 22 creators are nominated for design awards

Prague - Twenty-two creators or studios are nominated in the third year of the Academy of Design - Czech Grand Design 2008 awards. They were selected in the second round of voting by fifty members of the academy. The winners of the seven categories, as well as the one who will enter the Hall of Fame, will be announced by the organizers during the ceremonial evening on March 21 at the Stavovske Theater. Czech Television will broadcast a recording of the evening on March 27. CTK was informed of this today by the organizers.
    The most nominations from all categories were for Discovery of the Year, with 44 entities nominated and advancing to the third round are Kryštof Nosál for the Safe seniors' bathtub for the company Ravak, Roman Vrtiška for the Sinus urban furniture design for MMcité, and Vladimír Žák among others for the Kubikula armchair and sofa for UP závody. Vrtiška and Žák have already received awards for their projects in last year's National Award for Student Design competition.
    In the Designer of the Year category, which had 32 entities nominated, the highest number of votes were received by Jan Čtvrtník, Anna and Jerry Kozovi, and Daniel Piršč. In the Fashion Designer of the Year category, with 20 entities nominated, Monika Drápalová, Jakub Polanka, and Liběna Rochová advance to the third round.
    For the Graphic Designer of the Year title, 26 names were nominated, and the finalists are Adam Macháček, Štěpán Malovec, and Robert V. Novák. In the Photographer of the Year category, 17 entities were nominated, with the highest number of votes going to Salim Issa and Štěpánka Stein, the duo Radka and René, and Tereza Vlčková.
    In the Shop of the Year category, where 13 entities were nominated, the highest number of votes went to 3DH (new showroom in collaboration with ADR architects), Artěl (realization of a collection of accessories in collaboration with Czech designers and its own presentation at Designblok), Dox by Qubus (opening a new store in the Dox gallery), and Vitra.
    The Manufacturer of the Year title aspired by 22 names includes Botas for collaboration with young designers Jakub Korouš and Jan Kloss on the Botas 66 collection, Lucis for the Helium, Neon, Argon, Antimon lighting collection, designed by René Šulc, and MMcité for the "revolutionarily designed" bicycle stand Meandre, designed by David Karásek and Radek Hegmon.
    The Czech Grand Design awards aim to promote quality Czech design and popularize good products and their authors. This year's edition will also be accompanied by an exhibition, which will take place from March 11 to April 5 at the Museum of Applied Arts in Prague, and will then move to Brno.