Rigour of colour and form marks out the winning design in the Newcomer category. This was won by 29-year-old Colin Schaelli, creator of the V30 Freitag Skid, a modular shelf system made from recycled plastic designed for shops owned by Freitag, the Zurich-based bag maker. The judges highlighted for praise the economy of materials, the simplicity and effectiveness of the connection system, and the design's durability and sustainability.
The winner of the Textile Design Award was Martin Leutold, who has created a technologically advanced fabric for the firm Jakob Schlaepfer. The material is astonishing for its lightness (it weighs just 10 grams per metre): the ultrafine polyester weave is coated with aluminium, copper or bronze and is digitally printed on one side with a discreet flower design. According to the judges, Secret Garden is one the St Gallen firm's "magical" products: its technical perfection is most clearly evident in the movement of the fabric. A second prize in the category was awarded to Schoeller Technologies AG, based in Sevelen, St Gallen, for its research and development of "coldblack©: Sun Reflector – UV Protector", which has a dual protection function.
The Rado Product Award (the watch manufacturer is one of the main sponsors of the prize) went to a complete DJ system the size of an iPod to be used mixing and playing music. It was designed by Thomas Schaad in collaboration with the Swedish studio No Picnic (Urban Ahlgren, Alfred Alfred and Anna-Carin Neale) for the company Tonium. Their design, called Pacemaker, is the only one of its kind: its 120GB hard disk means that it can store thousands of tracks, while the speed and the bass/treble balance can be controlled via a touch screen.
The Market category was won by a multi-function transporter (the Aebi VT450) designed by Paolo Fancelli. Its robust, compact shape combines the capabilities of an agricultural machine with the road handling of a typical commercial vehicle. Special mention was made of the design of the interior for its manageability, functionality and level of comfort.
The Merit Prize, lastly, went to Albert Kriemler, designer and owner of the St Gallen fashion firm Akris, a family business that has built up a reputation over the years for its women's clothing and for the understated quality and tailoring of its cutting-edge designs. Along with Rolf Fehlbaum of Vitra and Pierre Keller of the Lausanne-based Ecal, he is an ambassador for "Swissness" to the rest of the world.
