The Singapore Furniture Industries Council (SFIC) has announced that entries for the 23rd Furniture Design Award is now open for registration.

Participants of all backgrounds, including design students and professionals, are invited to submit their original works. The FDA 2017 will, as in the previous year, take on a freestyle approach where designers are encouraged to exercise their creativity without restrictions, and demonstrate originality in their works.

First launched in 1993 by the SFIC, the Award seeks to discover new design talents from all over the world to present their unique creations amongst international furniture manufacturers and designers.

Next year’s edition will keep its single category format, by presenting one Grand Award that comes with prize money of $20,000 as well as a 12 square metre exhibition booth at the following International Furniture Fair Singapore / ASEAN Furniture Show in 2018, where the designer can showcase his / her designs and works.

“The FDA is a well-established design competition that is recognised within the furniture industry,” said Mark Yong, vice president of SFIC and chairman of design development. "Having been around for more than two decades, we believe that the Award will continue to motivate young and aspiring designers to express their creativity in furniture design and be given the opportunity to gain recognition and kickstart their career.”

The same panel of six jurors for FDA 2016 has also committed to judge for FDA 2017. They include chief juror Patrick Chia from Singapore, Professor Byungkil Kang from South Korea; Colin Seah from Singapore; Jurgen Bey from the Netherlands; Shin Azumi from Japan; and Tony K. M. Chang, from Taiwan, China.

Patrick Chia says: “We were all very impressed by the entries in FDA 2016, which had demonstrated that there was a certain depth of thinking in most of the designs. For next year’s competition, we will continue to expect an even higher standard in the winning piece, which would be judged based on the degree of innovation, marketability, functionality, and environmental awareness.”

Registration for FDA 2017 can be submitted on www.furnituredesignaward.sg from now till 15th August 2016, 12pm Singapore time.

More information can be found on the SFIC website or by emailing enquiry@furnituredesignaward.sg.

FDA 2016 is supported by DesignSingapore Council, International Enterprise (IE) Singapore, SPRING Singapore, DesignS, and IFFS Pte Ltd.

(Source: Furniture News  Author: Victoria Noakes)