TOKYO, Japan (August 31, 2022)―Lexus announced that LEXUS DESIGN AWARD 2023 will be welcoming back Joe Doucet as a mentor and Paola Antonelli and Simon Humphries as judges, all of whom are drawn by the inspirational experience of interacting with enthusiastic up-and-coming creators through this program. These giants of the design world share the global design award’s vision of nurturing and supporting promising creators, together with the other soon-to-be announced members of the judging and mentoring teams.
To accomplish this vision, mentorship by the world’s leading creators has always been the heart of the LEXUS DESIGN AWARD’s ever-evolving program. The newly streamlined and expanded LEXUS DESIGN AWARD 2023 mentoring experience will begin with four award winners chosen to receive the opportunity of a lifetime-being mentored by world-renowned designers. With four winners, the mentors will be able to engage in richer discourse to encourage creative growth through personalized advice while guiding each project closer to maturity.
Joe Doucet, award-winning multidisciplinary designer, has mentored emerging talent in the program since the 2020 edition commented: “Being with the LEXUS DESIGN AWARD program for three years as a mentor, I have gained some perspective as to the unique benefits of the structure of the program. From a mentor’s perspective, we get to watch the blossoming of talent before our eyes. I am so grateful to take this role in what is a truly rewarding experience where we all benefit by working and growing together.”
Joe Doucet brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to his mission of inspiring and guiding the winners. Through his ongoing refinement of the mentoring process, he continues to earn the gratitude of the participants.
Paola Antonelli, senior curator of architecture and design at MoMA, New York, is another indispensable figure in the LEXUS DESIGN AWARD story with whom the program’s goals resonate. Since the award’s establishment in 2013, she has kept a watchful eye on the program while welcoming the stimulating experience of interacting with fresh talent, and will once again share her bold perspectives and insights as a member of the judging panel. Her deep concern with design’s responsibilities and possibilities informs her perception of creative potential in the next generation of designers.
Simon Humphries, Head of Toyota & Lexus Global Design, will again serve as a judge, representing Lexus’ pursuit of Design for a Better Tomorrow.
Together with yet-to-be announced members of the judging and mentoring teams, they are key to LEXUS DESIGN AWARD 2023 fulfilling the global design competition’s purpose of nurturing and supporting the next generation of creators. Lexus will soon introduce yet more eminent creators to complete the judging and mentoring teams, even as entries continue to pour in from all over the world.
LEXUS DESIGN AWARD 2023 is open for entries through October 16, 2022.
For those who are interested in entering, Lexus will hold an orientation webinar for creators around the world who may be interested in applying for the LEXUS DESIGN AWARD so they can get a deeper understanding the award’s purpose and features, and also learn about how to participate. During this orientation there will also be a session where past award winners will talk about their personal journeys to creative award success. Sign up to get valuable pointers on competition entry and to learn more about the program.
Pre-registration is required. Participation is free of charge.
For details and registration go to https://forms.gle/UF4vipJrpW4YPsY39
LEXUS DESIGN AWARD 2023 PANEL OF JUDGES
Paola Antonelli-Senior Curator, Department of Architecture and Design, MoMA, NY
Paola Antonelli is Senior Curator of Architecture & Design at The Museum of Modern Art, as well as MoMA’s founding Director of Research & Development. Her goal is to promote design’s understanding, until its positive influence on the world is universally acknowledged. Her work investigates design’s impact on everyday experience, often including overlooked objects and practices, and combining design, architecture, art, science, and technology.
She has curated shows, written books, lectured worldwide, and taught in several schools, including Harvard and UCLA. Among her most recent exhibitions and books are Broken Nature, devoted to the idea of restorative design (conceived as the XXII Triennale di Milano); Material Ecology, on the groundbreaking work of architect Neri Oxman; and Never Alone, about interactive design and video games. She is currently working on several new sessions of her MoMA R&D Salons and on the Instagram series @design.emergency, conceived with design critic Alice Rawsthorn and devoted to the role of design in the Covid-19 pandemic and beyond. Alice and Paola’s book, Design Emergency, was published in May 2022.
Simon Humphries-Head of Toyota & Lexus Global Design
Born and educated in the UK, he started his career as a product designer in 1988 before joining Toyota Motor Corporation in 1994. At first, he worked in advanced design and in 2002 played a leading role in establishing and implementing the Toyota (Vibrant Clarity) and Lexus (L-finesse) design philosophies. After managing various projects in both advanced and production design, he was appointed president of ED2 (Toyota European Design Development), where his team spearheaded various projects to define Toyota’s transformation to a mobility company. In 2018, he was assigned to the role of head of design, overseeing both the Toyota and Lexus brands.
As Head of Lexus Global Design, he seeks to define Lexus’ unique values in the form of a brand philosophy, incorporating a clear cultural reference to Lexus’ Japanese heritage and building a design direction that is relevant to users around the world. In his spare time he enjoys carpentry and is restoring a 100-year-old Japanese farmhouse.
LEXUS DESIGN AWARD 2023 PANEL OF MENTORS
Joe Doucet-Founder, Joe Doucet x Partners
A designer, entrepreneur, inventor and creative director, Joe Doucet is one of the most sought-after creative talents working in America today. His work deftly hybridizes function and visual appeal while conveying layers of meaning and message. Doucet believes that design and, more importantly, a designer’s thought process can play a larger role in innovation and problem solving, as well as aesthetics. He currently holds numerous patents for his designs and inventions.
Doucet’s work has been exhibited globally and has received numerous international awards, including a World Technology Award for Design Innovation and multiple Good Design Awards. Doucet was named the Winner of the Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt National Design Award as Product Designer―the highest honor in his field. He was also Designer of the Year finalist by Dezeen, and a recipient of Fast Company’s Most Important Companies in Design.
