Launched in 2020, the annual Polestar Design Contest challenges aspiring designers, both professional and students, to create exciting visions for future Polestar concepts. The designs do not need to be a car. But they do need to be a Polestar.
Uniquely, the Polestar Design Contest features designers from Polestar coaching shortlisted participants one-on-one, a modelling team that provides digital modelling support to finalists, and hard model production of the winning designs.
This year, Polestar plans to produce the winning design as a full-size 1:1 scale model, expected to be showcased on the Polestar stand at Auto Shanghai in April 2023.
Maximilian Missoni, Head of Design at Polestar, comments: “For a design to be presented on the world stage in much the same way as one of Polestar’s own concept cars is a money-can’t-buy opportunity for any designer. We want to encourage, support, and celebrate innovative design, and the people who realise it. What better way to do that than to present a full-size model* of their creation on the centre stage at one of the largest automotive shows in the world?”
Following the previous two themes of ‘Pure’ and ‘Progressive’, the 2022 Contest brief is to design a Polestar that is the antithesis of the classic idiom of high-consumption performance rooted in the 20th century. It must visually show a new form of ‘Performance’ and tell the advanced technical story that enables this in a sustainable way.
Juan Pablo Bernal, Interior Design Manager at Polestar, founder of the Polestar Design Contest and curator of the @polestardesigncommunity Instagram page, comments: “I believe this year’s ‘Performance’ theme will capture the imagination of a design community that has responded extremely creatively to our Design Contest thus far. I’ve been truly inspired by the array of submissions that continue to harness the essence of our brand in such a captivating way. We expect this year will be no different – the paradigm has shifted from high-consumption performance of the 20th century, so we are looking for design ideas that embody that shift.”
Since the start, the Polestar Design Contest has featured a variety of vehicles and cutting edge concepts, and draws entries from students and professional designers across the globe. The ground-breaking designs have previously included a car which tackles local pollution with on-board and externally visible air filters, an electric-and-helium airship, prosthetic springboard blades for walking and a luxury yacht that exuded Polestar’s minimalistic design tonality.
KOJA, the micro-space tree house by Finnish designer Kristian Talvitie that received an honourable mention in the 2021 Polestar Design Contest, has been brought to life this summer at the renowned Fiskars Art & Design Biennale taking place in Finland. It’s the first submission to be realized in full scale.
More information about the 2022 Polestar Design Contest on https://about.polestar.com/polestar-design-contest/2022/
Timeline
Initial design submissions – 31st August
10 professional and 10 student designers will be shortlisted after initial submissions of 2D design material.
Finalist designers announced – 1st November
5 professional and 5 student designer finalists (selected from the short-listed 10 professional and 10 student designers) at the second submission.
Winning Designers announced – 11th November
One winning student or professional designer expected to have their design produced as full-size exterior design hard model (*unless their design is larger than a car, then it would be produced as a scale model).