2026 State Prize for Design - Best of Austrian Design - Exhibition Opening
Learn more
“Good design is not a matter of chance; it is the quiet alliance of a bold spirit and precise craftsmanship.” — So put it the five-member international expert jury of the “2026 State Prize for Design” competition —which this year included two jury members from Tyrol: interior architect and product designer Nina Mair and architect Patrick Lüth—in the introductory statement of the accompanying catalog for the exhibition of the same name.
Every two years, the Federal Ministry of Economics, Energy, and Tourism awards the “State Prize for Design.” The competition was held for the 51st time this year and honors the most creative and innovative products in the three categories “Consumer Goods,” “Capital Goods,” and “Interior Product Design.” In addition, special prizes were awarded for spatial design in the “Spaces & Environment” category and for forward-looking, innovative, and as-yet-unrealized projects by emerging young designers in the “Design Concepts” category.
This year, the Vienna-based design studio EOOS, led by Harald Gründl—who has been a guest speaker at WEISRAUM on several occasions—was honored with a State Prize in the “Consumer Goods” category for the hygienic “SafeTap” faucet. Designed for use in regions with precarious water supplies, the faucet consists of just three sturdy polypropylene parts and can be activated touchlessly with the back of the hand.
Good news from a Tyrolean perspective: In the same category, the “Substanz Kids – LYNX” children’s glasses—manufactured using a 3D printing process with particularly lightweight, plant-based castor bean powder—also earned an award for a product from the Außerfern-based eyewear manufacturer rolf.spectacles, which was manufactured using a 3D printing process with particularly lightweight, plant-based castor oil powder, was also honored with an award in the same category.
Wednesday, September 23, 2026, 7:00 p.m.
Exhibition opening with introductory remarks by:
Dr. Thomas Kohlert – Federal Ministry of Economy, Energy, and Tourism
Nina Mair – Spokesperson for the jury, architect, interior designer, and product designer
Exhibition dates:
September 24 – October 23, 2026
Hours:
Tuesday–Friday
1:00–6:00 p.m. daily
Guided tours available upon request
Closed:
October 9 and 22, 2026
Contact
Booking
Prices
Free Event
Information
Location: Innsbruck, Weissraum
