Association of professional graphic designers Grafia and Finnish Association of Designers Ornamo award annually six distinguished designers. Finnish Designer Awards have been now selected for the year 2010.
The Finnish Designer Awards concept has been revamped: from this year the awards will be given in mid January. The aim of this change is to enhance the exhibition's international tour. The Finnish Designer Awards '10 publication will be published in January 2010 together with the exhibition in Design Forum Finland.
In 2006 the organizations decided to join the different awards and events into one Finnish Designer Awards Event, which also includes an annual publication and an international touring exhibition.
The Designer Awards 2007 exhibition was exhibited in Berlin where it became a success amongst the public and within the media. The 2008 exhibition travelled in 2009 to Brussels in mid-September, Eindhoven in October and Madrid in November where Finnish Design was extensively presented during the Month of Finnish Design (Mes del Diseno Finlandes)
Graphic Designer of the Year 2010 Sami Kortemaki
Sami Kortemaki founded Underware in 1999 together with his student friends, Akiem Helmling from Germany and Bas Jacobs from Holland. Underware has stood out with its high-quality and concise but thought-out selection and distinctive practices and become one of the world's most famous independent font design companies.
Furniture Designer of the Year 2010 Timo Ripatti
Interior architect Timo Ripatti's designs represent absolute designer character, confidence and topical vision. He was also awarded SIO's 2009 Furniture Award for the design of the Ellipse chair.
Ceramic Artist of the Year 2010 Kirsi Kivivirta
Ceramic artist Kirsi Kivivirta's mosaic-like works are meticulously thought through with their fine detailing. She has participated in numerous exhibitions and workshops in Finland and abroad. Kivivirta also makes unique ceramic decorative tiles and seats on commission. Her prominent brick wall mural 'Walls Talking Walls' is constructed to a block of flats in Arabianranta, Helsinki.
Fashion Designer of the Year 2010 Kia Koski
From the beginning of her career fashion designer Kia Koski has been specialised in sports and leisure wear. She has worked in the Finnish fashion industry since the early 1980's. Koski' s expertise can be seen in clothes designed for the Scandinavian climate with extreme weather conditions.
Textile Artist of the Year 2010 Aino Kajaniemi
Textile artist Aino Kajaniemi's tapestries have been exhibited in numerous Finnish and international exhibitions. They have been bought for private and public spaces as for example church textiles. The motifs closely reflect the moods, feelings and situations linked to people's lives.
Industrial Designer of the Year 2010 Arni Aromaa & Sauli Suomela
Industrial designers Arni Aromaa and Sauli Suomela are the founders of the nine-person Pentagon Design and act as the company's design directors. The company operates within the fields of product design, strategic design and concept design.