Lexus looks to design for solutions for harmonious living

Toyota Corp.’s Lexus is asking young creatives to help it build a better world by exploring the concept of coexistence.

The automaker has opened entries for the 2018 edition of its Lexus Design Award, a competition that gives four up-and-coming artists opportunities for mentorship and grants of more than $25,000 to bring their ideas to life. Through this competition, Lexus is able to expand its influence in design beyond the automotive space, giving help to innovators who are going to make up the next generation of talents in a variety of fields.

Collaborative change
Lexus’ theme for this year’s competition is “CO-,” the prefix that means existing together in harmony, as the auto brand looks for ways that man and the environment can find a sense of cohesion. The call for submissions opened on July 24, and Lexus will be accepting applications through Oct. 8.

Established in 2013, Lexus’ program typically receives thousands of applicants. From this pool, 12 finalists are chosen to showcase their ideas at Milan Design Week in 2018.

From this group of 12, four will be granted a mentorship with designers and 3 million yen, or more than $25,000, to create a prototype.

Lexus' call for entries for the 2018 Lexus Design Award

The judges for this year’s competition will be announced in August, and the 12 finalists will be made public early next year. Produced in cooperation with designboom, the competition will also name one Grand Prix winner during Milan Design Week from among the prototype recipients.

In 2016, Lexus invited attendees of Milan Design Week to experience a world filled with anticipation.

During the week-long fair the automaker presented its “Lexus -- An Encounter with Anticipation,” an exhibit that paired Lexus with a design firm and a Michelin star-winning chef. Pairing different verticals together within one project draws industry parallels and gives consumers a broader interpretation to experience (see story).