Teun Zwets wins Kazerne Design Award 2021

Teunland, an improvised series of furniture by Teun Zwets won the Kazerne Design Award 2021. The jury awarded him with eternal fame and 5.000 euro for his project that arose from his intense making urges. Zwets was one of 8 nominees for the stimulation prize, all recently graduated from Design Academy Eindhoven. This – and more – is on show during DDW at Kazerne.

Teunland

The cabinets, lights, clocks, chairs, candle holders, ash trays and vases in the serie Teunland were one by one made in less than a day by ADHDer Teun Zwets. He worked with materials already available to him – often the waste from others – to lose as little time as possible and to stay focused, without a daily dose of Ritalin. Zwets: “Creating works like therapy. These objects visualize my thoughts and feelings. Making makes me happy, and I want to make people happy with my creations.” With a focus on the practical instead of the conceptual and on usability instead of finish, he creates an authentic, personal world that questions our consumer society. He carefully chooses his materials. After all, the most sustainable designs are objects that last a long time.

Jury

The Kazerne Design Award is a yearly stimulation prize for designers that recently graduated from Design Academy Eindhoven. An initiative by Foundation Loyola, together with Home of Design Kazerne. The jury, consisting of Kiki van Eijk (Kiki en Joost), Annemoon Geurts (Kazerne), Anne Ligtenberg (Studio Anne Ligtenberg) and the board of Foundation Loyola, chose Zwets’s work after an extensive deliberation. Van Eijk: “Teun’s project is relevant now; now that the world becomes more and more digital, especially after the last 1,5 years. His project and presentation are about making and improvising. The current uncertain situation demands makers that are able to improvise. Within his project, there are plenty of ideas left to develop in the upcoming years.”