Honestly, we wish we were this clever – but if YOU are, you don’t want to miss the Lexus Design Award, which has now expanded to Wellington!
Calling all clever, capital-based creatives – your moment in the sun is here because the prestigious Lexus Design Award (LDA) are heading to your neck of the woods for the first time.
Wellington’s Victoria University and Massey University have welcomed the programme, marking the first time LDA has expanded from its home at Auckland University of Technology and the University of Auckland.
It means plenty more students can compete for the highly coveted award – and trust me when I say the calibre of entries is mind-blowing and really makes you question what you were up to in your mid-20s and wonder what you could achieve if your focus was on something like this, rather than how many shots at Shadows you could afford with your student allowance that week (hypothetically speaking, ofc).
What is the Lexus Design Award? It’s a programme that celebrates emerging design talent by challenging students to respond to a brief to designing a prototype that will anticipate, innovate, and captivate through bold, sustainable solutions that respond to real-world challenges – essentially, design, develop and invent stuff that’ll make your life easier, better or more sustainable.
Along this cool expansion, four new Te Whanganui-a-Tara-based industry expert mentors have joined the programme, including Gosia Piatek, founder of New Zealand ethical fashion label Kowtow, and her business director Emma Wallace. Joining them are Megan Wyper and Patrick Kennedy, co-owners of Acme, known for their modern coffee cups that adhere to the design ethos of form and function (and personally, man I love these cups! So chic!) These mentors join long-time Lexus New Zealand ambassadors Simon James and Scott Bridgens of Resident, whose expertise in furniture and lighting design has guided the Awards since 2013.
Says Lexus Vice President Andrew Davis, “Design is at the core of Lexus. Our brand is built on craftsmanship and forward-thinking technology. Expanding the awards to Wellington, a city synonymous with creativity, is a natural next step in finding New Zealand’s future design leaders.”
It’s a valid point, really – with the innovative and out-of-the-box thinking you always see in Wellington, there’s sure to be some cracking entries from the capital that’ll give the Auckland cohort a run for their money in responding to the brief, updated last year to align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. (Sidenote – it reflects sponsor Lexus’ whole vibe, with more than 80% of new Lexus cars sold in Aotearoa now electrified.)
And, the new Wellington-based mentors bring unique local perspectives and expertise. Kowtow founder Gosia Piatek tells, “Every mentor brings a different perspective shaped by their own journey in design. At Kowtow, we use the
principles of circular and reductive design in every piece we create. We are excited to bring this lens to guide participants to create designs with impact and purpose.”
Acme co-owner Megan Wyper adds, “Being asked to mentor Lexus Design Award entrants is an honour. We’re excited the competition is expanding into Wellington, giving local talent a platform to showcase their skills and bold ideas.”
So how does it work? Over three months, students will respond to a brief and receive hands-on guidance from mentors to develop and prototype their concepts. Mentors will attend the sessions in-person and offer advice and guidance to students along
the way. One winner and runner-up from each university will be announced at two showcases held in both Auckland and Wellington this November. First place winners receive $3,000, runners-up $1,000, and all winners will have the opportunity to exhibit their design at Auckland Design Week 2026 which is, I’ll say, a bloody cool opportunity to showcase your work, vison and vibe.
So if you’re keen to know more, or know someone who fits the bill, here’s where you’ll find all the info!
(If someone can design something that helps me keep my dying pot plants alive, I would be tres grateful!?)