HOLD THE PLACE 16th International Design Contest Trieste Contemporanea
The International Design Contest Trieste Contemporanea aims at showcasing the most original contemporary design projects proposed from Central and Eastern European countries on the theme of its current edition. The competition is a biennial event established in 1995 by the Italian aestetics and design scholar Gillo Dorfles.
art. 2 – THEME
The 16th edition of the Competition is structured around two themes, each inviting designers to explore different aspects of the relationship between object, memory, and place.
GENERAL THEME
Participants are invited to propose an original concept for a small functional object that preserves a personal experience of Friuli Venezia Giulia, either lived or imagined, through the designer’s perspective. This is not about describing this territory of North-Eastern Italy in a literal way, but about capturing its character in the form of a device for use: an object that, through its use, evokes the cultural, historical, social, or landscape context that inspired it.
Functionality, formal clarity, and conceptual strength must converge in a coherent and conscious proposal—an object in which use becomes a vehicle for storytelling and in which material houses identity (an encouraged option). The project must be accompanied by a short text that effectively conveys the essence of the object. Sustainability and practical feasibility are not secondary requirements, but expressions of design maturity and responsibility toward the context.
SPECIAL THEME
Fifty years after the Friuli earthquake, a Special Prize is dedicated to Venzone, a town that symbolises reconstruction after 1976. Through a functional object, connected to this place in accordance with the competition’s General Theme principles, participants are asked to interpret the specific themes of resilience and community, transforming them into a project of continuity and renewal.
Short Description
HOLD THE PLACE is the 16th edition of the International Design Contest promoted by Trieste Contemporanea under the patronage of ADI – Association for Industrial Design and the Central European Initiative. Supported by the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region and organised in collaboration with the ADI Friuli Venezia Giulia Territorial Delegation, the competition is open to designers of all ages born in CEI member states and Austria.
Deadline JULY 5, 2026, at 11:59 pm, CET
The competition awards include the Gillo Dorfles Prize (€4,000) for the best overall project, the CEI Prize (€3,000) for the best design from a non-EU CEI country, the Venzone Special Prize (€2,000) dedicated to the 2026 special theme, and the BEBA Prize (€1,000) for the youngest selected participant.
Organizer
Trieste Contemporanea Committee
Link to Competition
Link to Registration form
Prizes
– BEBA PRIZE – for the youngest designer individually participating, among those selected: 1.000 €.
– CEI PRIZE – for the best design from one of the non-EU CEI countries: 3.000 €.
– GILLO DORFLES PRIZE – for the best overall design of 2026 competition: 4.000 €.
– VENZONE SPECIAL PRIZE – for the project that best represents the special theme 2026: 2.000 €.
Type of Competition
Open to the public/Minimum requirements (Open to anyone that complies with the requirements), Single stage (Winners selected immediately)
Who can Participate
The competition is open to designers of any age, but participation is limited to individuals born in CEI member states and Austria.
Dates and Time Frame
Registration Closes July 5, 2026
Deadline to Submit Project July 5, 2026
Winners announcement Date July 31, 2026
Languages
English, French
Location of Competition
Trieste – ITALY
Additional Information
