Jaime Hayón, Expormim, and Cosentino Receive the 2021 National Design and Innovation Awards

On March 21, the 2021 National Design and Innovation Award ceremony was held at Valencia’s Palacio de Congresos, presided over by  the King and Queen of Spain. These awards, which celebrate their 29th anniversary this year, are granted by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation in recognition of the careers of individuals and organizations that have made innovation an essential part of their professional strategy and business growth, and those who have made a significant contribution to the prestige of Spanish design.

This year’s event is part of the program of institutional events that celebrate the designation of the city of Valencia as World Design Capital 2022, and among the award winners we find one of the great ambassadors representing Spanish design around the world, Jaime Hayón, as well as two companies, Expormim and Cosentino.  
 
The National Design Award in the Professional category went to artist and designer Jaime Hayón.  He spoke about his own particular vision of the discipline in a video: “Design is a discipline that aims to leverage creativity to provide tools to make a better world. It brings us joy, narratives, emotions—and that’s something that people perceive more and more clearly every day.”

For her part, Mercedes Laso, managing director of Expormim, a company that makes designer furniture and places a high value on craftsmanship, collected the National Design Award and pointed out that “We have gone from being a traditional family business to an avant-garde one. We’re a clear example of evolution in design. We export 70% of our production, and our furniture is found on all the five continents.”

The National Innovation Award in the "Large Company" category went to Francisco Martínez-Cosentino, president of the Cosentino Group, a Spanish multinational and world leader in the production and distribution of innovative, high-value surfaces for the world of design and architecture. For its president, “Consentino has a presence on the world’s main markets, and innovation makes it different, being the first, knowing what people want, and what the market is waiting for”.  

In the design field, Danny Saltaren and Ramón Úbeda also received awards. Danny Saltaren was the winner in the “Young Designers” category, and architect, designer, and writer Ramón Úbeda received a “Special Mention for Design.” Doctor Eduardo Anitua was also recognized for his “Innovative Career,” and biotechnology company CerTest Biotec won the “National Innovation Award” in the Small and Medium Enterprise category.