Rado Awards Design Prize

Designer Kimberly Markel took home a Rado HyperChrome Dual Timer and $5,000 in prize money after winning the Rado Star Prize U.S., the first U.S. version of the international design competition. Her entry, a design-driven dining chair handcrafted from reclaimed plastic, which is part of her Glow collection, won over the jury of design industry experts with its stylish, environmentally-conscious design concept. Markel was presented with her prize last week during the launch of NYCxDESIGN at WantedDesign in Industry City in Brooklyn. An additional public prize winner, selected from among the finalists by online voting, will receive a Rado watch.

Rado Hyperchrome Dual Timer

Markel’s Glow collection uses discarded plastics to make new chairs, tables and vases with a resulting aesthetic that is soft, colorful, translucent, and imperfect. The pieces are functional, durable, and primarily made of materials that have reached the end of their usable lives. According to Markel, the collection was inspired by the need to create, but the desire to do it in a responsible way.

Kim Markel, Rado Star Prize US Winner’s Glow Chair

The Rado Star Prize is a competition that aims to support young designers and gives them a platform to present their work. Instead of focusing on just one field of design, the prize is meant to attract projects and ideas from numerous design disciplines in order to create projects that can benefit the lives of individuals or communities.