The competition is organized by the School of Design and Pronto Maderas. has also has by the Uruguayan Chamber of Design (CDU), the Uruguayan Association of Professional Interior Designers (Addip), UTU, the Uruguayan Chamber of Industries (CIU), and the Uruguay Construction Fair.
Designer Networking
The event began with a networking session, during which contest participants and organizers gathered to get to know one another, exchange ideas, and build connections.
At the same time, it served as a valuable opportunity for dialogue among high school students, college students, professionals, and representatives from various industries and companies—the different categories of participants in the competition.
The event was attended by officials and leading figures from the fields of design and industry.
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Among the officials from the School of Design in attendance were Oscar Aguirre, dean of Design; Daniel Domínguez, M.A., academic secretary of the same school; and Pablo Pirotto, B.A., assistant coordinator of the Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Design.
On behalf of Pronto MaderasPablo Soca, commercial director, and Daiana Pandolfo, commercial executive and industrial designer at the company and a graduate of ORT’s Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Design, participated.
Also in attendance on behalf of Addip were its president,Leslie Novick, and Ana Olivet, a member of the Innovation and Design Department within the Technical Directorate of Academic Management at UTU.
Contest Overview
Pablo Pirotto opened the event, addressing the attendees with an inspiring message:
“Design shapes people’s futures. We are visionaries who see opportunities where others see problems.”
With these words, she kicked off an engaging icebreaker activity designed to break the ice and stimulate creativity: a deep breath accompanied by a vocal release exercise, as a symbol of openness, letting go of inhibitions, and collective connection.
The day began with a surreal image—a giant encountering a woman and a small dog—projected as a visual cue.
As designers, we sometimes face major challenges, but when we learn to overcome them, we come up with great solutions.
At the same time, the coordinator highlighted the role of design as a bridge between different worlds, capable of connecting materials, ideas, and people who would otherwise never meet.
The competition has its roots in a previous initiative: a collaboration between Pronto Maderas and Universidad ORT Uruguay, which organized an internal competition in 2024 for students in the Industrial Design program.
The prototypes created at that time impressed everyone with their quality and ingenuity, which paved the way for the call for entries to be opened up to the entire country.
This new chapter in Uruguayan design brings together a diverse range of professionals: industrial designers, interior designers, fashion designers, architects,engineers, carpenters, and entrepreneurs.
With the support of numerous institutional and private partners, the competition promises to be a platform for visibility, collaboration, and growth. As was aptly put during the opening ceremony:
“If we want to be great, we have to think big. And if we want to promote design, we have to invite everyone to get involved.”
A multidisciplinary jury and a commitment to collaboration
During the opening ceremony, the competition jury was introduced; it was composed of professionals from various fields of design and representatives from key institutions in the country’s creative and industrial ecosystem.
Pirotto began by introducing Pedro Laprovitera, director of Dominar Estudio and an industrial designer who graduated from Universidad ORT Uruguay; he was the first to speak:
Twenty years ago, I began my career as an industrial designer, and today it is an honor to be here as a jury member representing the School of Design. I am eager to see a showcase of Uruguayan design.
Pablo Soca, who was also introduced as a member of the jury, shared his enthusiasm about being part of the competition and promoting a platform that celebrates talent and innovation.
This isn't a competition; it's an opportunity to showcase what we're capable of as the Uruguayan furniture industry.
The jury also includes Carlos Nicola, an industrial designer and design consultant at CDU, and Leslie Novick, an interior designer and president of Addip, who emphasized the importance of supporting these initiatives:
At Addip, we are thrilled to be a part of this. It is essential that Uruguayan design be celebrated and that events like this continue to grow year after year.
Jury member Ana Olivetparticularly praised the inclusion of a pre-college category in the competition.
Speaking on behalf of the institution, he praised the opportunity to highlight the work of teaching staff and design students in technical secondary schools across the country:
It is a source of pride that there is a category for high school students in a national competition.
The diversity of professional backgrounds represented on this jury reflects not only the richness of design in Uruguay, but also a shared vision: to create spaces for genuine collaboration that foster collective creativity.
Ideation Workshop
After the contest challenges were presented, the ideation workshop began—a key step for participants to start generating their initial ideas.
To lead this initial phase, the project was entrusted to Maximiliano Izzi, an industrial designer with a master’s degree in furniture design, director of Izzi Design, and professor at the School of Design.
Joining him was Pablo D'Angelo, an industrial designer with a master's degree in transportation design, a professor at ORT, and a design consultant at Car and Design Uruguay.
The workshop’s objective was clear: to design furniture that promotes social interaction in a variety of settings.
It was emphasized that proposals must incorporate criteria related to:
- Functionality
- Local identity
- Production feasibility
In addition, participants were encouraged to incorporate elements such as foldable, stackable, disassemblable, or ready-to-assemble structures that demonstrate adaptability, efficient use of materials, and clear construction.
In turn, the suggested areas of application were the home, coworking/work, and educational/institutional settings.
However, this also opened up the possibility of exploring other settings, such as healthcare, therapy, or wellness facilities, provided that the focus remains on interaction through furniture.
The deadline for high school and college students to register is August 26, while professionals and industry and business leaders have until July 14.
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