30 October 2024
METSTRADE has announced the selection of 58 products from 28 countries for the final evaluation rounds in the 33rd DAME Design Awards, with winners to be declared on 19 November 2024, the event’s opening day.
The annual DAME Design Awards highlight the importance of comprehensive design in marine equipment, promoting efficiency, product reliability and sustainability
Following comprehensive online evaluations, the DAME Design Award’s nine-strong international jury, consisting of design and user specialists, met in RAI Amsterdam to conduct hands-on assessments. For the first time, the panel included a sustainability consultant and a master’s-level design student, broadening the range of the jury’s expertise.
After two days of examination, 58 products were chosen for nomination from an initial pool of 114 entries. These products will compete across eight DAME categories, with one selected as the overall DAME Design Awards winner.
Additionally, the jury has confirmed the continuation of the discretionary Environmental Design Award, marking the third consecutive year of this recognition.
The awards will be presented at METSTRADE’s Breakfast Briefing at the RAI Amsterdam Convention Centre on 19 November, preceded by a keynote speech from Terry Hutchinson, the NYYC American Magic team’s skipper and president of operations for the America’s Cup.
Entry fees from this year’s DAME Design Awards will go to SailWise, a Dutch organisation that provides multi-day water sports activities and holidays for individuals with physical or sensory disabilities.
All nominated DAME products will be displayed in Hall 13 (Elicium) at the METSTRADE venue. The event will also feature a panel session in the METSTRADE Theatre with the 2024 DAME Design Awards winner. Further details, including the list of nominees and winners, will be published in the jury report on the DAME Design Awards website.
Andre Hoek, chair of the DAME jury, says: “It was very encouraging to see such a strong field of entries spanning the whole of the leisure marine sector, with products for people and the smallest boats right up to high-end superyacht equipment.
“You can see accelerating trends among the entries, such as the move towards electrification. There were welcome examples, too of how sustainable design and the evolution of alternative materials are gaining traction.
“Despite these obvious priorities, the jury was pleased to see many products where designers have also iteratively improved the user experience and taken advantage of [the] latest technologies to meet emerging market demands.
“Smart design unlocks the door to a fully sustainable approach, not just for improvement in areas like manufacturing and recyclability, but also longevity, usability and serviceability.
“Our congratulations to all companies who participated this year – we never take your efforts for granted.”
Hoek also acknowledged the work of the jury members, noting the addition of new expertise: electronics expert Ben Stein, replacing retired member Ben Ellison; yacht designer Klaus Roeder, who returned on behalf of ICOMIA’s technical manager Patrick Hemp; sustainability consultant Amy Munro; and second-year TU Delft master’s student Olaf Bouwens, who brought fresh perspectives to the assessments.
“We hope to announce further details over the next year about how we will build on this new programme to ensure we have younger generational perspectives balancing the older heads in our team,” he adds.
“From my own experience on the water, I know that well-designed marine equipment is essential for the enjoyment and safety of all participants,” says METSTRADE director Niels Klarenbeek. “For 33 years, the DAME Design Awards have encouraged and inspired METSTRADE exhibitors and visitors to push the boundaries of exceptional design across all disciplines.
“Looking back, we can see just how much progress has been made. This year is no exception, with our DAME Jury reporting a range of excellently designed products that utilise both existing and emerging technologies to address key industry priorities such as sustainability and accessibility.
“We look forward to showcasing this impressive group of nominees within the DAME Design Awards showcase in November and celebrating the winners at the METSTRADE Breakfast Briefing on 19 November.”
The full list of this year’s nominated products is available at the Dame Design Awards website.
This year’s DAME jury includes nine members:
The jury is supported by non-voting secretary Kim Hollamby of Hollamby Partnership, UK.
Nominated products will be evaluated in the following categories:
From the category winners, an overall DAME Design Awards winner will be selected. The jury will additionally name a product from among the fields of DAME nominations as an Environmental Design Award winner if it finds an exemplary product that is well-designed and demonstrates clear and obvious merit in terms of environmental impact.