21st century garage & air-filtering car win 2021 polestar design contest

the winners of the 2021 polestar design contest have been revealed – and the ideas encompass more than just cars. the contest – the swedish electric performance car brand’s second annual global design challenge – invited both professional and student designers to showcase innovative thinking that encourages positive change in society, not simply for mobility. entries ranged from electric cars and bikes to aircrafts, driverless delivery vehicles and even architecture.

find the winning designs below, virtually via an in-car app in the polestar 2, on the polestar website, and in-person in selected polestar spaces around the world.

professional winner: david vultaggio, france, designs the ‘H_UB’

the 2021 polestar design contest was the second edition of the annual global design challenge. the theme of ‘progressive’ tasked international creatives – both professional and student – to demonstrate how design can be the driving force for positive change. specifically, entries did not need to be a car; they only had to embody the spirit of polestar.

‘designing for progress – where that might mean creating something that advances society in some way – was always going to be more of a challenge than most contests. I am amazed at how creative the responses were to the brief,’ comments juan-pablo bernal, senior design manager for polestar, curator of the @polestardesigncommunity instagram account and the founder of the contest.

the design houses a polestar-styled hydrogen seaplane, electric bicycle, and also the polestar precept

hundred of submissions from a mix of international entrants were narrowed down to a shortlist of 10. these initialy sketches were assess by maximilian missoni, polestar’s head of design, and a panel of the brand’s designers. unique to the contest, finalists were then invited to remote one-on-one coaching and guidance sessions from their team, aiding the development of the finalist’s ideas.

‘it was both inspirational and humbling to interact with so much emerging and experienced talent. we saw the designs evolve from creative sketches to 3D models, and show that the design world is a melting pot of exceptional individuals,’ says maximilian.

the mid-21st century garage combines a brand experience center and a waiting place when charging a vehicle

professional winner: david vultaggio, france

the winner of the professional category is david vultaggio from france with his ‘H_UB’ design. it encompasses a new garage concept for the mid-21st century, featuring a combination of a brand experience center and a place to be whilst charging a vehicle. the design houses much more than a car, though, as it fits a polestar-styled hydrogen seaplane, electric bicycle, and also the polestar precept announced in 2020. this idea recognizes the shift of automotive brands from solely designing and making vehicles to offering complete ecosystems of solutions.

student winner: mingwei liu, china

the student category has been won by mingwei liu from china with his ‘glad to be dirty’ design. the small, simple geometric car has been designed as an architectural interpretation on the brand’s minimal, pure design language – with one important, environmentally-friendly aesthetic feature. on-board, externally visible air filters tackle local pollution. the car’s core side panel displays the progressively dirty air filters, showing how much the vehicle has cleaned the environment as it drives along, and making the user feel proud to make a difference in the quality in the local area.

on-board, externally visible air filters tackle local pollution by cleaning the environment on the go

honorable mention: kristian talvitie, finland

there is also an honorable mention to kristian talvitie of finland for his ‘KOJA’ architectural idea. housed in a tree canopy, the building creates a rich, immersive experience in a natural environment. habitants gain easy, more environmentally-friendly access to wilderness that positively affects their well-being. a panoramic glazed façade maximizes views whilst minimizes ecological impact with a space-efficient, low resource-intensity design that reduces the need to travel.

the small, simple geometric car architecturally interprets the polestar’s minimal, pure design language

the winning designs in both the professional and student categories will be brought to life as 1:5 models, which will then be exhibited at polestar spaces around the world. laureates each receive a trophy and a trip to the polestar headquarters in sweden to experience both the brand and their cars up close. a new gift, comprising a computer and tablet, will be given to help the creatives continue to develop their skills.