YFD X NG Nordic - Open call
APPLY NOW: YFD x NG Nordic – Circularity Design Competition
“How do you make a complex circular system visible, understandable and meaningful?”
Young Finnish Design and NG Nordic invite young and early-career designers to explore new ways of communicating the circular economy and its impact on society and the environment.
The competition brings together four designers to work on the challenge with Young Finnish Design and NG Nordic during the competition period. One designer will be selected from each participating Nordic country: Finland, Norway, Sweden and Denmark.
WHO CAN APPLY
The competition is open to:
early-career designers, regardless of age
current design students
recent design graduates who graduated within the past five years
exchange students who have studied design in Finland, Norway, Sweden or Denmark
Applicants must be studying or have studied design in one of the four participating countries: Finland, Norway, Sweden or Denmark.
Design disciplines:
Graphic Designer
UX/UI Designer
Service & Information Designer
Digital & Motion Designer
Spatial Designer
We are primarily looking for a designer with curiosity, visual thinking and a desire to solve complex systems creatively.
You could be a particularly good fit if you:
Enjoy making complex systems clear and captivating, with a focus on both visual communication and user experience
Are curious, open to new perspectives and eager to experiment with different design approaches and formats
Can develop a strong overarching concept and clearly articulate the thinking behind your design decisions
Have a particular interest in sustainability and circularity
WHY APPLY?
This competition offers a real opportunity to work with an established organization on an important and meaningful topic.
During the competition, selected designers will:
Receive support and guidance throughout the process
Participate in online sparring and mentoring meetings
Collaborate with professionals from NG Nordic and Young Finnish Design
gain experience working on a real-life design challengeDevelop and present a visual concept around circularity and the waste value chain
Prize for the winner: €1,000
Few designers at the beginning of their careers get this close to a genuine collaboration opportunity with an established organization and a real-world design challenge. Young Finnish Design and NG Nordic are working together to support young designers and explore how design can communicate the opportunities, complexity and importance of circular systems in new ways.
ABOUT THE CHALLENGE
Circular economy is a complex system few people ever see: materials, waste, processes and multiple actors making decisions every day. And every decision shapes whether a material stays in use or is lost. NG Nordic wants to explore how a strong visual concept and creative design system can make the circular value chain more understandable, actionable and meaningful – for industry professionals, policy makers, and people who influence how resources are managed, regulated and valued.
The selected designers will explore how to communicate:
How the circular system works in practice. Follow the journey from waste to new material, energy or safe disposal.
What circulates, what is transformed, what must be removed. Show how NG Nordic creates value at each step.
Why reusing, recycling and recovering matter. Show the impact on the climate, for resource scarcity and for business
How to reveal complexity instead of hiding it. Make the system engaging and easier to navigate, not by simplifying it away, but by revealing a new perspective
The challenge is not to explain recycling to consumers. It is to help professionals see the system they are part of, and their own role in making it work.
LINK to NG Nordic brand video
The solution could take many forms, including:
Website or digital experience
Infographic or data visualization
Animation or motion concept
Interactive or social media concept
Physical, spatial or digital installation — or a combination
The format is not the most important thing. The idea is.
COMPETITION SCHEDULE
Application period: September 25 – October 26
Application deadline: October 26 at 11:59 PM
Selection of designers: After the application period
Competition period: November 4 – 30
Winner announcement: Mid-December
HOW TO APPLY
Send:
a short application explaining why you should be selected
your portfolio or a link to your portfolio, website or Instagram portfolio
Applications through application form APPLICATION FORM
Application deadline: October 26 at 11:59 PM.
Need more information?
Please contact :
Heidi Maria Huovinen,
Cofounder, Young Finnish Design Oy
heidi.huovinen@youngfinnishdesign.com
COMPETITION RULES
YFD competitions follow generally accepted practices and standards within the design industry. Designers are selected individually for each competition. Once selected, each designer enters into an agreement with YFD, with the terms and scope tailored to the specific competition and reviewed before the project begins.
MAKE THE INVISIBLE VISIBLE!
Apply now and once selected you can show your perspective to the NG Nordic design challenge.
APPLY BEFORE 26.10
ADVANCE YOUR CAREER WITH YFD!
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