GANDIABLASCO has extended the deadline for its 16th International Outdoor Furniture Design Contest to June 30.
This year, the company invites young talents to propose innovative designs for upholstered seats and poufs that, through their aesthetics, structure, materials, and fabrics, can be used seamlessly both indoors and outdoors.
In line with the success of Gandía Blasco Group collections such as the SAIL pouf by Héctor Serrano, MASS by Todd Bracher, and MANGAS by Patricia Urquiola, the contest seeks designs that propose unique seating solutions. These designs should balance technical and aesthetic qualities to function across environments, creating a sense of spatial continuity where boundaries blur.
This approach aligns with the ongoing trend toward transitional spaces, emphasising fluid environments without clear distinctions, and with an increasingly sophisticated link between indoors and outdoors, both conceptually and in terms of materials and aesthetics. It reflects the essence of Mediterranean culture and architecture, which GANDIABLASCO fully embraces.
The firm continues to explore innovative ways to connect indoor and outdoor spaces, encapsulating the idea that Outdoors is the new indoors.
CLUES TO WIN THE CHALLENGE
Apart from meeting this primary objective, designs will be positively evaluated for their ability to function independently or in groups to shape ambiences. Additional considerations include proposing new seating forms, having a soft character without rigid structures , being lightweight for easy portability between indoor and outdoor spaces, and creatively utilising the versatility of new outdoor fabrics.
Participants are even encouraged to propose their own fabric designs in terms of patterns and textures.
Designs may be casual or elegant, standalone pieces or part of a cohesive family, and may include complementary elements.
Whether rationalist, radical, artisan, disruptive, or expressive, all unprecedented and distinctive ideas are welcome. However, sustainability is essential—materials, fabrics, and fillings must be sustainable, recycled, or recyclable.
In this edition, the jury will be composed of Paola Ribera Hernández, creative director of the textile company Athenea; Belén Moneo Feduchi, architect at Moneo Brock; Isabel Margalejo, director of the magazine Arquitectura y Diseño, Luis Rodríguez, creative director of the editorial group Spainmedia; and José A. Gandía-Blasco Canales, president of Gandía Blasco Group.
The prizes:
1st Prize € 2,500
2nd Prize € 1,500
2 Honorable Mentions
SUBMISSION OF CANDIDATURES
Since 2006, the GANDIABLASCO International Outdoor Furniture Design Competition has been promoting the work of design students and early-career professionals from around the world. The competition is open to students and professionals aged 18–35. Participants can apply individually or in groups.
Proposals must be original creations that have not been submitted to other competitions or publicly revealed. Additionally, designs must be suitable for industrial reproduction.
The new deadline for submissions is June 30 2025, and the full competition rules can be accessed via this link.
About GANDIABLASCO
GANDIABLASCO is the outdoor furniture brand from the Gandia Blasco Group, a family owned business based in Valencia (Spain), founded in 1941 as a blankets manufacturer. In the mid-90s, José A. Gandía-Blasco Canales, the company’s current President and Creative Director, introduced design in all areas of the company, focusing his interest on the development of furniture and outdoor accessories with a distinct architectural character. The expression of a lifestyle inspired by his Mediterranean roots transcended to products. Since then, the creation of simple and elegant outdoor spaces has set the company’s direction. The quality of their designs and the use of luxury materials has made way for collaborations with architects and designers of international prestige. Currently, the GANDIABLASCO brand has reached more than 75 countries and is internationally recognised for the quality of its furniture and the creation of contemporary environments that reflect its passion for outdoor living.
About Gandia Blasco Group
Gandia Blasco Group is a Mediterranean family company known for its expertise in the design and edition of outdoor furniture and spaces - more than furniture, a lifestyle - and in the handcrafted creation of designer rugs. The group operates in a diversified way through its three brands: GANDIABLASCO, GAN, and DIABLA, each with its own distinctive personality. Founded in 1941 by José Gandía Blasco and originally dedicated to the manufacture of yarns and blankets, the company has stood out for a solid trajectory marked by constant reinvention and the promotion of design culture. Today, the company is presided over by José A. Gandía-Blasco Canales, a member of the second generation of the family, followed by his children Álvaro Gandía-Blasco, Vice President and Commercial Director, and Alejandra Gandía-Blasco, the group’s Creative and Communications Director. With its historical headquarters in Ontinyent (Valencia, Spain) and a presence in more than 75 countries, its main flagship stores are located in New York’s Soho Design District and in the hearts of cities such as Madrid, Barcelona, and Lisbon. The company continues to expand and is constantly experimenting and innovating with renowned international designers and architects.
