CALL: Commerce Design Kortrijk Award 2022

Goal of the contest

With Commerce Design Kortrijk we want to demonstrate that design-oriented or commercial adjustments to businesses not only have a positive influence on the business itself, but also on the entire neighbourhood and even on the city and region.

What is Commerce Design

"Commerce Design is an award programme that was developed in Montréal, one of the partner cities of the City of Kortrijk in the UNESCO network. Ten other cities worldwide have already done so, and now it is Kortrijk's turn for the second time.

The competition is aimed at traders who in recent years have invested in the architecture and commercial design of their businesses, thus making the city and its suburbs more lively, unique and attractive for both residents and visitors.

We want to reward these efforts and put the spotlight on our great-Cortrijk creative and innovative businesses and designers.

Grand Jury Prize

In September, an international jury of architects, interior designers, urban design and retail experts visits the selected participants and decides which one will win the Jury Grand Prize. Several candidates can make a chance on the award.

Public's Choice Award

As a selected candidate, you will also be part of the Commerce Design competition route in October, a public city route along the nominated businesses. You become the "Commerce Design ambassador" of your business and receive promotional and communication material to convince the general public and to compete for the unique Public's Choice Award.

Both the Grand Jury Prize and the Public's Choice Award will be presented at the festive Commerce Design Kortrijk Award ceremony on Tuesday 25 October 2022 at the creative city festival WONDER in the Budafabriek.

PARTICIPATE? OF COURSE.

During the process, we put a lot of effort into promotion and communication. This is done, for example, through press events, articles in the Kortrijk City Magazine, display stickers that are given to the nominees, social media, the creation of a brochure and poster that are distributed in large numbers, a trophy, etc.

In this way, we give you as a business owner, your business and the designers the necessary extra visibility.

So...

• Do you have a shop, catering business, travel agency, laundry,... or are you a service provider?
• Do you also believe in the power of design and innovation for the attractiveness and liveliness of your neighbourhood or city?
• Have you yourself invested in the past few years in the (interior) architecture or commercial design of your business?
• Or do you know someone who has done so?
• Large or small project/budget? Very innovative or rather modest intervention?

Then register now for Commerce Design Kortrijk. Or share the news with others.

PRACTICAL:

You can take part by filling in the online form before Monday 22 August: it can be found here.

It asks for the following:

• A presentation of the project (max. 500 characters)
• Add a short description and explanation of the assignment from the trader/retailer to the architect and/or designer (prescription/instructions)
• 5 to 10 (before and after) photos + titles + copyrights (even if the project is not yet completely finished)
• A plan of the location with images from the preliminary design + titles + copyrights (models, drawings, 3D, Moodboard, the project team...)
• Is something unclear or are you experiencing problems? The team of Designregio Kortrijk is ready to help you with your registration.

Feel free to contact sebastien@designregio-kortrijk.be.

Commerce Design is part of the DESIGN IN project, a concrete result of the membership of the city and region of Kortrijk in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network. This project encourages cooperation between traders in city centres and professional designers. The project is implemented by Designregio Kortrijk and financed by the city of Kortrijk and the Interreg France-Wallonie-Vlaanderen programme.

Photos by Fort07 and Jonas Verbeke.