Kastamonu Entegre Sponsors the 16th National Furniture Design Contest
Supporting the Creative Potential of Young Generations
Ankara hosted the award ceremony for the 16th National Furniture Design Contest sponsored by Kastamonu Entegre, a global player in the wood-based panel industry. During the ceremony that presented awards across 28 categories, a special panel session “Today's Stories, Tomorrow's Materials: Designing, Transforming, and Sustaining” was held under the moderation of Dr. Hüseyin Güler, Kastamonu Entegre’s Global R&D and Innovation Director. The panel discussion brought together leading experts who discussed a wide range of topics from sustainable architecture and local building cultures to alternative and recycled materials as well as innovative solutions for disaster-affected regions.
Turkey’s leading and one of the world’s top four manufacturers in the wood-based panel industry, Kastamonu Entegre continues to advance its vision of supporting design and innovation through solid collaborations. With a focus on fostering innovative ideas, reinforcing design culture, and promoting sustainable solutions within the industry, the corporation was one of the sponsors of the 16th National Furniture Design Contest that encourages young talents and drives the future of the industry. Organized by the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM) and the Central Anatolian Furniture, Paper and Forest Products Exporters’ Association (OMKO) under the coordination of the Ministry of Trade, the contest award ceremony was held on Wednesday, September 24 at Ankara ATO Congresium, where awards nearing TRY 1 million were presented in 28 categories.
Support for young talents in design
Each year, the contest brings together a wide audience from academics to students, professionals to children and provides a platform for designers to meet manufacturers, promoting the development of innovative products capable of competing on a global scale. This year, primary, secondary, and high school students, undergraduates, and professional designers stood out with their creative projects. Led by the Honorary Jury Chair Prof. Önder Küçükerman, the jury selected the winners, with the Kastamonu Entegre Gold Award presented for the Kapıcı project in the “Home Furniture – Associate-Undergraduate” category, and for the Keremiskus project in the “Encouraging Primary, Secondary and High School Students Toward Creative Solutions” category. Another key highlight of the competition was that the award-winning designers became eligible to secure government aid for international education opportunities.
“Today's Stories, Tomorrow's Materials”
As part of the award ceremony, a special panel discussion “Today's Stories, Tomorrow's Materials: Designing, Transforming, and Sustaining” was held under the moderation of Dr. Hüseyin Güler, Kastamonu Entegre’s Global R&D and Innovation Director.
The panel discussion featured Zeynep Tümertekin (Co-founder of Studio Mada), Kerim Miskavi (Co-founder of MAS), Yasemin Köse (Founder of ROKA – Circular by Design), Cavid Bayramlı (Co-founder of Wastespresso), and Oğul Öztunç (Co-founder of Piknik Works) as speakers. The discussion explored the role and accessibility of design in everyday life, the evolution of materials, and their dynamic relationship with R&D. Participants shared thought-provoking insights on themes, such as permanence and change in design, the growing convergence between materials and products, and the designer’s balance between data, empathy, and aesthetic sensibility. The panel discussion stressed the importance of user awareness and innovation in sustainable design, underlining that recycling, upcycling, and circular material use are no longer luxuries but absolute necessities. Other key discussion points included the relationship between designer and user, whether design should be considered a consumer object, and the messages conveyed to the industry through the European Union’s eco-design principles. The session concluded with reflections on the role of industrial upcycling in the furniture industry and inspiring advice shared with young designers. By connecting emerging talents with real-world production processes and enabling experts from diverse disciplines to exchange ideas, the event provided valuable insights into the future of design.
