Seven Finnish artists to Millennium Technology Prize trophy design competition

Press release 30/2004
3 February, 2004


A competition for the design of the Millennium Technology Prize trophy has been opened.

The trophy will be awarded to the winners of the Millennium Technology Prize, the world’s biggest technology award. The first biannual award ceremony takes place in Helsinki on 15 June 2004.

The plan is to locate a piece of art, based on the idea of the trophy, on a popular site in the metropolitan area of Helsinki, Espoo and Vantaa.

The competition is arranged between seven accomplished Finnish artists, selected by the Finnish Technology Award Foundation in cooperation with the University of Art and Design Helsinki.

Sculptor Helena Hietanen is known for renewing the visual language of sculptury by combining new and old methods. Harri Koskinen has a reputation as a master of many materials and as one of the internationally most interesting Finnish designers.

The director of Nokia’s design department, designer Eero Miettinen is an expert in combining design with technology. Designer Antti Salminen is known as a virtuoso of steel materials. His objective is to find and use new design and manufacturing methods.

Designer Markku Salo is a bold and experimental glass designer, whose production pieces are characterized by disciplined appropriateness, modest beauty, and functionality designed on production's terms. Industrial designer Olli Tamminen's portfolio includes jewellery made of natural materials, unique furniture, lamps and sculptures. A creative designer of Pan Design, Ari Tenhunen designed the Millennium Technology Prize logo.

The designer of the trophy will be announced on 29 March.

The jury of the competition is chaired by Dr.Tech.h.c Jaakko Ihamuotila, Chairman of the Finnish Technology Award Foundation. Other jury members are Professor Emeritus Johan Gullichsen, Vice Chairman of the Finnish Technology Award Foundation; Dr. Pekka Korpinen Deputy Mayor for City Planning and Real Estate of the City of Helsinki; Professor Yrjö Sotamaa, rector of the University of Art and Design Helsinki; and an artist. The artist will be nominated by the competitors.

78 innovators from four continents have been nominated for The Millennium Technology Prize 2004. The winner(s) will be announced at 9am on 15 April at the Dipoli Congress Centre in Espoo, Finland. The prize will be awarded at a ceremony in Finlandia Hall on 15 June.

Further information: Ossi Kokkonen, Representative, Finnish Technology Award Foundation, mobile 050 644 16, and Tytti Nahi, Communications Officer, Finnish Technology Award Foundation, mobile 041 577 6845

Technology prize calls for a people-centred development discussion