Cooper Hewitt National High School Design Competition

Ages:High School

Types:Submission, Presentation

Categories:Business, Design, Entrepreneurship

Scope:National

Contact


DesignCompetition@si.edu

Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum launched the National High School Design Competition in collaboration with Target in 2016. In the inaugural year, high school students around the country were challenged to design an outdoor chair for Cooper Hewitt’s garden that is functional, comfortable, and unexpected—and inspired by an object from the museum’s world-renowned collection. Most recently in 2021, students were asked what they would design to create a healthier world.

The 2022 National High School Design Competition challenges high school students around the country to join in envisioning the future we want to live in and designing for a more peaceful and just world. Be ambitious, innovative, and bold! This can be personal, in your community, around the country, or across the globe. Create a sketch of your idea and describe how your design addresses the challenge.

1. CREATE YOUR DESIGN

What would you design for a more peaceful and just world? Learn more about the 2022 Design Challenge and use these resources to help ignite your creative thinking. You can enter as an individual or as a team of up to three people. Only one team member needs to submit your entry on behalf of the team.  

2. DESCRIBE YOUR DESIGN

Tell us more about your idea! Remember to use these resources as you work through the challenge. The online entry form will include a box where you can copy and paste your responses.  

3. SUBMIT YOUR DESIGN

The online entry period will be open from January 4 to February 28, 2022 at 11:59 p.m. (Eastern Time). Late entries will not be accepted. On the submissions site, you will create an account and be able to work on your entry before submitting.

Entries will be evaluated for overall design excellence according to the following criteria:
  • Innovation: How creative and original is the design?
  • Impact: Large or small, what is the impact of the design?
  • Relevance: How does the design create a more peaceful and just world for the intended user(s)?
  • Communication: How clear is the design idea from the sketch and question responses?
Additional criteria for the judging will be shared with finalists in the Stage Two Brief document and will include clarity of final presentation and materials, along with sportsmanship.
Cooper Hewitt High School Design Award

Individual Award.

Winner (1):

  • The winner will be invited to participate in a virtual program with the opportunity to meet with designers and/or other experts around the winner’s interests in design.
  • The winner will receive a complimentary Family Membership to Cooper Hewitt.
Finalists:
  • Mentor Call: In April 2022, finalists will receive initial feedback from an assigned mentor during an hour-long virtual Zoom meeting or phone call. (Zoom’s privacy policy is available here: https://zoom.us/educationalprivacy)
  • Mentor Weekend: On May 14–15, 2022, finalists will participate in a virtual Mentor Weekend on Zoom to dive into the design process, learn more about how designers use design to solve everyday challenges, further discuss their design ideas, and prepare for the final presentations to the judges.
  • Judging Weekend: On June 11–12, 2022, finalists will participate in a virtual Judging Weekend on Zoom to learn more about design and present their designs live to a diverse panel of creative experts.
  • Finalists’ designs will be featured in a special online exhibition celebrating the creativity of promising young designers on the Cooper Hewitt website.
Honorable Mentions:
  • The designs of all finalists and honorable mentions will be displayed on the Cooper Hewitt website to celebrate the creativity of promising young designers.
Finalist activities are required. Winner activities are optional. Review the competition rules and conditions for complete information.

Website: https://www.cooperhewitt.org/education/design-competition-about/

Managing Organization: Cooper Hewitt

Contact:

DesignCompetition@si.edu

Eligibility:
The design competition is open to all teens ages 13 through 19 who are high school students in grades 9 through 12, or who are homeschooled students working toward a high school degree anywhere in the United States. You can enter as an individual or as a team of up to three people.

Overview

Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum launched the National High School Design Competition in collaboration with Target in 2016. In the inaugural year, high school students around the country were challenged to design an outdoor chair for Cooper Hewitt’s garden that is functional, comfortable, and unexpected—and inspired by an object from the museum’s world-renowned collection. Most recently in 2021, students were asked what they would design to create a healthier world.

Process

The 2022 National High School Design Competition challenges high school students around the country to join in envisioning the future we want to live in and designing for a more peaceful and just world. Be ambitious, innovative, and bold! This can be personal, in your community, around the country, or across the globe. Create a sketch of your idea and describe how your design addresses the challenge.

1. CREATE YOUR DESIGN

What would you design for a more peaceful and just world? Learn more about the 2022 Design Challenge and use these resources to help ignite your creative thinking. You can enter as an individual or as a team of up to three people. Only one team member needs to submit your entry on behalf of the team.  

2. DESCRIBE YOUR DESIGN

Tell us more about your idea! Remember to use these resources as you work through the challenge. The online entry form will include a box where you can copy and paste your responses.  

3. SUBMIT YOUR DESIGN

The online entry period will be open from January 4 to February 28, 2022 at 11:59 p.m. (Eastern Time). Late entries will not be accepted. On the submissions site, you will create an account and be able to work on your entry before submitting.

Criteria

Entries will be evaluated for overall design excellence according to the following criteria:
  • Innovation: How creative and original is the design?
  • Impact: Large or small, what is the impact of the design?
  • Relevance: How does the design create a more peaceful and just world for the intended user(s)?
  • Communication: How clear is the design idea from the sketch and question responses?
Additional criteria for the judging will be shared with finalists in the Stage Two Brief document and will include clarity of final presentation and materials, along with sportsmanship.

Awards

Cooper Hewitt High School Design Award

Individual Award.

Winner (1):

  • The winner will be invited to participate in a virtual program with the opportunity to meet with designers and/or other experts around the winner’s interests in design.
  • The winner will receive a complimentary Family Membership to Cooper Hewitt.
Finalists:
  • Mentor Call: In April 2022, finalists will receive initial feedback from an assigned mentor during an hour-long virtual Zoom meeting or phone call. (Zoom’s privacy policy is available here: https://zoom.us/educationalprivacy)
  • Mentor Weekend: On May 14–15, 2022, finalists will participate in a virtual Mentor Weekend on Zoom to dive into the design process, learn more about how designers use design to solve everyday challenges, further discuss their design ideas, and prepare for the final presentations to the judges.
  • Judging Weekend: On June 11–12, 2022, finalists will participate in a virtual Judging Weekend on Zoom to learn more about design and present their designs live to a diverse panel of creative experts.
  • Finalists’ designs will be featured in a special online exhibition celebrating the creativity of promising young designers on the Cooper Hewitt website.
Honorable Mentions:
  • The designs of all finalists and honorable mentions will be displayed on the Cooper Hewitt website to celebrate the creativity of promising young designers.
Finalist activities are required. Winner activities are optional. Review the competition rules and conditions for complete information.

Participate

Website: https://www.cooperhewitt.org/education/design-competition-about/

Managing Organization: Cooper Hewitt

Contact:

DesignCompetition@si.edu

Eligibility:
The design competition is open to all teens ages 13 through 19 who are high school students in grades 9 through 12, or who are homeschooled students working toward a high school degree anywhere in the United States. You can enter as an individual or as a team of up to three people.