Each year, iF International Forum Design GmbH organizes one of the world's most celebrated and valued design competitions: the iF DESIGN AWARD. Recognized as a symbol of design excellence around the world, the iF DESIGN AWARD welcomes over 5,000 submissions from 70 countries every year.
In 1953 a group of industry representatives led by Philip Rosenthal met with the Hannover Trade Fair company (Hannover Messe). Their aim was to draw attention to particularly well-designed industrial products. In doing so, they wanted to communicate the importance of design and all it can achieve: for users, for brands and for societies. A new image for German products began to take shape. Fitting then that the resulting association was first known as 'Die gute Industrieform e.V.’ (Good Industrial Form). The name Industrie Forum (or iF for short) came later.
This was the start of a symbol of design excellence that is recognized to this day – the iF logo.
As the original movement looked back to the Bauhaus and its concept of ‘good form’ – a combination of ethical and aesthetic qualities – so too the iF DESIGN AWARD has long become a symbol for excellent form, for aesthetic quality, and for user-focused, ergonomic and efficient design in all disciplines, by companies around the world.
