2002 Chrysler Design Awards

November 30, 2002 - The tenth annual Chrysler Design Awards were presented in New York on November 12. Of the six recipients, none of them is, well, a designer. That is, the awardees are:
- Daniel Patrick Moynihan, former bow-tie wearing politico
- Phyllis Lambert, who is an architect, but who is primarily the director and founder of the Canadian Centre for Architecture
- Mildred Friedman, former design curator at the Walker Art Center
- Steve Jobs, yes, that Steve Jobs
- Murray Moss, purveyor of Moss, a purveyor of household goods in SoHo
- Red Burns, chair of the Interactive Telecommunications Program at the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University.

And none of them are related to the auto industry. Chrysler Design Awards? And looking at the panel of judges, they included an architect, a few magazine people (from Metropolis, Wired and Newsweek), a sculptor, and even “the design and technology correspondent for ABC News,” a position I’m confident few are aware exists.

When I asked Trevor Creed, senior vice president, Product Design, DaimlerChrysler, fresh from the presentation at the Four Seasons and getting ready to roll over to Moss, what this had to do with the auto industry (it is called, I noted, the “Chrysler Design Awards,” and the last I checked, Chrysler designers design cars and trucks), he responded, “It has nothing to do with automobiles.” He added, “It looks at the design profession.” Architects. Graphic designers. Industrial designers. “It specifically recognizes the contribution of designers or champions of design” – which, incidentally, the awardees are this year, “champions” – “and specifically excludes automotive design.” He added, “If we gave awards to auto designers for 10 years, who would we have given the awards to?”

Creed admitted that originally, back in the early days of the awards, he was a member of the jury. “There was some feeling in the design community – quite unfounded – that we would decide who would win and who wouldn’t win.” So he decided that discretion was the better part of valor, and he removed himself from the panel some years ago.

Asked about those awardees whose work he admires, Creed – noting that he’d be leaving some off the list – answered: Stefan Sagmeister, graphic designer (awarded in ’01); David Kelley of IDEO (’00); Richard Saul Wurman, information designer (’96); Ted Muehling, jewelry designer (’00); and the aforementioned Murray Moss.

“We as a company value design,” Creed said. “It is our mantra. It is what will make us successful in the future.” When asked whether there is a characteristic of the awardees that he’s noted through the years, Creed responded, “They’re incredibly nice people.”

Gary S. Vasilash is Editor-in-chief, Automotive Design & Production: www.autofieldguide.com

Chrysler Design Awards: www.chryslerdesignawards.com

	2002 Chrysler Design Awards by Gary S. Vasilash
	CEO of Apple Computer and CEO of Pixar Pictures, Steve Jobs introduced the Macintosh, iMac and iPod Mies van der Rohe and Phyllis Lambert with a model for the Seagram Building, New York, NY		November 30, 2002 - The tenth annual Chrysler Design Awards were presented in New York on November 12. Of the six recipients, none of them is, well, a designer. That is, the awardees are: - Daniel Patrick Moynihan, former bow-tie wearing politico - Phyllis Lambert, who is an architect, but who is primarily the director and founder of the Canadian Centre for Architecture - Mildred Friedman, former design curator at the Walker Art Center - Steve Jobs, yes, that Steve Jobs - Murray Moss, purveyor of Moss, a purveyor of household goods in SoHo - Red Burns, chair of the Interactive Telecommunications Program at the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. And none of them are related to the auto industry. Chrysler Design Awards? And looking at the panel of judges, they included an architect, a few magazine people (from Metropolis, Wired and Newsweek), a sculptor, and even “the design and technology correspondent for ABC News,” a position I’m confident few are aware exists. When I asked Trevor Creed, senior vice president, Product Design, DaimlerChrysler, fresh from the presentation at the Four Seasons and getting ready to roll over to Moss, what this had to do with the auto industry (it is called, I noted, the “Chrysler Design Awards,” and the last I checked, Chrysler designers design cars and trucks), he responded, “It has nothing to do with automobiles.” He added, “It looks at the design profession.” Architects. Graphic designers. Industrial designers. “It specifically recognizes the contribution of designers or champions of design” – which, incidentally, the awardees are this year, “champions” – “and specifically excludes automotive design.” He added, “If we gave awards to auto designers for 10 years, who would we have given the awards to?” Creed admitted that originally, back in the early days of the awards, he was a member of the jury. “There was some feeling in the design community – quite unfounded – that we would decide who would win and who wouldn’t win.” So he decided that discretion was the better part of valor, and he removed himself from the panel some years ago. Asked about those awardees whose work he admires, Creed – noting that he’d be leaving some off the list – answered: Stefan Sagmeister, graphic designer (awarded in ’01); David Kelley of IDEO (’00); Richard Saul Wurman, information designer (’96); Ted Muehling, jewelry designer (’00); and the aforementioned Murray Moss. “We as a company value design,” Creed said. “It is our mantra. It is what will make us successful in the future.” When asked whether there is a characteristic of the awardees that he’s noted through the years, Creed responded, “They’re incredibly nice people.” Gary S. Vasilash is Editor-in-chief, Automotive Design & Production: www.autofieldguide.com Chrysler Design Awards: www.chryslerdesignawards.com