The third edition of the Muuto Design Contest is now open for submissions, inviting designers to rethink outdoor accessories and smaller furniture with a focus on blurring the boundaries between indoor and outdoor living. This year’s theme addresses how design can blur the boundaries between inside and outside—physically, emotionally and sensorially.
Designs that challenge traditional notions of outdoor spaces
Muuto, the Danish design brand, is seeking proposals that explore the transition between interior and exterior environments—physically, emotionally, and sensorially. The contest’s emphasis on this interplay encourages designers to consider how objects can shape perception. The brand’s focus on nature as a grounding element suggests that successful entries will respond to natural surroundings, light, materiality and tactility.
Submissions should target outdoor or transitional spaces like terraces, balconies, gardens, courtyards or semi-covered areas. These environments often serve as extensions of the home, and Muuto’s call for “fresh perspectives” implies that entrants should reconsider the role of outdoor objects in daily rituals.
According to Muuto, Scandinavian design prioritizes functional, well-crafted pieces with enduring aesthetics. “Good design should be inviting, intuitively attractive, and spark curiosity,” the brand states. This philosophy extends to the sensory qualities of an object, where the weight of a material or the way it reflects light can contribute to its appeal. The brand’s insistence on “honest expression” suggests that designs should avoid superficial ornamentation in favor of details that reveal their construction or purpose.
The contest also highlights the impact of design on the senses—how materials, shapes, colours and space affect emotions and well-being. Muuto seeks designs that feel intuitive, bringing calm, comfort, and balance while encouraging touch.
Related: Designing rooms for a healthier mind
Past winner and this year’s expectations
The winner of the 2024 contest, Seoul-based designer Kihyun Kim, earned recognition for A Piece of Seating (APS), a bent plywood stool available in multiple colors. The design’s modularity allows it to function as a standalone piece or be combined to create a shared seating arrangement, a feature that aligns with the Korean concept of Jeong—a sense of warmth and connection between people. As more units are introduced, the object’s physical and social functions shift.
“Being selected as the winner is a meaningful moment for me,” Kim said. “It’s both recognition and encouragement, especially as someone working across disciplines and teaching the next generation of designers.”
The contest’s first-place winner will receive €5,000 and the possibility of their design entering production. Two runners-up will each receive €2,500. Designers have until October 12, 2026, to submit their entries.
Muuto’s approach to design contests favors pieces that feel both timeless and adaptable. The challenge for this year’s entrants will be to create something that fits seamlessly into outdoor settings while still feeling distinct. The contest invites submissions from a global pool of talent, ensuring a diversity of perspectives.
