According to the illustrious physicist Stephen Hawking, “Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change”. After almost a decade of publishing an exhaustive Yearbook of graduates’ projects in paper form, this year we have opted for an online version, offering a wider variety of images and videos while at the same time making them accessible to a broader audience. All of this is accompanied by a complementary teaser-journal (we simply couldn’t help ourselves) and of course the traditional exhibition of the graduates’ works at ECAL. While nothing will ever replace discovering a work in its reality, art is increasingly benefiting from the advantages of the web, which has never been so aptly named.
Living in the spirit of the times and adapting to any situation by remaining constantly optimistic and taking a number of risks and initiatives on an organisational level as we were able to do, for example, by maintaining face-to-face graduation sessions at the end of the summer, unlike many other schools, has also enabled us to stay on course despite coronavirus-related ups and downs in recent months.
Incidentally, risk-taking and optimism are two notions that artists and designers often need throughout their careers. Experimentation, boldness, curiosity, the fact of trying, sometimes with the danger of failing, allow one to grow, progress and improve one’s practice even more. This is precisely what we call optimism. In a world, a society where challenges are becoming more and more complicated, we have to constantly tell ourselves that there is the hope of bringing them to the light.
While discovering the works on display this year, I am delighted to see that the students have perfectly appropriated these two values by often offering ambitious and daring projects. I have thus seen graduation works that are socially committed, others that meet technological challenges and even some which are totally original and innovative from an artistic/aesthetic point of view. The graduates have also shown optimism and resilience by never giving up, despite all the pitfalls along the long and winding road towards their degree.
Beyond this very special 2020, I sincerely hope that their time spent at ECAL will not only have enabled graduates to build a portfolio that lives up to their expectations, but also to position themselves and their approach as creative persons, to evolve as people, discover more about themselves and become what they have always aspired to be, while questioning the world around them and providing answers.
From now on, they will face new challenges, far from ECAL’s cocoon, even though we do our utmost to help them integrate into the professional world through EXECAL, the Talent Days (which we launched for the first time this year), the school’s exhibition and website, as mentioned above, and in many other ways. However, and this time I am speaking directly to you, new alumni, the future and the world are yours! Never forget to look at the glass as half full rather than half empty: a glass full of memories and knowledge accumulated over the years, which I hope will never quench your thirst for life and discovery.
“I was really impressed that many students worked on very relevant topics, engaging with contemporary political matters and touching upon difficult social issues. It shows courage and commitment and pushes the field of Graphic Design in an important direction.”
Isabel Seiffert
Graphic Designer, Zurich
BA Graphic Design
Jury Arts Visuels – Gilles Furtwängler, Emilie Ding, Elena Filipovic
Jury Arts Visuels – Gilles Furtwängler, Emilie Ding, Elena Filipovic
Jury Arts Visuels – Gilles Furtwängler, Emilie Ding, Elena Filipovic
Jury Arts Visuels – Gilles Furtwängler, Emilie Ding, Elena Filipovic
Jury Arts Visuels – Gilles Furtwängler, Emilie Ding, Elena Filipovic
Jury Arts Visuels – Gilles Furtwängler, Emilie Ding, Elena Filipovic
1/6
“It was quite inspiring to participate in the 2020 Master's Jury, to dialogue with these young people and their teaching staff, and to observe and question their eclectic and quality work.”
“I felt very fortunate to be a jury member for the MA Product Design at ECAL. I believe creating high-quality everyday objects is essential and that it very much relies on following strong ideas, while taking care of aesthetics and technical conditions, as a reaction to what is happening in our society. This is also something that can be seen in the students' work at ECAL.”
Mattias Stahlbom
Designer, Stockholm
MA Product Design
Jury Bachelor Photographie – Leonardo Angelucci, Patrick Frey, Danaé Panchaud
Jury Bachelor Photographie – Leonardo Angelucci, Patrick Frey, Danaé Panchaud
Jury Bachelor Photographie – Leonardo Angelucci, Patrick Frey, Danaé Panchaud
Jury Bachelor Photographie – Leonardo Angelucci, Patrick Frey, Danaé Panchaud
Jury Bachelor Photographie – Leonardo Angelucci, Patrick Frey, Danaé Panchaud
Jury Bachelor Photographie – Leonardo Angelucci, Patrick Frey, Danaé Panchaud
1/6
“In a high-end educational environment, MA Type Design strikes the perfect balance between academic research and practice. It's amazing how contemporary and accomplished the students' typefaces look!”
Valentin Brustaux
Type Designer, Ottikon
MA Type Design
“ECAL students have truly incredible energy. In general, the quality is really very high and I am pretty sure I have learned a lot from this experience with them. Thank you all for having me.”
Leonardo Angelucci
Graphic Designer, Zurich
BA Media & Interaction Design
“As well as being impressed with the quality of the work I was especially excited to discover that the graduates are seeking out, and demanding, a conversation and discourse about their work, type and graphic design in general.”
David Bennewith
Graphic Designer, Amsterdam
MA Type Design
Jury Bachelor Design Industriel – Victoria Wilmotte, Augustin Scott de Martinville, Marc Viardot
Jury Bachelor Design Industriel – Victoria Wilmotte, Augustin Scott de Martinville, Marc Viardot
Jury Bachelor Design Industriel – Victoria Wilmotte, Augustin Scott de Martinville, Marc Viardot
Jury Bachelor Design Industriel – Victoria Wilmotte, Augustin Scott de Martinville, Marc Viardot
Jury Bachelor Design Industriel – Victoria Wilmotte, Augustin Scott de Martinville, Marc Viardot
Jury Bachelor Design Industriel – Victoria Wilmotte, Augustin Scott de Martinville, Marc Viardot
1/6
“The times we are currently living in are particularly tumultuous, so it was reassuring to discover artists who, to differing degrees, were channelling their questioning of the world into sharp, critical and poetic responses.”
Elena Filipovic
Kunsthalle Basel Director
BA & MA Fine Arts
Jury Bachelor Media & Interaction Design Leonardo Angelucci, Camille Scherrer, Ted Davis
Jury Bachelor Media & Interaction Design Leonardo Angelucci, Camille Scherrer, Ted Davis
Jury Bachelor Media & Interaction Design Leonardo Angelucci, Camille Scherrer, Ted Davis
Jury Bachelor Media & Interaction Design Leonardo Angelucci, Camille Scherrer, Ted Davis
Jury Bachelor Media & Interaction Design Leonardo Angelucci, Camille Scherrer, Ted Davis
Jury Bachelor Media & Interaction Design Leonardo Angelucci, Camille Scherrer, Ted Davis
1/6
“I felt honoured to be part of the ECAL jury and felt it was an enriching experience to see the creative and sometimes uncon-ventional takes of the young filmmakers on various themes.”
Jacques Kieffer
Sound Engineer, Zurich
MA Cinema
“ECAL is not only a school but also a kind of community where both students and teachers are really driven. It has been a great pleasure to be part of the Master's degree jury this strange year, which has increased the sensitivity of this young generation to social aspects of life.”
Maddalena Casadei
Designer, Milan
MA Product Design
E - explicit
C - characterised
A - advanced
L - learning
Alfredo Haberli
Designer, Zurich
MAS in Design for Luxury & Craftsmanship
“I was taken by the ethical mindset, dedication and awareness of social responsibility for the benefit of our shared future of this year's MA students in Product Design at ECAL.”
Ville Kokkonen
Designer, Murg
MA Product Design
Jury Master Arts Visuels – Gilles Furtwängler, Emilie Ding, Elena Filipovic
Jury Master Arts Visuels – Gilles Furtwängler, Emilie Ding, Elena Filipovic
Jury Master Arts Visuels – Gilles Furtwängler, Emilie Ding, Elena Filipovic
Jury Master Arts Visuels – Gilles Furtwängler, Emilie Ding, Elena Filipovic
Jury Master Arts Visuels – Gilles Furtwängler, Emilie Ding, Elena Filipovic
1/5
“The level of detail, both for prototypes and presentations, is mind-blowing. Graduates really demonstrate that they have the skillset to join top-level design studios around the world after completing the BA in Industrial Design programme.”
Augustin Scott de Martinville
Designer, Lausanne
BA Industrial Design
Jury Master Design de Produit – Maddalena Casadei, Mattias Stahlbom, Ville Kokkonen
Jury Master Design de Produit – Maddalena Casadei, Mattias Stahlbom, Ville Kokkonen
Jury Master Design de Produit – Maddalena Casadei, Mattias Stahlbom, Ville Kokkonen
Jury Master Design de Produit – Maddalena Casadei, Mattias Stahlbom, Ville Kokkonen
Jury Master Design de Produit – Maddalena Casadei, Mattias Stahlbom, Ville Kokkonen
Jury Master Design de Produit – Maddalena Casadei, Mattias Stahlbom, Ville Kokkonen
1/6
“Substance, sense-making, positive energy and eco-consciousness: this year's class added values to a modern idea of luxury and craftmanship.”
Marco Sammicheli
Triennale International Relations Chief, Milan
MAS in Design for Luxury & Craftsmanship
“My humble advice: read RuPaul's quotations, embrace and develop the content of your works as much as their form. Dream, try, look deeper and go for it!”
Gilles Furtwangler
Artist, Lausanne
BA & MA Fine Arts
Jury Master Type Design – Valentin Brustaux, Antonio Cavedoni, Joanna Schaffter, David Bennewith
Jury Master Type Design – Valentin Brustaux, Antonio Cavedoni, Joanna Schaffter, David Bennewith
Jury Master Type Design – Valentin Brustaux, Antonio Cavedoni, Joanna Schaffter, David Bennewith
Jury Master Type Design – Valentin Brustaux, Antonio Cavedoni, Joanna Schaffter, David Bennewith
Jury Master Type Design – Valentin Brustaux, Antonio Cavedoni, Joanna Schaffter, David Bennewith
Jury Master Type Design – Valentin Brustaux, Antonio Cavedoni, Joanna Schaffter, David Bennewith
1/6
“Being part of the jury for the MA in Photography at ECAL is an absolute joy and honour. The quality of the works produced and the drive to push the medium is very strong, as is the level of engagement of the students and of the incredible teaching team.”
Elisa Medde
Editor-in-Chief FOAM, Amsterdam
MA Photography
“I was as impressed by the level of the students and the quality of their degree as I was by the excellence of the teaching and the school's setting!”
Victoria Wilmotte
Designer, Paris
BA Industrial Design
“It was a pleasure to be invited to be part of the BA Graphic Design jury at ECAL. The range of works and topics that were tackled was surprisingly diverse, with some truly ambitious projects.”
Adrien Vasquez
Type Designer, London
BA Graphic Design
Jury MAS in Design for Luxury & Crafstmanship – Alfredo Häberli, Franziska Kessler, Marco Sammicheli
Jury MAS in Design for Luxury & Crafstmanship – Alfredo Häberli, Franziska Kessler, Marco Sammicheli
Jury MAS in Design for Luxury & Crafstmanship – Alfredo Häberli, Franziska Kessler, Marco Sammicheli
Jury MAS in Design for Luxury & Crafstmanship – Alfredo Häberli, Franziska Kessler, Marco Sammicheli
Jury MAS in Design for Luxury & Crafstmanship – Alfredo Häberli, Franziska Kessler, Marco Sammicheli
Jury MAS in Design for Luxury & Crafstmanship – Alfredo Häberli, Franziska Kessler, Marco Sammicheli
Jury MAS in Design for Luxury & Crafstmanship – Alfredo Häberli, Franziska Kessler, Marco Sammicheli
A prize to encourage innovation that rewards projects by graduate students in Industrial Design. Presented by Ms Susanne Friedli, representing the USM Foundation and Mr Manojlo Jelic, USM Sales Manager for French-speaking Switzerland.
Scholarships Fondation Casino Barrière de Montreux - CHF 10'000.
Two scholarships awarded to students about to complete their diploma year. The choice was made on the basis of their talent and sense of creativity. Presented by Mrs Diane Redard, secretary Fondation Casino Barrière de Montreux.
In memory of Pierre Keller, Director of ECAL from 1995 to 2011. A prize awarded for a particularly committed diploma project. Presented by Mr. Alexis Georgacopoulos, Director of ECAL.
Fondation USM Design Grant - CHF 5,000.- (2nd prize)
A prize to encourage innovation that rewards projects by graduate students in Industrial Design. Presented by Ms Susanne Friedli, representing the USM Foundation and Mr Manojlo Jelic, USM Sales Manager for French-speaking Switzerland.
In collaboration with swissnex San Francisco and supported by the DGES, a residency awarded to a Bachelor Media & Interaction Design graduate, which supports the development of diploma work, in particular through a mentoring programme and a professional stay in San Francisco (USA). Presented by Mrs Chantal Ostorero, General Director of the Board Higher Education.
A prize awarded by La Foncière, a real estate investment fund, to a deserving student for the work accomplished during the year in Photography. Presented by Mr Arnaud de Jamblinne, Director of La Foncière.
HES-SO Award for Excellence in Design and Visual Arts - CHF 2,500.-
HES-SO Award for Excellence in Design and Visual Arts - CHF 2,500.-
A prize awarded to an ECAL student who has distinguished him/herself by the excellence of his/her diploma work. Presented by Mr. René Graf, Vice-Rector of Education of the HES-SO.
A prize awarded by the jury of the Ernest Manganel Foundation to graduate students in Fine Arts, to reward the relevance of their research and the very professional quality of their diploma work. Presented by Mrs Catherine Othenin-Girard, member of the Board of the Manganel Foundation.
A prize awarded by the Paris-based agency Eyes On Talents to a student in Industrial Design. This prize rewards a design project with a strong production and marketing potential. The winner will also benefit from dedicated media support and follow-up. Mr. Stéphane Halmaï-Voisard, Head of Bachelor Industrial Design on behalf of Eyes on Talents agency.
A prize awarded to a graduate student who has produced a project that takes sustainable development into account, particularly in terms of its economic, environmental and social aspects. Presented by Ms. Denise Gomes in charge of communication at BG Consulting Engineers.
The ROCA/Laufen Group awards two scholarships of CHF 1,000 each for the originality and character of the projects developed in the context of their diploma. Presented by Mr. Stéphane Halmaï-Voisard, head of Bachelor Industrial Design.
A prize awarded to a graduate student in Media & Interaction Design who has distinguished himself/herself by the excellence of his/her work. Presented by Mrs Joelle Aeschlimann, President of METAA: Media Experiments in Technology and Art Association.
An award for a Bachelor Photography student who has completed an excellent diploma thesis. Presented by Milo Keller on behalf of Pro Studio and Digital Imaging Profot in French-speaking Switzerland.
A prize awarded to a graduate student in Graphic Design who has distinguished himself or herself by the overall quality of his or her work. Presented by Mr. Angelo Benedetto, Head of Bachelor Graphic Design.
A prize awarded to graduate students who have distinguished themselves by the excellence of their work throughout their studies at ECAL. Presented by Pauline Saglio, Head of Bachelor Media & Interaction Design.
A prize awarded to a graduate student who has distinguished himself/herself by the quality of his/her Bachelor's thesis. Presented by Mrs Catherine Othenin-Girard, EXECAL President.
A prize awarded to a graduate student in Fine Arts who has distinguished himself or herself by the excellence of his or her work. Presented by Mrs Patricia Glave, Vice-President of Visarte Vaud.
A scholarship awarded to a deserving student to support the continuation of his/her studies at the ECAL, in memory of Pierre Keller, member of the Baccarini Foundation and Director of the ECAL from 1995 to 2011. Presented by Mrs Rita Rielle, Mr Yann Hess and Mr Blaise Hofmann, members of Baccarini Foundation.
A prize awarded to a graduate student in the Master of Advanced Studies in Design for Luxury & Craftsmanship for the quality of his/her work. Presented by Mr Pierre Jacques, CEO at De Bethune.
Award for excellence in the field of Design and Visual Arts of HES-SO - CHF 2'500.-
A prize awarded to an ECAL student who has distinguished himself/herself by the excellence of his/her diploma work. Presented by Mr René Graf, Vice-rector of Education at HES-SO.
A prize awarded to a graduate student, author of a project that takes into account sustainable development, in particular its economic, environmental and social aspects. Presented by Mrs Denise Gomes in charge of communication at BG Ingénieurs Conseils company.
A prize awarded by In Rust We Trust to a graduate student who has distinguished himself/herself by the quality of his/her typographic work. The winner is offered the opportunity to publish a visual that will be used to collect donations for the Design against Canceraction (led by the association). Presented by Mr Angelo Benedetto, founding member of the association in Rust We Trust.
A prize awarded to a student in Cinema who has distinguished herself during the year by the quality of her achievements or technical work. Presented by Mrs Rachel Noël, Bachelor Cinema Coordinator.
Prix Elinchrom (voucher CHF500.- voucher CHF 1'000.-)
Robin Bervini
– MA Photography – voucher CHF 1’000.-
A prize awarded to a graduate student in the Master's degree in Photography who has carried out an excellent diploma project. Presented by Mr Thomas Beinke, Team Leader Sales & Marketing of Elinchrom.
A prize awarded to a Master's degree student in Product Design who has distinguished himself/herself by the overall quality of his or her diploma work. Presented by Mr Camille Blin, Head of Master Product Design.
A prize awarded to graduate students who have distinguished themselves by the excellence of their work throughout their studies at ECAL. Presented by Mrs Jasmin Basic, Master Cinema Coordinator.
A prize awarded to graduate students who have distinguished themselves by the excellence of their work throughout their studies at ECAL. Presented by Mrs Jasmin Basic, Master Cinema Coordinator.
A prize awarded to a graduate student who has distinguished himself/herself by the quality of his/her Master's thesis. Presented by Mrs Yoo-Mi Steffen, EXECAL Secretary.
Two scholarships awarded to particularly talented students in the fields of painting and sculpture, to support the continuation of his or her studies at ECAL. Presented by Mr Alexis Georgacopoulos, board member of Walter + Eve Kent Foundation.
Scholarships Walter + Eve Kent Foundation (Bachelor) - CHF 5'000.
Two scholarships awarded to particularly talented students in the fields of painting and sculpture, to support the continuation of his or her studies at ECAL. Presented by Mr. Alexis Georgacopoulos, member of the Board of the Walter + Eve Kent Foundation.
Two encouragement prizes awarded to students in their 2nd year Bachelor of Visual Communication who have distinguished themselves by the quality of their work. The laureates are offered the opportunity to exhibit their work in a place in Renens. Presented by Mr. Jean-François Clément, Mayor of Renens.
A prize awarded to two students of the ECAL's Propaedeutic Year who have distinguished themselves by the excellence of their work and who have obtained the best results of their year. Presented by Mr. David Monnet, head of the Propaedeutic Year.
