Photo Gallery
GROHE is strongly involved in promoting young design talent – and has been associated with the iF DESIGN STUDENT AWARD for 16 years. For many years, GROHE has been passionately committed to supporting young design talent.
“At GROHE, we believe in the power of design to drive positive social and environmental change – a vision we proudly share with iF Design. By empowering young creatives, we’re not only fostering innovation, we’re investing in a more thoughtful, sustainable future. Their ideas inspire us to challenge conventions and rethink how design can truly improve lives”, says Patrick Speck, Leader LIXIL GLOBAL DESIGN EMENA.
Winners of the GROHE Design Prize 2025 by iF
CalmTouch – Healing Thermometer
SDG: 03 Good Health and Well-being
University: South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China/ Santa Monica College, Santa Monica, United States of America
Winner: Tianlv Wang, Xueqing Zhao, Ting Luo, Lechuan Huang
CalmTouch, is a clinical thermometer that was developed for refugees from conflict zones - with the aim of providing sensitive medical care in places where fear and trauma have often left deep scars. Conventional clinical thermometers, which are pointed at the head like a gun, can evoke threatening associations in traumatized people. With CalmTouch, the temperature is not taken by a frontal “shot”, but by a gentle, stroking movement on the head. This loving interaction helps to strengthen confidence in medical measures and has been proven to reduce anxiety reactions.
Jury Statement:
“CalmTouch - Healing Thermometer transforms a potentially intimidating act into an iconic gesture of empathy and caring, truly outstanding.”
More information about the concept ➞
Tando - Open-Source Platform for Local Development
SDG: 09 Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
University: ecosign / academy for design, Cologne/Germany
Winner: Elisa Schneider
Tando is an app where people can create instructions, request or offer items, exchange services and network. The aim is to enable the production of important goods using locally available materials and tools - cheaply, sustainably and collaboratively. In this way, craft skills are passed on, the local economy is strengthened, and new jobs are created. The idea arose from a conversation with a doctor from Tanzania, who emphasized the need for affordable, locally producible solutions. This led to the development of a globally applicable open source concept. Tando products are modular, easy to repair and often cheaper than imports. Visual step-by-step instructions make them easy to use, even for illiterate people.
Jury Statement:
“Tando empowers economically disadvantaged communities to creatively solve problems. By repurposing local materials and transforming them into repairable goods such as wheelchairs and playground equipment, Tando makes a profound societal and sustainable impact.”
More information about the concept ➞
TextileRefuge: From textile waste to affordable housing
SDG: 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities
University: IED Milano – Istituto Europeo di Design, Italy
Winner: Giacomo Frova, Carola Castiglione, Mattia Cappiello, Mattia Macciachini
TextileRefuge is an innovative brick that addresses the global textile waste crisis - with a special focus on Ghana. The Limetex brick is made from discarded fast fashion: an innovative building material made from shredded fabrics and hydrated lime, transforming textile waste into a sustainable resource. The durable, cost-effective and environmentally friendly Limetex bricks offer an alternative to concrete and reduce the environmental impact. In Chorkor, Ghana, where millions of used clothes arrive every week, the project provides local people with jobs, skills and affordable housing, transforming a global problem into a sustainable, circular solution that promotes social and environmental progress.
Jury Statement:
“TextileRefuge tackles fast fashion’s garment waste while addressing the need for affordable housing and job opportunities via material innovation. The building blocks comprised of discarded textile fibers show ingenuity, support circularity, and provide much needed safe housing.”
More information about the concept ➞
Bluff Book - Reviving Stories, Bridging Generations.
SDG: 04 Quality Education
University: Chang Gung University Taoyuan, Taiwan / National University of Science and Technology, Taipei, Taiwan
Winner: Hsin-Pei Hsieh, Cho-Chun Kuo, Qi-Wei Hong, Pan Kai-Hsin
Bluff Book is a book that uses AI speech-to-image technology to convert spoken stories into images in real time. The aim is to make storytelling more captivating, engaging and interactive. It bridges the generation gap by helping grandparents capture children's attention with exciting technology, while fostering emotional connections and preserving cultural heritage.
Jury Statement:
“The Bluff Book project tackles challenges of our modern, digital society in a playful way. The unique mixture of AI and simple analog interactions bridges generations and creates memories that last.”
More information about the concept ➞
HAUKI - Water Mapping System
SDG: 06 Clean Water + Sanitation
University: University IED Istituto Europeo di Design Milan / Italy
Winner: Simone Centonze, Daniel Bertollo, Michele Martellon
HAUKI is a system for filtering and mapping microplastics in the sea. Designed for water sports enthusiasts, it allows them to filter and map microplastics in the sea while practicing water sports without compromising their water experience. The user thus not only contributes to improving the environment, but also benefits from better performance in the water thanks to the assisted paddle system.
Jury Statement:
“HAUKI enables water sports users to filter and map microplastics in the ocean without compromising their water experience. It is a wonderful combination of enjoying water and taking care of it at the same time.”
More information about the concept ➞
About GROHE & the iF DESIGN STUDENT AWARD
GROHE is a leading global brand for holistic bathroom solutions and kitchen faucets. Since 2014, GROHE has been part of the strong brand portfolio of LIXIL, a leading manufacturer of trend-setting water technologies and building equipment. In order to offer “Pure Joy of Water”, every GROHE product is based on the brand values of quality, technology, design and sustainability. With its customized portfolios GROHE QuickFix, GROHE Professional and the premium sub-brand GROHE SPA, the brand offers both life-enhancing product solutions and services. They are all geared towards the various needs of GROHE's professional business partners and their differentiated target groups.
With approximately 7,000 entries from over 80 countries each year, the iF DESIGN STUDENT AWARD is one of the world’s most important and prestigious competitions for emerging young designers. It recognizes concepts by students and graduates in the fields of design and architecture that address the achievement of the SDGs. The most outstanding ideas are rewarded with a total of EUR 50,000 in prize money. Together with its sponsors, iF Design offers the winners an international platform and a springboard for a successful career start. For more than 20 years, iF Design has viewed it as its social responsibility to promote the next generation of international designers.
For more information and image material, please contact:
Sarah Bagherzadegan
Leader, Integrated Communications & Reputation Management
LIXIL Europe