The FAUL/Valchromat Award is a joint initiative between the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Lisbon (FAUL) and Valchromat. Created to support Master’s students in Product Design, the competition challenges young designers every year to develop innovative projects, exploring the full potential of Valchromat – a uniquely coloured wood fibre panel, versatile, sustainable, and with outstanding aesthetic quality.
Why we support this award
We believe that supporting the new generation of designers with Valchromat means investing in the future of creativity, design, and innovation in Portugal. Valchromat is more than a panel – it is a tool for creative expression. By providing students with this material, we allow them to experiment in a real context, encouraging differentiated solutions to concrete design challenges.
This support is expressed both through the supply of Valchromat panels for prototype execution and through recognition of the best projects.
The colours of 2025
In 2025, students had access to four iconic Valchromat colours:
- Black
- White Pearl
- Yellow
- Orange
These choices stimulate creativity and chromatic experimentation, encouraging bold contrasts and innovative combinations.
The aim of the award
The main objective of the FAUL/Valchromat Award is to stimulate innovation in design for children, a theme that has guided recent editions. It challenges students to think of creative, functional, and safe solutions while working with a high-performance material such as Valchromat.
2025 Winners
This year, the jury distinguished two winning projects:
- Inês Isabel Nobre Pombo – 1st Prize
- Íris Fernandes Ribeiro & Milton Mateus Marquês – 1st Prize ex-aequo (joint project)
Additionally, four honourable mentions were awarded.
