Summer in Lithuania started with DESIGN WEEK '25, with the theme of balance. Balance between aesthetics and function, design and technical solutions. Associate professor Mindaugas Užkuraitis reveals that achieving balance in every design product is a challenge, especially given the various demands placed on products. 

Students of Industrial Product Design at Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (VILNIUS TECH) present their course and diploma projects at DESIGN WEEK '25. "The exposition is really important for many of us. The students prepared projects based on real customer tasks and solved problems of importance to society," says M. Užkuraitis, Head o the Department of Design at VILNIUS TECH. 

The associate professor says that a wide variety of products can be found at the exhibition: special equipment for human resuscitation, a therapeutic luminaire for children's spaces, an innovative drone, furniture, toys, and a variety of household objects. The tasks were provided and consulted by Vilnius City Municipality, JUDU, UAB "Betono mozaika", UAB "Kite tech", sportsman Nerijus Skridaila and others. 

"Students are more motivated to develop a product when real customers are involved and they can offer innovative solutions directly to the market. We notice that our specialists are in high demand on the labour market because of their versatile skills," emphasises M. Užkuraitis. This year, in cooperation with Vilnius City Municipality and JUDU, students have been working on proposals for public transport waiting pavilions, and together with UAB "Betono Mozaika", they have been looking for new solutions for paving stones and small elements of the city's infrastructure. 

Užkuraitis stresses the importance of a balance between aesthetics and sustainability, technical solutions. "The products we create are not just aesthetically pleasing - the manufacturing process and functionality must be thought through. We encourage students to think about the choices they make for a product. More use of standardised pipes, bolts and various other elements to save on the production process, to avoid the need for additional or new equipment and to be able to use the elements when dismantling another product." 

However, the associate professor also notes that the production of some products poses challenges in terms of sustainability. Užkuraitis gives the example of medical equipment: "It is forbidden to use recycled plastics to produce medical equipment. New, high-quality plastic must be used, and special moulds are very expensive. However, the quality of 3D printing is constantly increasing and the processes are accelerating, and the printed products have a long lifetime. So we can expect a breakthrough in this field". 

VILNIUS TECH The Bachelor's degree programme in Industrial Product Design has been accredited this year for a period of 7 years by international experts. The interdisciplinary nature of the studies is reflected in the exhibition DESIGN WEEK '25, which can be visited at the Faculty of Architecture (Trakų str. 1, Vilnius) until 14 June 2025. 
 
Photos by Rimgaudas Barauskis.