The Ladislav Sutnar Prize pays tribute each year to outstanding individuals, organisations and institutions whose work has made a significant contribution to contemporary design and art. The 15th edition of the Prize recognised three laureates whose work and activities reflect the diverse forms of contemporary design, architecture and visual communication. An exhibition at the Ladislav Sutnar Faculty of Design and Art, University of West Bohemia in Pilsen, now offers an insight into their work.

The exhibition provides an opportunity to explore the laureates’ work and discover their approaches to their respective fields. Their achievements offer inspiration not only to the Faculty’s students but also to the wider public. Each laureate represents a different area and perspective on design – from higher education and community-oriented architecture to graphic design and visual culture.

Tony Brook

British graphic designer, educator and curator Tony Brook is an influential figure in contemporary visual culture. In 1992, he co-founded Spin, a London-based design studio renowned for its distinctive approach to typography, visual identities and digital design.

In 2009, together with design historian Adrian Shaughnessy, he founded the independent publishing house Unit Editions, which specialises in books exploring the history and contemporary practice of graphic design and visual communication. He has also played an important role in bringing the work of Ladislav Sutnar to international attention. For Unit Editions, he developed the seminal monograph Ladislav Sutnar: Visual Design in Action, which helped renew international interest in Sutnar’s work and its significance in the history of graphic design.

Politecnico di Milano

One of Europe’s leading universities in technology, architecture and the arts, Politecnico di Milano is internationally recognised for its excellence in architecture, design and engineering. Its alumni and faculty have included some of the most influential figures in architecture and design, such as Gio Ponti, Achille Castiglioni and Renzo Piano.

The Ladislav Sutnar Prize was awarded specifically to the Communication Design programme, part of the university’s Scuola del Design and led by Professor Elena Caratti. The award recognises the programme’s contribution to contemporary education in visual communication and its international reach.

Assemble

The London-based collective Assemble, founded in 2010, brings together architecture, design and art with community collaboration and social engagement. Its members explore new approaches to public space, the built environment and the relationship between architecture and the people who inhabit it.

The collective gained international recognition for its regeneration project in Liverpool’s Granby Four Streets, developed in close collaboration with local residents. In 2015, it received the prestigious Turner Prize for this project, becoming the first architecture collective to win the award. Assemble’s approach challenges the boundaries between architecture, art installation, craft and community activism, with a strong emphasis on sustainability, shared skills and the active involvement of local communities.

The exhibition is part of the Faculty’s ongoing commitment to introducing international figures and their work to both the academic community and the wider public. Encountering the laureates’ work gives students an opportunity to discover diverse professional approaches, inspiring projects and new ways in which design and art can respond to an ever-changing world.

Exhibition dates: 4 November – 3 December 2026

Free admission

Inkubator Gallery
Ladislav Sutnar Faculty of Design and Art
University of West Bohemia
Univerzitní 28, 301 00 Pilsen, Czech Republic

Opening hours:
Monday to Friday, 10 am – 6 pm