The sixth annual Icelandic Design Awards were held in November to recognize the innovators and changemakers of Iceland. The awards were established to highlight the value of good design, as well as the value of design and creative thinking across professional disciplines. Each year, jury members award the best of Icelandic design and architecture that have particular significance to the Icelandic community. The ceremony is produced by the Iceland Design Centre in collaboration with Iceland University of the Arts and the Museum of Design and Applied Arts with support from the Federation of Icelandic Industries and the National Powers Company of Iceland. 
Genki Instruments took home the top prize with their device Wave, a ring created to enhance musicians’ experience and expression. The design of the ring points to where wearable technology is headed, as it gives wearers creative control and command functionality simply by moving their hands. The jury recognized the tool as “a testament to the rigorous research and development that placed users at its core at every stage. Genki Instruments is a design-driven hardware technology company, an inspirational start-up where design, engineering, and music combine encapsulating vision, passion, and endurance, and has received recognition from across the world.” Congratulations to the team behind the design, Ólafur Bogasoni, Haraldur Þór Hugoson, Jón Helgi Hólmgeirsson, Þorleifur Gunnar Gíslason, and Daníel Grétarsson. 
Omnom Chocolate was awarded Best Investment in Design Award for the added value their design brings to their artisan chocolates. Founded in 2013 in Reykjavík, Iceland, the small-batch chocolate maker was recognized for an exciting process from idea to product. The jury commended the company due to the collaboration with designers, first André Visage and now Veronica Filippin, throughout the whole process, from product development and packaging to POS material. This holistic approach of taste and branding has led to a successful business story and is a clear example of added value by good design.”
Finally, for the first time in Icelandic Design Awards history, a special honorary prize was awarded to Manfreð Vilhjálmsson for his lifetime achievements in architecture. Vilhjálmsson has been active in the Icelandic architecture scene for over 50 years, and his nature-inclusive designs and unique style have solidified him as a respected leader in the community.
The jury members for the 2019 awards were Guðrún Lilja Gunnlaugsdóttir, chairman of the jury, Hörður Lárusson, Sigrún Birgisdóttir, Sigrún Halla Unnarsdóttir, Edda Björk Ragnarsdóttir, and Daniel Golling.
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