System-level thinking in the winning student projects of the ‘Jump into the Future!’ competition

Date: 2025.07.10
Water still feels like a given in our everyday lives – but for how much longer? This pressing issue was tackled by secondary school students in the 2025 edition of the ‘Jump into the Future!’ creative competition. Working in teams, pupils from Years 7 to 10 developed bold, imaginative ideas for the future of one of life’s most essential resources. In the second round, selected teams refined their concepts in close collaboration with MOME mentors. At the final on 25 June, ten teams presented their forward-thinking visions, with four of them awarded by a jury of MOME faculty. First place went to Ísbíltúr, second to Bacsaók, third to Code Noir, while Newwave received a special prize. All four stood out not only for their creativity, but also for their systems-level approach, serving as a powerful reminder that water scarcity is no distant threat but an issue we must act on now.

Ísbíltúr – Designed for survival 

Taking first place, team Ísbíltúr imagined a set of survival equipment for a world where water shortages and ecological collapse have become part of everyday life – and where the poorest in society have little or no access to clean water. Their product is a three-part kit designed to support hydration, including a mask and a device that prevents the eyes from drying out. 

Bacsaók – Turning sunlight into drinking water 

In second place, Bacsaók proposed Solar Death, a solar-powered energy dome that uses focused sunlight to distil water. Their concept is grounded in the reality that while only 1% of Earth’s water is drinkable, saltwater is in abundant supply. It is both simple and effective – producing drinking water using renewable energy, even in places where other solutions would fail. 

Code Noir – Fashion, reimagined                                                                                                                                                 

Code Noir, awarded third place, turned their focus to the fashion industry’s enormous water footprint. Their idea combined waterless garment cleaning with the collection and reuse of second-hand clothing. The result is a circular service model that makes sustainable fashion more accessible while dramatically reducing the industry’s water use. 

Special prize: Newwave – A portal for water 

Team Newwave received a special prize for their speculative, sci-fi-inspired concept. In their imagined future, water still available on Earth in the year 2500 is transported through a portal to the year 7125. Their time capsule-based portal system ensures the flow of water between past and future – both literally and symbolically. The project offers a fresh perspective on water scarcity, suggesting that technology alone isn’t enough, we need awareness and imagination, too. 

  

This year’s competition was sponsored by the Light Art Museum in Budapest, Jegy.hu, WWF, Arkki Hungary, Medencebag and PreMOME, all of whom contributed not only valuable prizes but also their expertise. 

The jury included architect and creativity coach Dóra Szentadrási  PhD; design theorist, semiotics lecturer, and mentor Péter  Wunderlich PhD; junior jury member and inspiring young designer Hanna Pap; architect, educator, co-founder of CAN Architects and Head of the Architecture BA progamme at MOME, and one of the competition’s longest-standing mentors András Cseh DLA;  and design educator, head of programme, and systems thinker Judit Bényei PhD. Warm thanks to all of them for their insights, time, and dedication. 

More news

At this year’s Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, Mihály Schwechtje’s upcoming feature Hairpin Turn Driving School was presented in the Eastern Promises section. The programme, which spotlights Central European co-productions, awarded the Marché du Film Producers Network Special Prize to the project’s producer, MOME Art and Design Management alumna Genovéva Petrovits. The award comes with an invitation to attend next year’s Cannes Film Festival as an official guest.

This summer, MOME returns to the Valley of Arts Festival with its very own venue – the Harcsa Veronika × MOME Courtyard, where visitors can join workshops and interactive sessions, and discover how sustainability, learning, and design come together.

From Berlin to Oberhausen to Sarajevo – Wish You Were Ear, a diploma film by Mirjana Balogh about the imprints of romantic relationships, continues its journey through the international festival circuit. Following its triumph at the 71st Berlinale, where it received the Crystal Bear for Best Short Film, the animation has now been selected for the international student film competition at the prestigious Sarajevo Film Festival.
Member of the European
Network of
Innovative
Higher Education Institutions
9 Zugligeti St,
Budapest, 1121