The selection of the products that were successful in the Archiproducts Design Awards 2018 is finally revealed!
From furniture to decor, from lifestyle to construction, 100 entries win a place on the podium and become examples of the status quo of the international creative scene.
The jury – made up of 40 international architecture studios, communication agencies, journalists, and architecture photographers – assessed over 600 product applications from 400 brands from the world over. The selection was far from straightforward, and recognized research into the best formal and material solutions, as well as the ability to anticipate practical and conceptual scenarios in residential and contract projects.
Confirming their role as a dynamic stage for collective reflection on new tendencies in international design, the ADA also serve once more to describe collaborations between brand and designer. They offer a behind-the-scenes view of encounters and interactions which today inscribe fundamental chapters in the story of design and project creation.
Furniture is among the categories which once again received the most entries. The impressive quality of the entries made the jury’s work all the more complex. Its interdisciplinary team finally was able to come to the unanimous – though not at all easy – decision to invite the following to take center stage:
Glas Italia with its crystal screen by the Bouroullec brothers, which filters and reflects light back in an almost surreal manner; De Padova with Erei, the seating system inspired by the Sicilian mountain range whose name it borrows, and whose feminine quality can be attributed to Elisa Ossino’s skillful pencil work; Lema with the Alamo table, with which David Lopez Quincoces, inspired by the theme of lightness, revisits the decorative code of the 40s paired with a very contemporary minimalist flavor; Magis with the Brut table designed by Konstantin Grcic, part of a collection which brings to mind the industrial use of cast iron, applying it to the realm of contemporary furniture units; Desalto with the Lake ceramic table by Gordon Guillaumier, whose extreme simplicity in design represents an unusual contemporary altar to the everyday life; Poltrona Frau with its Isadora leather-lined chair designed by Roberto Lazzeroni, who brings to life memories of the past with his unique vision of modernity; Porro with the rectangular Jeff table by Gabriele and Oscar Buratti. Its slender chestnut surface appears suspended over two thin semi-open metal bases, like sheets of paper; Salvatori with Colonnata, the bookcase by Piero Lissoni, proposing an extraordinary combination of shelves in oak and 10 varieties of marble ranging from Bianco Carrara to Nero Marquinia; Living Divani with its Pebble vanity desk, a simple and extremely elegant object designed by Lanzavecchia + Wai, featuring a monobloc surface lined in either leather, mirror glass or marble.
Among the winners in the Furniture category, also Zanotta with the Louise armchair by Philippe Nigro, where the alternation between full and empty spaces creates optical illusions. The intersection of structural parts thus bring to the fore a graphic silhouette which almost gives the impression of movement; Tacchini, with the enveloping Julep sofa by Jonas Wagell; Wiener GTV Design, with Targa, a modular sofa designed by Gamfratesi; Ma/u Studio with its R.I.G. Modules steel bookcase, designed by Mikal Harrsen; Expormim with a wicker chair by Jaime Hayón; Busnelli with the Hirundo armchair, with which Roan Nguyen pays homage to the iconic quality of the brand’s collections of the 70s; Stellar Works, with Cabinet of Curiosity, the trolley showcase cabinet by Neri&Hu; MDF Italia with Tense Material Intarsia, the rectangular marble table designed by Piergiorgio and Michele Cazzaniga; Ritzwell with the Jabara wooden sideboard, with which Shinsaku Miyamoto introduces the typical Japanese aesthetic archetype; Schönbuch with Grace, the metal serving trolley designed by Sebastian Herkner; Former with the Kai shelving unit designed by Pinuccio Borgonovo. The jury also ranked highly Asplund’s oak round table, Palais Royal, designed by Anya Sebton and Eva Lilja Löwenhielm; and finally, three chairs designed by Arter&Citton for Pointhouse, Marcello Ziliani for Scab Design, and NOTE Design Studio for arrmet respectively.
Numerous entries in the Bathroom Furniture as well.
In this category the winners include Aboutwater, with the AA/27 faucet designed by Michael Anastassiades, which won over the jury for the suspended effect of the spout, the result of an in-depth study of form; Ex.t with Arco, the bathroom unit by Mut Design, with integrated mirror hiding a shelving system; Falper, which receives not one but two awards, respectively for the oval console basin in Cristalplant® Monsieur designed by Matteo Thun, and Eccentrico, the round freestanding basin in marble created by Victor Vasilev.
The suspended ultra-light basin Elle by Ceramica Cielo, designed by Andrea Parisio and Giuseppe Pezzano, wins for the simplicity of its forms, which bring together a contemporary styling and the tradition of handmade ceramics. Blu Bleu impresses the jury with the shower enclosure, Oneweek, an amber spiral in a characteristic honeycomb pattern, held together by a black steel ribbon fixed to the wall. The latest modular system in stainless steel, Abaco by Ceadesign, embodying experience and foresight, wins for its ability to integrate all bathroom fittings into a single element, while also offering high aesthetic quality. The jury was also won over by the irregular shape of the Vvr bathtub in fiberglass designed by Gabriella Ciaschi for Moab 80; the collection of vanity-top sinks, Cartesio by Artceram, representing the vision of Meneghello Paolelli Associati in its graphics and decoration; the toilet console with two sinks, Kobol by Visionnaire, a blend of past and contemporary appeal; the floor standing basin faucet in stainless steel, SX, designed by Makio Hasuike & Co for Cristina; Geberit Italia with its slate flush plate, Sigma 21; and finally Arcom, with its modular basin unit, Moov.
In the Lighting category the jury selected nine winners: Artemide with the floor lamp, O, created in collaboration with Elemental, and designed to reconcile the needs of an urban environment with the necessity to respect natural spaces; Luceplan with Amisol, with which Daniel Rybakken succeeds in the challenge of creating a pendant lamp made to occupy a broad physical space with minimal volume, which can be directed as needed; Vibia with Tempo 5760_5761, a series of three diffusors with archetypal profiles designed by Lievore Altherr, who recreates different atmospheres with evocative lighting; Oluce with Cylinda – 218, the LED metal table lamp designed by Angeletti Ruzza Design; the extremely young Canadian brand Larose Guyon with its Coco collection, a lamp conceived as a pearl necklace, evoking an elegant combination of light and jewelry; Matthew McCormick, the second Canadian brand to be rewarded in this category with Mila, the pendant lamp in metal and hand-blown glass. Next, we have Smarin, with the LED oak pendant lamp, Fantasticks; Neri, with the cement bollards designed by Emo design; and Arkoslight, with its round ceiling LED spot lamp Top.
The Kitchen category also received many entries, among which the jury selected the following: Boffi, with the modular Combine system by Piero Lissoni; Cesar for the rigor and lightness of forms in the kitchen with island, N_elle_unexpected Contrast; the Japanese brand, Sanwa, which returns to the podium with EO01 designed by Elisa Ossino with reduced spaces in mind, such as lofts, co-working spaces, and professional studios; L’Ottocento’s kitchen with island Archetipo, creating the perfect union of classic and contemporary in a dialogue of innovative chromatic juxtapositions; Fantin, with the metal mini-kitchen, Frame; Multiform, with its elegant and monumental steel block, Form 45 – Black Oxidised Steel. Elica receives an award for Nikolatesla Libra, the induction hob designed by Fabrizio Crisà with completely integrated scales; Falmec wins over the jury with Spazio, the stainless-steel island hood with activated carbon filter technology and integrated lighting system, designed by Francesco Lucchese.
Among the winners of the Kitchen section we also have Fulgor, with the built-in multi-function electric oven in black glass FCLPO 6215 TEM BX; InSinkErator with the hot water dispenser 4N1 Touch J, and Lapitec with the undermount induction hob Lapitec Induction System®.
In the Finishes category the jury was won over by the ceramic coverings by Cedit (Florim Group), with Rilievi, its collection of three-dimensional elements designed by Zaven; Ceramica Bardelli with the Pittorica project by Studiopepe: a collection of tiles, offered in silky surfaces and innovative triangular shapes, which expresses the universe of color through a cutting edge chromatic palette; Marca Corona’s Bleecker Sage cladding, inspired by the New York station whose name it borrows, with textures recalling OSB.
Among the jury’s favorite wallpapers, Wall&Decò’s relief collection Kaze shows off Studiopepe’s exploration of the universe of micro-signs: 3D patterns, inlays, incisions and metal light details bring to life actual bas-reliefs. Among the winners we find also two wooden claddings: Canneto, the latest novelty by Inkiostro Bianco, which proposes an interesting variation in the use of wood, embellished by digital color prints; and Alpi, with a pattern born of the extrovert and anti-conformist language of Ettore Sottsass which enhances the wood’s bright colors. Born in the 80s, today the collection makes its official debut in Alpi’s wood options in four chromatic variations. In the same category, Bauxtreceives a prize for its armored entrance door, Plank – 15.3002: a design with a bold scenic presence, whose neatness creates a three-dimensional volume detached from the wall; the free-standing radiator T-Tower, created by Antrax with Matteo Thun’s design, featuring an extremely slim profile drawn in pure, bold lines; the aluminum wall-mounted heated towel rails, Beams Mono by Vasco, whose beam-shaped volumes derive from the architectural concept of space; and Tubes’ electric heater in polyurethane, Eve , designed by Ludovica+Roberto Palomba: a nomadic sphere, warm, luminous and transportable.
Five brands rise to the podium in the Contract category: Arper with Kiik, its modular system of seating, tables, ottomans and consoles designed by Ichiro Iwasaki, who conceived actual islands to serve as meeting points; La Cividina with Soave, a modular sofa designed by Sebastian Herkner, whose peculiarity lies in the repetition of an elliptical-shaped module which, when placed one on top of the other, becomes base and seat; Gan with Lan, the fabric-lined sofa with high backrest designed by Neri&Hu; Metalmobil with its stackable steel and polyurethane chair Cuba 620. Its creator, Marc Sadler, imbued the chair with an extremely simple design; and the Polish brand MDD, with the modular fabric-lined sofa, Agora.
In the Office category the winners 2018 are: Dieffebi with the modular vessels Echo Lockers: designed by 967 Architetti Associati, they offer a system integrating aesthetic, technological, and compositional solutions; BuzziSpace with its fabric-lined office acoustic island BuzziBracks, a system of rooms within rooms designed by Alain Gilles; Ibebi with Tam Tam, the folding flexible table which can be transported without difficulty thanks to its large wheels equipped with brakes; Cesare Roversi with the fitted modular office system in wood, 6×6 Office, designed by Nicholas Bewick: thanks to its connection system, the iconic joint, the structure and its components can easily be assembled and dismantled for future adaptations; and Estel Group with the fabric-lined office acoustic island, Collaborative Room S, designed by Metrica.
Within the Outdoor category, Living Divani – already a winner in the Decor section – returns to the podium with its wheeled and cloth-lined garden chaise Sale, designed by David Lopez Quincoces. The other winners in the same category are: Extremis, with its integrated system of steel bench and small table, Bistroo, stackable and extremely easy to move about; Kristalia with Brioni, the collection featuring ottoman, large armchairs, and daybed for the garden, signed by LucidiPevere; Manutti’s garden chairs, with the rocker version Duo in rope designed by Koen Van Extergem,Tribù with the more traditional version in braided rope with armrests, Nodi, designed by Yabu Pushelberg, and the metal chair Arholma, designed by Alexander Lervik for the Swedish brand Skaargarden. Paola Lenti is back among the winners with Oasi, a system of outdoor seats designed by Francesco Rota and consisting of a base element and variable configurations, if combined with backrests and armrests. Another favorite of the jurors is Ellipse, the Corten steel fire bowl by the German brand Höfats.
In the Decor category the winners include the biodegradable rug designed by Lise Van der Scheer for Casalis, admired for its 100% environmentally-friendly nature and for the innovative technique of 3D braiding; Cordivari with its bathroom shelf for heated towel racks, Lynea, designed by Marco Pisati; and the Danish brand Gejst with its frosted glass vase Nebl, for which Michael Rem sought inspiration in Autumn mist.
Unanimously admired by the jury in the Building Shell category, we have the aluminum sliding system entered by Schüco, which allows for the creation of large scale sliding windows with maximum transparency. The exterior frame is designed to disappear within the building’s walls, so that only the exceptionally thin central juncture measuring 31 mm remains visible. Mogs is also recognized for the new Mogs 65 TT series, a steel patio door for window frames slender and minimal but in at the same time robust, thermal break, compatible with very thick glass, and allowing large dimensional fields; the aluminum window with sliding double glass Slim Patio 68 by Reynaers Aluminium; Kalzip with the Metal roofing KALZIP 65 – 50, cladding systems for roofs; and finally Gammastone, with its monolithic Gammastone Gres Air panel, the structural cladding solution perfect for the creation of volumetric elements on building façades.
Six winners in the Construction category: Celenit with its sound-insulating panels in mineralized fir wood wool, Celenit Groove, with a parallel milling texture creating a 3D effect; Daikin with its mono-split air-conditioning wall-mount unit, Stylish: with its 18.9cm thickness it is among the slimmest units on the market; Innova with its monobloc air to water heat pump in metal, Støne, a perfect synthesis of design and technology; Isolmantwith the underfloor sound-insulating pad Isolmant Underspecial EVO/EVO BV, ideal for floating floors with reduced screed thickness, but also for floor heating and cooling systems with reduced thickness; Schiedel with its integrated stove and chimney system in the Kingfire, for a 100% prefab biomass installation, for minimal obstruction and maximum yield; and Leon Bakaert with its masonry reinforcement on a roll, Murfor Compact I.
For the Systems, Components and Materials category, the jury awards Bticino, with its Living Now series which, thanks to the extreme purity of its design and the rigor of its geometry, brings together the aesthetic research of the most advanced smart-home technologies; Velux with the Velux Active building automation system, which allows for control of roof windows with voice activation or a simple tap from the app; FruitsJurgenswith System M, the pivoting door hinge offering an interesting aesthetic solution combined with perfect movement.
The absolute protagonist of the Wellness category is the Jacuzzi brand, with its whirlpool bath tub with Skyline™ chromotherapy designed by Dna Kaluderovic & Condini.
During the Open Day scheduled for 20 November at Archiproducts Milano, in via Tortona 31, the winners will receive a limited edition object designed by the Spanish duo Mut Design, together with the ‘Archiproducts Design Awards Winner 2018’ certificate.