Introducing some of the first names of the eco-design experts who will evaluate the most environmentally sustainable products nominated for the 9th edition of the Archiproducts Design Awards
Architect and engineer Carlo Ratti, Econcept founder Ursula Tischner and Atelier Luma artistic director Jan Boelen are among the jurors for the Sustainability Award at the 9th Arichiproducts Design Awards.
The ADA 2024 Sustainability Award aims to spotlight the most innovative products that encourage environmentally friendly practices in the design industry.
Again this year, an international jury of leading experts in eco-design and sustainable design will evaluate only those ADA 2024 submissions that excellently integrate recycling, sustainability and ecological transition policies.
The ADA 2024 Sustainability Award jury will honour brands committed to minimising pollutant emissions and environmental impact throughout a product’s lifecycle by using sustainable and recyclable materials.
Carlo Ratti on the ADA 2024 sustainability jury
Italian architect and engineer Carlo Ratti is renowned worldwide for his commitment to sustainability and urban innovation. He is the founder of Carlo Ratti Associati, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and the director of the Senseable City Lab, where he explores how digital technologies can transform cities into more sustainable and livable spaces.
Carlo Ratti Associati is known for its projects that integrate advanced technologies and sustainability. His notable works include ‘Cloud Cast’, an interactive cooling system showcased at Expo 2015 in Milan, and a project to transform disused railway lines in Milan into green spaces and sustainable mobility routes.
Recent works include ‘The Greenary’, a farmhouse converted into a home that merges the natural and the artificial, and ‘Hot Heart’, an archipelago of floating islands designed to store heat, a bold project that is poised become one of the most significant infrastructure operations of its kind.
CRA – Carlo Ratti Associati, ‘Hot Heart’, Helsinki 2028
Currently, Carlo Ratti – a member of the ADA 2024 Sustainability Jury – co-chaired the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Cities and Urbanisation. His work has been exhibited worldwide in venues such as MoMA in New York, the Venice Biennale, the Science Museum in London, Expo 2015 in Milan and Expo 2020 in Dubai. Its focus on different scales of innovation – from products to buildings to cities – has made Carlo Ratti Associati the only design firm in the world to appear on TIME’s ‘Best Inventions of the Year’ list three times (2007, 2014, 2019).
CRA – Carlo Ratti Associati, ‘The Greenary’, Mutti House Montechiarugolo, Italy, 2021
Recognised by Wired as one of the ’50 people who will change the world’, Ratti has worked with organisations such as the United Nations to promote sustainable urban development. Through his work, he continues to influence the future of cities by demonstrating how innovation can drive sustainability.
Ursula Tischner on the sustainability Jury of the Archiproducts Design Awards 2024
ADA 2024 Sustainability Jury member Ursula Tischner is a German designer and entrepreneur internationally renowned for her commitment to sustainability and eco-design. She is the founder and director of Econcept, a consultancy specialising in sustainable design and eco-product development.
With a degree in industrial design, Tischner has dedicated her career to promoting design practices that minimise environmental impact and maximise resource efficiency. Under her leadership, Econcept has collaborated with numerous companies and institutions to develop sustainable products and processes, providing innovative solutions that integrate circular economy and ecological design principles.
Tischner is a leading figure in the international sustainable design community, having participated as a speaker and consultant in many global conferences and projects. She has also trained new generations of sustainable designers, teaching globally at various universities and design institutes.
Her work has received numerous accolades and awards, highlighting her significant contribution to sustainable design. Tischner is known for her practical and innovative approach to creating eco-friendly products and transforming production processes and business models from a sustainable perspective.
Ursula Tischner’s influence on the design industry is profound. As a member of various international committees and working groups dedicated to sustainability, including the Ecodesign Council of Germany, her vision and commitment continue shaping the industry, promoting greater environmental awareness and adopting sustainable practices worldwide.
Jan Boelen on ADA 2024 Sustainability Jury
Jan Boelen is a curator of design, architecture and contemporary art and is known for his commitment to sustainability. He is currently the artistic director of Atelier LUMA, an experimental design laboratory in Arles, France that focuses on bioregional and sustainable design practices. Boelen, a member of the ADA 2024 sustainability jury, studied product design in Genk and is the founder and former artistic director of Z33 – House for Contemporary Art in Hasselt, Belgium. He also founded the Master in Social Design at the Design Academy Eindhoven, where he will teach until 2020. From 2019 to 2023, he was Rector of the Hochschule für Gestaltung Karlsruhe.
Throughout his career, Boelen has curated numerous projects and exhibitions that encourage visitors to think innovatively about everyday objects with a focus on sustainability. His major contributions include curating BIO50, the 2014 Ljubljana Design Biennale in Slovenia, the 4th Istanbul Design Biennale in 2018, and the Planet of People exhibition in the Lithuanian Pavilion at the 2021 Venice Architecture Biennale. He also initiated Manifesta 9 in Belgium in 2012.
Boelen is the author and editor of several books that explore the relationship between design, society and sustainability. These include ‘Social Matter, Social Design: For good or bad, all design is social’ (Valiz, 2020), ‘Muller Van Severen: Dialogue’ (Walther Koenig, 2021) and ‘Atelier Luma, Bioregional design practices’ (Luma, 2023).
The call for entries for the 2024 edition of the Archiproducts Design Awards is open
Each brand can submit from 1 to 5 products, from furniture and lighting to contract and building. Those who would also like to compete for the title of “Winner Sustainability ADA 2024” will have to make the nomination explicit and provide the necessary documentation demonstrating the use of sustainable materials and technologies.
The deadline for submissions is September 9, 2024.
The long list of proposals advancing to the final stage of the Awards will be announced in October.
The winners will be revealed in November.