Meet the Architects, the Designers, the Photographers, the Editors and the Creative Directors included in the 2019 Jury and discover what they’re looking forward to finding in this year’s entries
We have selected over 50 professionals for the jury of the Archiproducts Design Awards 2019, including some of the world’s most influential Architecture Studios, Designers, Creative Directors, Editors and Photographers. A multidisciplinary commission mainly consisting of Architects, those at the cutting edge when it comes to Design and the real “product judges”. People whose everyday job is to evaluate the material and formal features of a product,, from Furniture to Lighting to Finishes and Coverings, on a quest for the most suitable solutions to include within a project. Alongside them, creative talents who innovate, dare and experiment with never-before-seen combinations from the worlds of Design, Fashion and Art.
One of the jury members, Satoshi Kurosaki, claims he wishes to reward “creativity, functionality and how well the design of the product is expressed with stories” while Marcio Kogan prefers those products that focus on “quality and a return to simplicity”. Two of this year’s jury members who have told us about what they expect to find in the entries, the criteria based on which they will choose the Winners and above all which direction they hope contemporary product Design will take. The answer, in this case, turned out to be the same for many of them: sustainable solutions, with innovative products able to improve the world.
Research, aesthetics and functionality. Talking to Architects
This year, 28 architects have been selected, some confirmed from previous years and some new faces who have agreed to join the ADA 2019 jury. Each of them has a different standard of judgement, but all agree on rewarding experimentation and the quest for sustainable materials, ethical production methods and ideas at the service of new needs.
The new entries this year include Italian Compasso d’Oro winner Piero Lissoni, on the jury for the first time, along with Marco Piva, who hopes for innovative entries, with products which are “not necessarily aimed at mass production”. They are joined by the portuguese Manuel Aires Mateus (founder @Aire Mateus & Associados), Arthur Casas from Brazil, David Rockwell, Yama Karim (partner @Studio Libeskind) and Matthew Grzywinsky from the USA, Francine Houben (founding partner @Mecanoo) from Holland, Roxanne Kayl (Senior Associate @SAOTA) from South Africa, Carlos Ferrater from Spain and Federico Delrosso from Milan, who is especially interested in the “originality of the design”. Back to examine the entries for the second year running areBen Van Berkel from the Netherlands,Satoshi Kurosaki (founder @APOLLO Architects & Associates) from Japan, Marcio Kogan, the Architect from Rio, Fran Silvestre from Spain, Pitsou Kedem from Israel and Andrew Trotter from the United Kingdom.
“We are excited to be judging this year’s entries,” say Lukas Rungger and Stefan Rier fromnoa*-network of architecture, one of the Architecture Studio on the jury for 2019. Alongside them, Cristophe Penasse and Ana Milena Hernández Palacios from Masquespacio, who expect “products able to seduce with the right mix of aesthetics and functionality”. They are joined by the Studios Quincoces-Dragò, Cruz y Ortiz Arquitectos, Pedevilla Architects, LAN, Studio Milo, Studio Truly Truly, MUT Design, Studiopepe, Zaven and Studio Testo. In addition, the Turin-based Marcante Testa, who also see the Archiproducts Design Awards also as an opportunity for “smaller entities and artisans to gain visibility”, Leonardo Cavalli and Giulio De Carli from One Works who believe in “sustainability as the central theme of a Design Award, together with innovation”, and the Canadian Atelier Barda, who sees design as a “way of talking to emotions”.
The ADAs 2019 according to the designers
“Design should inspire people to do better and live better.” These are the words with which Matthew McCormick, from Toronto, joins the jury of the Archiproducts Design Awards 2019.“Design awards are important on many levels and Archiproducts has always done a commendable job in advocating for good design.” Alongside him, the eclectic Job Smeets, founder of Studiojob, who is looking for “the new Picasso in Design”, Zebulon Perron from Canada – who strongly believes that “a truly elegant design is one that integrates timelessness, durability, sustainability and purpose” – Alain Gilles and Anne Sophie Goneau from France, Todd Bracher from the USA and the Italian designer Paola Navone, Art Director for Gervasoni, who hopes to find products with“visionary creativity, able to exploit new technologies”.“Contemporary product Design must be creative, not only in the design of new products but also in the production and distribution methods, providing low-tech design through reasoned production,” says Florence Bourel, the French designer returning as a jury member for the second year. While for Andrés Reisinger the key to success “is a slight strangeness”. Because “today, the focus is no longer on the product itself, but on behaviors.”
Creativity and Innovation.The Winning Combination for Photographers, Editor and Creative Directors
“I have no expectations, I want to be surprised. I’ll behave like a child receiving a gift, because good design is like a beautiful gift.” These are the words of Federico Babina, the Italian Designer and Graphic Designer talking about his participation on the 2019 ADA jury. “There must always be an unexpected idea able to surprise us, and this is what I will reward”– continues Babina –“objects that amaze me with their ability to bring fantasy and imagination to life.” The Spanish photographer Fernando Alda, on the other hand, believes that the focus should be on “the product’s impact on people’s quality of life and its ability to improve it. I prefer Design that promotes innovation and the use of sustainable materials.” Rossana Orlandi, one of the members of this year’s jury, knows this well, and during the last edition of the Fuorisalone in Milan, she turned the spotlight on sustainability and plastic in design with the GuiltLess Plastic initiative. Of the same opinion is the curator Alice Stori Liechtenstein, who believes that “eco-friendly and useful design, which successfully combines aesthetics and functionality,” is the worthy winner, as does photographer Ema Peter. “I‘ll reward entries that lead in innovation and are focused on leading in sustainability ,” Ema tells us. “We are in an extremely critical period and we have to direct our creativity towards solutions that allow us to take care of the environment and the planet we live on.” Miruna Sorescu – founder of Sindroms – on the other hand, wants “to see what stands at the core of each product. I’m interested in the story that form, colour, material and function tell together.” Also on the jury will be photographers Fernando Guerra and Federico Cedrone, creative directors Natalie Shirinian and Azamit, Threefold and the Italian artist Edoardo Tresoldi.
Creativity and innovation are values in which also the Italian brand De Castelli believes as partner of the Archiproducts Design Awards 2019, in charge of the limited edition manufacturing of this year’s trophy. The brand has always supported the work of Designers, believing in the value of a two-handed project – pairing the brand and the Designer, who is given full creative freedom. A vital component in shaping products that play on and highlight the beauty of a natural material such as metal, with a particularly significant aesthetic potential. The result is unique, one-of-a-kind objects in terms of colouring, shading and processing techniques.
Nominate your products!
Every year, over 500 top brands and emerging talents join the Archiproducts Design Awards and submit their products to the leading actors of the Design industry. Don’t miss out the chance to be among this edition’s Winners and get the trophy designed by MUT Design and manufactured by De Castelli, partner the 2019 ADA! From Furniture to Lighting, from Contract to Constructions, submit from 1 to 5 products, choosing from those you’ve presented this year. Choose carefully and enter the competition now! Find out more on awards.archiproducts.com.