The Milan-based architect and designer is ready to judge the 2021 Archiproducts Design Awards
Piero Lissoni, internationally renowned architect, designer and art director, acknowledged master of contemporary design, is on the jury of the new edition of the Archiproducts Design Awards.
We asked Piero Lissoni, a 2021 Archiproducts Design Awards jury member, a few questions about his personal point of view on the state of innovation in the world of design and his expectations from this year’s contestants.
The importance of a home designed with quality and care. A rational approach that includes an ‘anarchic’ component. A touch of genius. Sustainable objects designed to stand the test of time. This is how Piero Lissoni imagines the future of design.
These qualities define his style – characterised by lightness and freedom – that never loses its rigour and sobriety. His tailor-made approach interprets lifestyle changes and the needs of users and their spaces- from the home to the nautical world to public space – while maintaining his stylistic identity and a clearly recognisable visual image.
Piero Lissoni is the subject of our weekly appointment with the jurors of this year’s edition of the Archiproducts Design Awards, promoted by Archiproducts to celebrate excellence in international design.
Interview with Piero Lissoni, on the jury of the 2021 Archiproducts Design Awards
What do you expect from the submissions, and what characteristics should the winning products have?
I’m looking forward to finding a combination of innovation, beauty, exploration and the feeling that products designed today will stand the test of time. Certainly nothing temporary or ‘trendy’.
What should contemporary design look at, and how should it evolve to meet the community’s needs?
Design is an extraordinary discipline. There has to be a perfect balance between rational models and an anarchic ability to change languages to be able to look to the future.
In the post-pandemic era, how can design define a ‘new normal’?
The role of furniture is the same – a chair is always a chair! I hope that people’s attention to their homes will change, allowing domestic space to regain its dignity, perhaps by investing more money in it. Without speaking in purely financial terms, I hope for a return to better quality.
How do you think the pandemic has affected design?
I don’t think there will be any substantial changes in design. What might change is our approach. I hope we will look for more sustainable solutions, pay more attention to environmental issues, and take them more seriously. While this process had already been initiated, the pandemic has accelerated it.
About Piero Lissoni
Piero Lissoni is the founder of Lissoni & Partners with offices in Milan and New York and a 30-year history of developing international projects in architecture, landscape, interiors, product and graphic design. He is also responsible for the art direction of some of the world’s most influential brands, including Alpi, B&B Italia, Boffi, Living Divani, Lema, Lualdi, Porro and Sanlorenzo, for whom he also designs a wide range of products.
His most important architectural and interior design projects include The Ritz-Carlton Residences in Miami Beach (2020), the Grand Park Hotel in Croatia (2019), the restyling of the historic Camparino bar in the Galleria in Milan (2019), The Middle House for the Swire Hotels group in Shanghai (2018), The Oberoi Al Zorah Beach Resort Ajman in the United Arab Emirates (2017), the 240-unit Oceana Bal Harbour condominium in Miami (2017), the Casa Fantini hotel on the shores of Lake Orta (2017), the Sanlorenzo SX112 (2020), SX76 (2018) and SX88 (2017) yachts, the Conservatorium Hotel in Amsterdam (2012), the renovation of the historic Teatro Nazionale in Milan (2009), headquarters for Boffi, Cassina, Fantini, Glas Italia, Living Divani and the Sanlorenzo shipyards in La Spezia and Ameglia.
Current projects include a large hotel complex in Beijing for Shangri-La, new hotels and residences in Moscow and Budapest and, in the same city, a large mixed-use office and residential project. Some residential projects are under development overseas, like the Oakridge Residences in Vancouver, Canada, and Arborea Itaim in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Piero Lissoni has received numerous awards, including the Good Design Award, the Red Dot Award and the Compasso d’Oro ADI. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the MAXXI National Museum in Rome, a member of the Advisory Board and visiting professor at Milan Polytechnic. He is also an Honorary Member of the Altagamma International Council.
Entries for the 2021 edition of the award are open!
Any brand can nominate from 1 to 5 products, from Furniture to Lighting to Contract to Building.
The deadline is 10 September 2021.
APPLY NOW!
Piero Lissoni Ph. © Veronica Gaido
Lissoni & Partners Ph. © Veronica Gaido
Tavolo Materic di Piero Lissoni per Porro
Rivestimento in pietra ‘Stone Tatami’ di Piero Lissoni per Salvatori
Divano e sedie da esterni Borea di Piero Lissoni per B&B Italia
Cucina componibile ‘Combine’ di Piero Lissoni per Boffi
Camparino in Galleria, Milano 2020. Ph. © Santi Caleca
Shangri-La Shougang Park, Beijing Pechino / Cina / 2022. Render Courtesy © Lissoni&Partners