Here are the first names of the eco-design experts who will assess the most environmentally sustainable products nominated for the eighth edition of the Archiproducts Design Awards
London-based design studio Retrouvius, Aplat founder Shujan Bertrand, RoPLASTIC Prize creators Rossana Orlandi and Nicoletta Brugnoni, and landscape architect Tao Zhang are among the jurors for the ADA 2023 Sustainability Award.
Rossana Orlandi and Nicoletta Brugnoni, Shujan Bertrand, Tao Zhang and Maria Speake and Adam Hills
Submissions are officially open for the eighth edition of the Archiproducts Design Awards, celebrating design excellence worldwide!
The ADA 2023 Sustainability Award jury of experts in eco and sustainable design will be asked to evaluate brands committed to minimising emissions and the product’s environmental footprint throughout its lifecycle, using sustainable and recyclable materials.
For this edition, the Sustainability Award will be accompanied for the first time by a special new trophy, a sculptural object designed by the AMDL CIRCLE studio headed by Michele De Lucchi and produced by Riva 1920 in Lebanese cedar wood.
Retrouvius on the jury of the ADA 2023 Sustainability Award
Adam Hills and Maria Speake, founders of London-based Retrouvius, join the ADA 2023 Sustainability Award Jury. Their story began in the 1990s as a response to the shock of seeing the demolition of so many buildings in Glasgow while attending university. Their mission is to inspire and enable clients to embrace reuse as a design preference and lifestyle choice, emphasising the sensory and expressive value of reused materials.
“We aim to satisfy customers and educate them simultaneously. We offer simple, practical advice that helps people understand how buildings are constructed and how the materials are used”. In this way, the company applies the Retrouvius ethos to all types of buildings, whether a contemporary penthouse, a medieval monastery, a yacht or a boutique, because “patina, scars and wrinkles communicate the texture of time and use. Recycled materials have a tactile personality and an emotional value that make them unique and fundamental,” they say.
Maria Speake and Adam Hills – Co-Founder Retrouvius
Shujan Bertrand on the jury of the ADA 2023 Sustainability Award
San Francisco-based industrial designer Shujan Bertrand, founder of Aplat, has also been confirmed as a member of the ADA 2023 Sustainability Jury.
Bertrand is committed to creating sustainable products and practices that align with the simplicity of nature and inspire positive change.
Aplat offers zero-waste design products focused on food, wine and the garden. Through circular design principles, Aplat aims to change the way people live and the way industries produce.
Founder Shujan Bertrand, on this year’s Sustainability Jury, refers to the principles of origami and the golden ratio to create new approaches to design and reduce pre-consumer waste in cutting and sewing factories. Aplat’s waste-free patterns are made without plastic, rubber or metal; they are fully biodegradable and made from 100% organic cotton using recycled fibres. Every product is made with care and attention in San Francisco.
Shujan Bertrand, Founder & CEO Aplat
Rossana Orlandi and Nicoletta Brugnoni on the jury of the ADA 2023 Sustainability Award
Also on the ADA 2023 Sustainability Jury are Italian gallery owner Rossana Orlandi, founder of the acclaimed space on Via Matteo Bandello in Milan, and her daughter Nicoletta Orlandi Brugnoni.
The two initiated the RoGUILTLESSPLASTIC project, which aims to raise awareness of sustainability and responsibility within the international creative community. The project’s highlight is the Ro Plastic Prize competition, which encourages designers to create sustainable and emotionally resonant works using recycled, reused and upcycled waste materials.
Rossana Orlandi and Nicoletta Brugnoni – Co-founders Galleria Rossana Orlandi and Guiltlessplastic Project
Tao Zhang on the jury of the ADA 2023 Sustainability Award
Tao Zhang, the ADA 2023 Sustainability Jury member, is the Chairman of the Design Culture Section of the Sasaki Board of Directors and the Administrator of the Non-Profit Branch of the Sasaki Foundation.
With a background in ecology and landscape architecture, Tao is dedicated to ecological design and strives to bridge the gap between practice and science. A solid scientific foundation and a deep understanding of the socio-ecological context enrich his creative approach.
Zhang strongly believes in critical thinking and independent research. As a supervisor of Sasaki’s research initiatives, he has led collaborations with academic institutions and promoted research within the firm. In addition to his practice, Zhang has taught landscape architecture at the Rhode Island School of Design and has been a lecturer and studio critic at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design and other universities in the United States and abroad.
Tao Zhang, ASLA, PLA, LEED AP ND, SITES AP; Chair of Design Culture | Principal
How to enter
The call for entries for the 2023 edition of the Archiproducts Design Awards is officially open!
Each brand can nominate between 1 and 5 products, from furniture to lighting, from contract to building.
Those who also want to compete for the title of Winner Sustainability ADA 2023 must declare their candidacy and provide documentation demonstrating the use of sustainable materials and technologies.
The deadline for submissions is 8 September 2023.
In October, the long list of proposals for the final phase of the Award will be announced.
Winners will be revealed in November.