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    Es Devlin reveals “miniature parallel practice” for New York exhibition

    Student drawings, scale models, and a life-size recreation of set designer Es Devlin’s London studio are on display at an exhibition exploring the designer’s 30-year archive at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum.

    Presented in conjunction with her debut monograph, An Atlas of Es Devlin, both exhibition and publication showcased sketches, paintings, small-scale work and more behind 120 projects spanning Devlin’s career in set design.
    An exhibit exploring Es Devlin’s career is on display at the Cooper Hewitt. Photo and top photo by Jason West”My craft is to imagine worlds that don’t yet exist, to invite audiences to practice ‘interbeing’ within psychological architectures they have not previously inhabited, to remind viewers that they are not separate but connected to one another and to the biosphere,” said Devlin.
    “For this exhibition, I have gathered the drawings, fragile paper sculptures and small-scale revolving cardboard models that I and my studio team have been making over the past three decades, a miniature parallel practice at the root of the large-scale public performance and installation works.”
    It coincides with the publishing of a monograph of the set designer’s workVisitors entered the exhibit via a recreation of Devlin’s London office, where they could sit at a central table scattered with paper and art tools representative of works in progress.

    Devlin’s voice narrated thoughts about early school days, belonging, and the intersection of creative disciplines as projections animate the space, with scribbles and writings appearing on the table’s pages and along the walls.
    The exhibit combines projections and audio recordings with scale models, sketches and notes from the designer’s life”The first thing I wanted to do was to invite visitors into my studio,” said Devlin. “Many of the people coming into this exhibition will not have a clue what it is I do or what are the processes that go into it at all.”
    “You come into the studio and already I hope you get the sense I had when I first walked into a room full of people making work like this.”
    Visitors enter through a replica of Es Devlin’s London studio before entering rooms displaying her creative process. Photo by Elliot Goldstein | Smithsonian InstitutionA projection of Devlin’s hands pulled an entryway open to the adjoining room, where Devlin’s Iris installation displayed the names of her many collaborators on a series of rings, a motif the designer often uses to “express the overlaid perspectives of creative partners and audiences”.
    The next installation displayed a wall covered in early sketches, paintings, collages, and diaries Devlin produced during her years at a music school and in her early career, which she noted were delivered to her later in life in “four big black beanbags” by an old boyfriend who had kept them.
    Both the exhibit and monograph showcase the creative process behind some 120 showsWhite, scale models of set and production designs made by Es Devlin Studio were displayed throughout succeeding rooms, accompanied by process sketches, documents and notes that include mark-ups on song lyrics by musicians Miley Cyrus, U2, The Weeknd, Beyoncé and more.
    Devlin noted that her work often begins with analyzing a “primary text” like pop-song lyrics or play before delving into further research.
    Scale models of set and production design are on display”I have spent 30 years translating words into images and spaces – transforming texts on a page into kinetic sculptures that encompass viewers with light and song and use magic to alter their perspective,” Devlin said.
    Another room contained a model theatre with a screen on its stage that displayed films of previous performances, while another displayed short films from Devlin’s various installations.

    Las Vegas Sphere represents the “iPhone-ification” of tour design says Es Devlin

    The last had a large table in which a number of Devlin’s monographs were displayed for visitors to thumb through, with pages of the recent book pinned along the walls.
    “The biggest challenge was to make the book,” Devlin told Dezeen “The book and the exhibit are kind of continuous of one another. Normally, my practice is a small group of people in my studio, resonating out to wider groups.”
    Unseen student work by Devlin also features”But this was the opposite centripetal force of drawing everything into a really small series of rooms, and a small object, the book. It’s the inverse of what I normally do.”
    According to the designer, the book-making process took nearly seven years and was edited by Cooper Hewitt associate curator of contemporary design Andrea Lipps, who also curated Devlin’s exhibit.
    Dezeen recently spoke with Es Devlin on her career, her work on the Sphere and more in an exclusive interview.
    The photography is courtesy Es Devlin Studio unless otherwise noted.
    An Atlas of Es Devlin will take place at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York from 18 Nov to 11 August 2024. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.
    Project credits:Exhibition design: Es Devlin StudioCurator: Andrea LippsCuratorial assistant: Julie PastoCuratorial interns and fellows: Madelyn Colonna, Bailey de Vries, Barbara Kasomenakis and Sophie ScottDesigners of record and fabrication: Pink SparrowGraphic design: Morcos KeyProjection and video design: Luke Halls StudioComposition and sound design: PolyphoniaLighting design: Bruno Poet and John ViestaAudiovisual production and integration: AV&C

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    Medprostor stacks firewood for Ljubljana design biennial exhibition

    Firewood logs were used as modular stackable elements for the scenography of the BIO27 Super Vernaculars design biennial in Ljubljana, Slovenia, which has been shortlisted for a 2023 Dezeen Award.

    Curated by Jane Withers, the 27th edition of the city’s design biennial took place at the Museum of Architecture and Design (MAO) in the summer of 2022.
    Firewood was stacked in various ways to stage the BIO27 Super VernacularsThe four-month presentation explored how designers and architects are adapting vernacular traditions and value systems to respond to contemporary challenges like water scarcity, waste and declining biodiversity.
    Similarly, the brief for the exhibition design was to rethink classic parameters and consider sustainability in the context of a temporary show.
    The firewood bundles were used to display various design projects throughout MAOSlovenian architecture studio Medprostor chose to create the scenography from a readily available, locally sourced material that could be entirely reused at the end of the show.

    “Walls, planes, piles and lines of firewood are a part of the Slovenian visual landscape, as almost 59 per cent of the country is forested,” said Medprostor.
    “By only using the standard logs and non-invasive stacking and binding methods, all the material was returned to the supplier for further resale and use.”
    The logs were pre-cut to standard lengths so they could be reusedPre-cut to standard lengths, the logs were oriented vertically and bound together to create tables and platforms of varying heights and sizes throughout the exhibit areas.
    Some of the logs were notched in their tops to hold photographs and texts mounted on honeycomb cardboard sheets, which also formed flat horizontal surfaces for displaying items by participating designers.
    Photos mounted onto honeycomb cardboard were placed in notches on top of the logsBundles were also laid on their sides to act as low-lying display podiums for larger pieces.
    “The aim was to explore ways of stacking wood that are based in traditional techniques but can at the same time support new shapes and methods that evoke a sense of contemporaneity,” Medprostor said.
    Orange and grey straps recycled from the shipping industry were used to bind the logsThe grey and orange straps used to bind the wood and to hang cardboard panels from the ceiling were reused from the shipping industry.
    A few panels also incorporated video screens or served as a backdrop for projections, adding another medium through which the curated projects could be articulated.

    Daisuke Yamamoto presents recycled steel chairs under Milan railway arch

    Medprostor collaborated with graphic designers Studio Kruh and AA to continue the low-impact approach to the exhibition graphics and signage, which were primarily printed on-site at the museum.
    Additionally, the firewood was able to extend its drying process for the duration of the biennial, making it more energy-efficient when finally used as fuel, according to the studio.
    Hanging panels incorporated video screens and were used as projector backdrops”The drier the wood, the higher heating value and better environmental footprint it has,” Medprostor said. “While in the museum, logs can dry additionally and be returned to the supplier for further resale with a better ecological footprint.”
    “The museum becomes a part of the process of curing the wood.”
    All of the firewood was returned to the supplier when the exhibition endedThe BIO27 Super Vernaculars scenography has been shortlisted in the exhibition design category of the 2023 Dezeen Awards, along with a shrink-wrapped exhibition design by Didier Faustino and a showcase of recycled steel chairs by Daisuke Yamamoto.
    The awards will be presented during a ceremony and party in London on Tuesday 28 November 2023, with creative direction by The Unlimited Dream Company.
    The photography is by Ana Skobe and Klemen Ilovar.
    BIO27 Super Vernaculars took place at the Museum of Architecture and Design (MAO), Ljubljana, Slovenia from 26 May to 29 September 2022. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.
    Project credits:
    Location: Museum of Architecture and Design (MAO), Ljubljana, SloveniaExhibition design: Medprostor: Rok Žnidaršič, Jerneja Fischer Knap, Katarina Čakš, Teja GorjupGraphic design: Studio Kruh + AACurator: Jane WithersAssistant curator: Ria HawthornBIO27 director: Anja Radović

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    Framery predicts focus spaces to be key office design trend in 2024

    Promotion: the need for well-considered focus spaces will come to the fore in workplace design in 2024, driven by the uptake of artificial intelligence, according to office pod brand Framery.

    Framery says that the increase in AI in the workplace will result in it taking more responsibility for mundane, repetitive tasks, resulting in the need for additional focus spaces in open-plan offices to help support employees’ deep and focused tasks.
    “If it happens how it’s expected and AI takes more responsibility for repetitive tasks, the office design should reflect this development and support deep, focused work,” said Tomi Nokelainen, head of Framery Labs, the company’s research and innovation unit.
    Framery predicts focus areas will be the key office design trend of 2024According to Framery, while post-pandemic hybrid office design placed an emphasis on the creation of collaborative spaces and “flashy common areas embodying organisational culture”, the next phase of this evolution will centre on creating areas that minimise distraction and allow for focused work.
    “It’s noteworthy that employees value focused working spaces beyond collaborative spaces,” said Nokelainen. “With work complexity on the rise, there is a heightened demand for both acoustic and visual privacy.”

    The company points to the findings of research company Leesman, which has reported that workers are still choosing to stay at home for solitary work. Leeman’s research suggested that some working activities were “better supported at home” including individual-focused work and planned meetings.
    However, Framery says that when employees have the option to work from home, that may not be sufficient to fulfil their productivity needs.
    “It can’t be assumed that all employees have the luxury of a dedicated home office room, or are willing to invest in expensive desks or ergonomic chairs,” said Nokelainen.
    Office workers value focus areas more than collaborative spaces, Framery research findsFramery, a Finnish brand, was one of the first to enter the office pods space in 2010, creating soundproof booths that drown out external distractions so that employees can undertake focused work or conduct video conferencing calls.
    According to Framery Labs’ research, focus spaces are the number one desired perk for employees that would draw them into working in the office rather than at home and they address distractions to focused work, for example, noise.
    Only 33 per cent of employees report finding noise levels satisfactory in their workplace and dissatisfaction with noise has the strongest correlation to an employee saying that the design of their workplace does not support their personal productivity.
    The pods are soundproof so external noise is not a distractionThis can be especially consequential for neurodiverse people, who constitute around 15 to 20 per cent of the global population and who can have a greater sensitivity to sensory stimuli, according to the brand.
    With workplaces becoming more inclusive, the next step will be to design them to function as “a catalyst not a barrier to productivity”, said Nokelainen, with a recognition that different people have different needs.
    “There are no one-size-fits-all focus spaces – they can be everything from silent open areas, library-like spaces, private offices or pods,” said Nokelainen. “Each role and industry has their own special needs that must be taken into account.”
    The Framery One pod is Framery’s bestselling productThese considerations can be addressed with products like the Framery One, Framery’s bestselling office pod. A single-person workstation for focused work that is also optimised for virtual meetings, it includes soft lighting and adjustable ventilation to help create a personalised environment.
    In a closed pod like this, neurodiverse people can apply “sensory integration techniques”, said Nokelainen which means incorporating the sensory tools or approaches that promote calm and focus for them.
    There are also multi-person pods like the Framery Q Flow, one of the newest models. It is designed to help enable workers to achieve the “flow” state of mind, where work feels effortless and time switches off, and includes a height-adjustable electric table so that users can shift positions without interrupting their thought process.
    The office pods come with Framery Connect, an integrated workplace management tool that supplies detailed data and analysis around how often and when they’re being used.
    The pods include the Framery Connect workplace management systemFramery says it prides itself on the quality of its soundproof office pods, as well as having been among the first to bring the product category to the market. The company launched 13 years ago after its founder – Samu Hällfors – devised a solution to address the distraction caused by his boss’s loud phone calls.
    “Our founder and CEO Samu Hällfors invented the office pod category in 2010,” said Framery. “Now we have over 200 competitors globally. To ensure we stay the market leader we are relentlessly innovating to engineer the most advanced pod in the world.”
    Framery also has a sustainable and responsible ethos and has made a commitment to converting to a circular business model.
    To find out more about Framery and its products, visit the brand’s website.
    Partnership content
    This article was written by Dezeen for Framery as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

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    Building meeting rooms costs 55 per cent more than buying office pods according to research

    Promotion: buying office pods instead of building meeting rooms could save companies in the US around $30 billion by 2030, according to research by soundproof booth manufacturer Framery and real-estate investor CBRE.

    Post-pandemic working habits are driving a transformation in office layout and design worldwide says Framery.
    More people working from home means employers are scrambling to use costly office space more effectively, while the increasing prevalence of video calls has resulted in growing demand for small, acoustically insulated meeting spaces.
    The coronavirus pandemic triggered a sea change in office layouts”Office occupiers are investing more and more into flexible spaces and different types of adjustable spaces to meet the demand of flexibility and to attract their workforce back to the office after the pandemic years’ remote working,” said CBRE’s Jussi Niemistö.
    A study by Framery and CBRE found that as well as offering options for changing office setups, pods are more cost-effective than constructing new meeting rooms.

    CBRE compared the costs associated with getting one-, four- and six-person Framery office pods with the cost of building meeting rooms of equal size in different cities around the world.
    The research indicates that many offices will need to be refurbished to accommodate new working demandsIt found that meeting pods tended to be significantly cheaper – with constructing equivalent meeting rooms costing 55 per cent more on average.
    Building a permanent phone room in a New York office is 155 per cent more expensive than getting a one-person Framery booth, according to the study.
    A separate study by real-estate firm Cushman & Wakefield found that more than 41 per cent of office space in the US is in need of refurbishment in order to support hybrid working by the end of the decade – around 241 million square metres.
    CBRE’s research indicates that meeting pods are a far cheaper option than constructing new meeting roomsFramery’s analysis based on CBRE’s research indicated that building new meeting rooms in that amount of space would cost more than $85 billion. By comparison, the same area of Framery pod space could be purchased for around $55.5 billion.
    Framery CEO Samu Hällfors also argues that meeting pods reduce office running costs.
    Framery claims to have manufactured the world’s first meeting pod”Pods are compact and make better use of existing space,” said Hällfors. “They allow for greater flexibility in rearranging and reconfiguring offices and they can be moved to a new location when needed.”
    “That all greatly reduces the lifetime costs associated with running an office, especially in larger cities with high-priced real estate,” Hällfors continued.
    Founded in 2010, Framery claims to have invented and sold the world’s first office pod, and its Framery O is the world’s best-seller.
    The study looked at costs of building meeting rooms in cities across North America, Europe and AsiaThere are now more than 200 pod manufacturers around the world, according to Hällfors.
    “The increasing demand for these office pods isn’t coming so much from management as it is from employees themselves,” he said. “Reimagining the workplace in these innovative, cost-effective ways is what is going to get employees excited to return to the office.”
    To view more about Framery and its products, visit its website.
    Partnership content
    This article was written by Dezeen for Framery as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

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    Traditional design techniques are “alive and well” in Le Salon de Septembre exhibition

    Old and new blurred together in this exhibition at Paris’ GSL Gallery, which celebrated contemporary creatives who observe design traditions of the past.

    Le Salon de Septembre was the inaugural exhibition to be held at GSL Gallery, a factory-turned-arts space in Paris’ Patin neighbourhood run by creative collective The Guild of Saint Luke.
    Guided by the motto “Remastering The Past”, the collective thought it fitting for the show to highlight the fact that traditional design techniques are “very much alive and well”.
    The exhibition showcases contemporary designers who observe design traditions of the past”These techniques are being adopted by young avant-garde artists and designers around the world to create new forms that can also be read in the context of decorative art history,” the collective’s founder, John Whelan, told Dezeen.
    “This is a subjective opinion but I think that artworks and design pieces that reference the past are drawing upon our roots, the very foundation and life force of our culture – works that attempt to break free from the past can often look ‘deracinated’ and meaningless despite their valiant effort to create a new language.”

    Pieces include this stainless steel daybed by Olivia BossyA mix of established and emerging creatives contributed pieces to the exhibition, which was curated by Whelan and interior architect Edgar Jayet.
    On the gallery’s ground floor, an ebonised blackwood and stainless steel daybed by Australian designer Olivia Bossy sat beside a lustrous aluminium lamp from designer Max Copolov.
    This drew on the work style of Weiner Werkstätte – a modernist Austrian design studio established in 1903 by painter Koloman Moser, the architect Josef Hoffmann and patron Fritz Waerndorfer.
    A glass vitrine contains a curule-style stool by Edgar Jayet and a 19th-century bento boxA glass vitrine in the same room contained an ornate bento box from 19th-century Japan and a raw aluminium stool by co-curator Jayet.
    This offered a reinterpretation of the curule seat, used in Ancient Rome by powerful magistrates.

    GSL Gallery takes over disused Parisian factory with “punk” interiors

    Upstairs on the gallery’s mezzanine, a chair by Seoul-based designer Kim Byungsub was on display.
    While its seat was made from hairline-finish steel, its backrest featured najeonchilgi: a historic Korean handicraft technique in which mother-of-pearl motifs are inlaid into lacquered surfaces.
    The gallery’s mezzanine featured this najeonchilgi chair by Kim ByungsubOther items on this level included a walnut-veneer lounger by London-based artist EJR Barnes, designed to emulate “turn-of-the-century European grandeur”.
    There was also a blackened ash, steel, and felt-laminate suspension light by London-based designer Joe Armitage, which took its cues from a floor lamp created in 1952 by his grandfather, architect Edward Armitage.
    Nearby is a walnut-veneer lounger by EJR BarnesAn array of paintings, prints and reliefs served as a backdrop to the pieces in the gallery. These nodded to the exhibition design of the 1903 edition of Salon d’Automne, an art show that takes place in Paris every year.
    “My co-curator Edgar Jayet and I were particularly interested by the avant-garde spirit of the original Salon d’Automne, which was controversial in its day, showing the Fauvists, Cubists and Futurists, as well as Charlotte Perriand and Le Corbusier in design,” explained Whelan.
    “Archival images of the original exhibition in 1903 heavily influenced our scenography, with an ebonised oak vitrine and shelf above which artworks are hung in a ramshackle, fin-de-siecle style.”
    This suspension light by Joe Armitage also comes as part of the exhibitionLike Salon d’Automne, Le Salon de Septembre will now become an annual event at GSL Gallery.
    “We hope to provide an annual snapshot of the zeitgeist in art and design, showing artists and designers that explore heritage as a means of contemporary inspiration,” concluded Whelan.
    Prior to opening GSL Gallery at the beginning of 2023, The Guild of Saint Luke specialised in reviving historic interiors and designing new ones.
    Previous projects include Nolinski, an art deco-style eatery in the French capital, and Maison Francois, a chic brasserie in London that riffs on Ricardo Bofill’s architecture.
    The photography is by Celia Spenard-Ko. 
    Le Salon de Septembre took place at 27 Rue Jacques Cottin, Pantin, Paris, from 15 September to 6 October. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.

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    Daisuke Yamamoto presents recycled steel chairs under Milan railway arch

    Japanese designer Daisuke Yamamoto presented recycled steel chairs on podiums of the same material as part of an exhibition in Milan, which has been shortlisted for a 2023 Dezeen Award.

    Yamamoto’s Flow project explores ways to minimise industrial waste by focusing on a single material – light-gauge steel (LGS).
    Daisuke Yamamoto presented his Flow chairs as part of the Dropcity showcaseCommonly used in construction as a strong, lightweight framing option, LGS is also one of the industry’s largest waste products, Yamamoto claims, as it is rarely recycled after demolition.
    The designer therefore chose to create a second life for the steel sheets and components as a series of sculptural chairs.
    The chairs were placed on podiums made from the same light-gauge steelHe also used LGS to form platforms for showcasing the seating designs as part of an exhibition at Milan design week 2023 that has been shortlisted in the exhibition design category of this year’s Dezeen Awards.

    “This project began with the awareness that everyday recycled construction materials are disposed of, then new construction begins – a so-called ‘scrap and build’,” Yamamoto said.
    Each of the recycled steel chairs had a different form”Using the iconic LGS material – one of the most popular materials normally used in framing systems throughout the interior wall structure – we transformed it into beautifully redesigned furniture, giving the materials a second chance,” he added.
    The exhibition formed part of the Dropcity showcase, which took place inside the Magazzini Raccordati spaces at Milan Central Station during the design week in April.
    A workshop bench was also placed at the centre of the spaceThese empty railway arches have a dilapidated, industrial aesthetic with peeling floors, stained tilework and exposed utilities.
    Yamamoto chose to leave the vaulted room largely as he found it but placed a series of platforms in two rows, upon which he presented the series of chairs.

    Six key trends from Milan design week 2023

    Track lighting was installed overhead to spotlight the elevated designs, each of which has a slightly different shape.
    In the centre of the exhibition, a workshop bench also built from lightweight gauge steel was used to fabricate more chairs during live demonstrations between Yamamoto and craft artist Takeo Masui.
    Yamamoto and Takeo Masui built more recycled steel chairs during live demonstrations”This is a landfill, a place where a volume of used LGS is collected,” Yamamoto said. “A place where the designer and craftsmen work hand in hand to recreate what was bound to be disposed into something new, a process of disassembling to re-assemble.”
    The intention was to not only showcase the material’s capabilities for reuse but also to allow visitors to engage with the process and ask wider questions about how society deals with waste.
    The demonstrations allowed visitors to engage with the processUsing waste materials produced by other industries was a key trend that Dezeen spotted during this year’s Milan Design Week, with designers and studios including Formafantasma, Prowl Studio, Atelier Luma and Subin Seol all looking to reduce the environmental impact of their products.
    The photography is by Takumi Ota.
    Future Landfill took place at Magazzini Raccordati from 15 to 23 April 2023 as part of Milan Design Week. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.

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    D/Dock creates immersive exhibition space inside 19th-century Amsterdam gasworks

    Creative studio D/Dock has transformed a hall inside Amserdam’s former Westergasfabriek gasworks into Fabrique des Lumières – billed as the largest immersive art centre in the Netherlands.

    Commissioned by Parisian company Culturespaces, D/Dock’s design and build team transformed the double-height 3,800-square-metre hall into an exhibition space where bright, colourful artworks are projected across the floor and walls.
    D/Dock transformed a gasworks hall into an immersive exhibition spaceThe space can be adapted through the use of movable seating and adjustable sound and light systems to suit the needs of various exhibitions on everything from space travel to the work of architect Antoni Gaudí.
    “[The space] serves as a versatile canvas set against an industrial backdrop, where over 100 projectors and speakers transform the venue into dynamic worlds, from a lively jungle to an interstellar journey or an evocative art gallery, offering a spectrum of cultural and sensory experiences adaptable to various exhibitions,” managing director of D/Dock Sven Butteling told Dezeen.
    The 17-metre-tall exhibition space has a viewing platform and moveable seatingTo achieve a continuous space suitable for light projections, any openings of the 1885 building were closed up with cladding and painted to blend in with the existing brick interior.

    Taking advantage of the building’s height and scale, an internal staircase wraps around the rear facade and leads to a raised platform providing views of the main space.
    Newly built elements echo the building’s industrial heritageTwo newly built pavilions provide more enclosed immersive experiences within the main exhibition space while also operating as projection surfaces in the main hall.
    Among them is the mirror pavilion, which D/Dock clad in mirrored panels and shiny flooring tiles to create “an infinite projection space”.

    Paris’ first digital museum of fine art finds home in 19th-century foundry

    During construction, the building’s interior was carefully restored to maintain its industrial character, with the addition of newly built and digital elements creating a contemporary arts centre that blends the old and new.
    The addition of lightweight insulation on the roof and windows, as well as acoustic and fire-rated doors, helped to enhance the energy performance of the hall.
    Pavilions provide enclosed immersive spaces for visitorsD/Dock is a creative studio of architects, artists, designers and engineers based in Amsterdam.
    Fabrique des Lumières has been shortlisted in the architectural lighting design category of the Dezeen Awards 2023. Also in the running is the glowing facade that ArandaLasch created for a Dior store outside of Doha, Qatar.
    The photography is by Ossip van Duivenbode, Marijn van Laerhoven and Eric Spiller.

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    Dezeen Awards China 2023 Designers of the Year shortlist revealed

    Dezeen has announced the Designers of the Year shortlist for the inaugural Dezeen Awards China, which includes Mario Tsai, OPEN Architecture and Ziin Life.

    The Designers of the Year award rewards the best emerging and established talent or studio across architecture, interiors and design, and recognises those whose innovative work has made a notable impact on the design, interiors and architecture industry in China.
    18 studios shortlisted across six categories
    The 18 shortlisted names, which are in the running for awards in six different Designers of the Year categories, include Beijing-based Vector Architects, shortlisted for architect of the year, Chengdu-based MUDA Architects, shortlisted for emerging interior designer of the year and Shanghai-based Studio Kae shortlisted for emerging designer of the year.
    Other shortlisted studios have designed projects such as a cultural centre with sweeping white-concrete geometries, a modular lighting system informed by scaffolding and a playful fashion boutique which references tailoring motifs.

    All Dezeen Awards China 2023 shortlisted projects revealed
    The Designers of the Year were nominated and shortlisted by Dezeen Awards China judges and Dezeen’s editorial team.
    This is the first edition of Dezeen Awards China, which is in partnership with Bentley Motors. This is the final shortlist revealed this week. The architecture, interiors and design shortlists were unveiled earlier this week.
    Above: Vector Architects Studio by Vector Architects. Photo by Vector Architects. Top: Shenzhen Fuqiang Elementary School by People’s Architecture Office. Photo by People’s Architecture OfficeAll shortlisted Designers of the Year are listed below, each with a link to a dedicated page on the Dezeen Awards China website where you can find an image and more information about the designer.
    The winner of each category will be announced at a party in Shanghai in December.
    Read on for the full Designers of the Year shortlist:
    Shanfeng Academy by OPEN Architecture. Photo by Jonathan LeijonhufvudArchitect of the year
    › OPEN Architecture› People’s Architecture Office› Vector Architects
    Haikou Xixiu Park Visitor Center by MUDA Architects. Photo by Arch-Exist and Archi-translatorEmerging architect of the year
    › HCCH Studio› MUDA Architects› Roarc Renew Architects
    Ravine by A Work of Substance. Photo by A Work of SubstanceInterior designer of the year
    › AIM Architecture› A Work of Substance› Vermilion Zhou Design Group
    Som Land Hostel by RooMoo Design Studio. Photo by RooMoo Design StudioEmerging interior designer of the year
    › FOG Architecture› Office AIO› Roomoo Design Studio
    Building within building series by Ziin Life. Photo by Ziin LifeDesigner of the year
    › Mario Tsai› U+› Ziin Life
    DONG Series by Restudio. Photo by RestudioEmerging designer of the year
    › MMR Studio› Restudio› Studio KAE
    Dezeen Awards China 2023
    Dezeen Awards China is the first regional edition of Dezeen Awards, to celebrate the best architecture, interiors and design in China. The annual awards are in partnership with Bentley Motors, as part of a wider collaboration that will see the brand work with Dezeen to support and inspire the next generation of design talent in China.

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