Combo Bench and Obsidian Chair has been named Dezeen Awards China 2023 design project of the year following the announcement of all four design winners at this evening’s ceremony.
The four design winners were crowned at the first Dezeen Awards China ceremony. Launched this year, Dezeen Awards China shines a spotlight on the best Chinese architecture, interiors and design, providing international recognition from around the globe.
Combo Bench and Obsidian Chair crowned project of the year
Combo Bench and Obsidian Chair by Yann Design Studio was awarded the design project of the year and furniture design of the year.
The judges praised the design, which uses traditional cotton gauze to replace fibreglass, a common type of fibre-reinforced plastic used in industrial manufacturing.
“This approach was inspired by the traditional lacquer craftsmanship, which gives the industrial material a hand-made feel,” the judges said. “The warmth also improves the sustainability of fibreglass resin production. It is a good example of contemporary design in recent years.”
“The Combo Bench and Obsidian Chair are elegant and have the potential to become one of the few classics in recent years.”
This contemporary design won design project of the year 2023
Other winners include design practice Lightspace for its sci-fi-inspired sit-stand desk and Uncertain Lab for its aluminium 24-tile ring light.
Entries were judged by a jury made up of Hong Kong-based designer Michael Young, Beijing-based designer Frank Chou, industrial designer Min Chen, Dutch designer Carole Baijings and Design Shanghai event director Zhuo Tan.
Read about the winning design projects on the Dezeen Awards China website or continue below:
Photo by Yann Design Studio
Design project of the year 2023 and furniture design of the year 2023: Combo Bench and Obsidian Chair by Yann Design Studio
The Combo Bench and Obsidian Chair are two indoor furniture products made by designer Yann Pu where fibreglass has been replaced by cotton gauze resin as the main material used for both pieces.
According to the practice, replacing fibreglass with cotton gauze significantly reduces the health hazards associated with dust during the production process, as well as creating a unique surface finish.
“Fibreglass-reinforced plastic products are widely used in the furniture industry due to their numerous advantages,” said Yann Design Studio. “However, during the production and polishing processes, they generate harmful dust particles that pose serious health risks to humans.”
“We hope designers can pay more attention to process optimisation and care for workers during the production phase,” added the studio.
Photo by LightSpace
Workplace design of the year 2023: Titan by LightSpace
Furniture company LightSpace was crowned workplace design of the year for its futuristic adjustable desk with embedded storage units.
The office furniture is equipped with a sunken sub-cabinet with high-tech fingerprint locks that are both convenient to operate and strong.
“The design of the Titan desk is inspired by the elements of the high-altitude tower in the science fiction movie, Oliver,” LightSpace told Dezeen.
“The desk can switch between sitting and standing – two different office postures – at any time, which has better health promotion for the body and is reflected in this product.”
Product design of the year 2023: Blue Sky Lab by Nio Life
Automotive company Nio‘s lifestyle brand has launched Blue Sky Lab, a sustainable fashion sub-label that transforms its vehicle fabric waste into a wearable collection.
Seat belts, airbags and leather from automobile manufacturing are recycled into a fashion collection first revealed during Shanghai fashion week.
“Blue Sky Lab is a sustainable fashion brand under Nio Life and is committed to creating fashion items based on the principles of sustainable development,” said Nio Life.
“It is also the brand’s vision to practice the concept of sustainable fashion and promote the popularity of earth-friendly products and the development of the sustainable fashion industry.”
Read more about Blue Sky Lab ›
Photo by Uncertain Lab
Lighting design of the year 2023: Yuhui by Uncertain Lab for Bias
Studio Uncertain Lab won lighting design of the year for its programme-controlled light that mimics the hues of dusk and dawn.
The lamp, designed for lighting brand Bias, is formed of a fine-textured metal plate imposed on a colour-changing LED strip, informed by the passing of time.
“The starting point of Yuhui’s design is about the feeling of time,” Uncertain Lab told Dezeen.
“The programme-controlled light that travels through the quartz pillars appears intermittently like the afterglow of sunrise and sunset, just like the fleetingness of all beautiful things and like the cycle of life.”
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.
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