Back and better than ever for the 12th year, the Surface Design Awards are now open for entries. Organised by Surface Design Show, the Awards highlight the work of industry’s leading architects and designers, judged by professionals in the same design sectors. The Surface Design Awards aim to celebrate and promote excellence in material innovation from across the UK and around the globe.
The Awards receive global recognition, attracting 130 entries from 12 different countries, displaying the most impressive use of materials in, and on, architectural and interior projects from around the world.
The 2024 Awards are to be judged by an expert panel, co-chaired by Charlotte McCarthy, Head of Interiors at Heatherwick Studio and Nimi Attanayake, Director & co-founder of NimTim Architects. The judging panel is made up of architects and interior designers, all of whom have made a name for themselves in the industry. Some of the panellists alongside Charlotte and Nimi include Carly Sweeney, the Director of Universal Design Studio, Chris Laing, an Architectural Designer, Activist, Consultant, Founder of Signstrokes and Deaf Architecture Front and Gurmeet Sian, Architect and Founder of Office Sian.
Working together, the judges will determine the 2024 Award winners in eight categories: Commercial Building, Housing, Landscape + Public Realm, Light + Surface, Public Building, Temporary Structure, Architectural Photography and new for 2024, Product of the Year Award.
Last year, 43 projects from 10 different counties were selected as finalists for the 2023 Awards, varying from an office in Haryana Sate in India, to a temporary installation in a pedestrian park in Jiaxing in China as well as projects in the UK.
The judges were impressed by the high quality of entries and made an unprecedented decision to crown two entries as the Supreme Winners. Monc by Nina & Co with Smile Plastic, London, UK and Glade of Light by BCA Landscape, Manchester, UK were both enthroned as the Surface Design Awards Supreme Winner 2023.
To welcome and encourage entries from both small and large practises or projects from around the world, the Surface Design Awards are free to enter. All shortlisted and winning entries will benefit from recognition on multiple platforms – through judging panel exposure, social media, the Surface Design Show website as well as the physical show itself taking place in February, where a huge community of thousands of architects and designers will gather.
The closing date for Surface Design Award entries is Friday 29th September 2023.
Judging will take place mid-November 2023 and finalists will be notified by late-November. The eventual winners will be announced on the final day of the Surface Design Show at London’s Business Design Centre on Thursday 8th February 2024.