The winners of the Porada International Design Award 2024 have been announced, celebrating excellence in furniture design with a focus on bed concepts. Now in its twelfth edition, the competition is promoted by Porada, a leading Italian furniture company, and POLI.design, a consortium of the Politecnico di Milano, under the patronage of ADI (Association for Industrial Design).
The competition attracted 652 applicants and 418 project submissions from around the world, with designers from Italy, France, Germany, Denmark, India, Japan, the USA, and many more showcasing their creativity.
The prize-giving ceremony will take place on Wednesday, 5 March 2025, at Porada's showroom in Milan (Via Borgospesso 18).
Award winners and prizes
A jury of esteemed industry professionals selected the winners across two categories – Professionals and Students – alongside special mentions.
Professionals category
- 1st Prize (€3,000): Nicolas de Vismes – KOYA
- 2nd Prize (€2,000): Andrea Ferri – YUNA
- 3rd Prize (€1,000): Stefano Airaghi – SPINDLE
Students category
- 1st Prize (€2,000): Anna Eerdmans (Ravensbourne University London) – BOSCO
- 2nd Prize (€1,200): Advay Gupta (Istituto Marangoni Milano) – BARCA
- 3rd Prize (€800): Jacob Zettersten (Royal Danish Academy, Copenhagen) – OASIS
Special mentions
- "Giacomo Allievi" Special Mention (€1,000): Alessia Pagotto & Valeria Francescato – SOFIA
- Special Mention: Susanna Rocca – VELOUTÉ
Winning designs: a fusion of craftsmanship and innovation
The first-prize winner in the Professionals category, KOYA by Nicolas de Vismes, draws inspiration from traditional Japanese wooden structures. Designed for versatility, it can be reconfigured into four different layouts, making it adaptable for various spaces. Crafted in stained solid oak and leather, it offers a minimalist yet highly functional sleeping environment.
The first-prize winner in the Students category, BOSCO by Anna Eerdmans, takes cues from organic forms found in nature. Its curved wooden structure, available in Moka-stained ash or Canaletto walnut, is partially revealed through openings in the removable wool fabric upholstery, highlighting the artisanal craftsmanship. The jury praised its modular approach and material experimentation.
Jury and evaluation criteria
The jury included prominent figures from Porada, POLI.design, ADI, media, and the design industry, such as:
- Tiziano Allievi (President of Porada)
- Bruno Allievi (Former President of Porada)
- Roberto de Paolis (POLI.design)
- Umberto Cabini (Vice President of ADI)
- Maria Tber (Divanya Luxury)
- Otmane Lazraq (Lazraq Studio)
- Valentina Raggi (AD Italia)
- Julian Tiefenbacher (Elle Decoration Germany)
- Marco Grassi (Artist)
Projects were assessed based on originality, innovation, craftsmanship, material experimentation, and adaptability to contemporary design needs.
Porada's commitment to design excellence
Following the jury's deliberations, Tiziano Allievi, President of Porada, expressed his enthusiasm for the competition's success:
'The Porada International Design Award is one of the most exciting opportunities for exchange and dialogue throughout the year. Having the chance to observe and evaluate projects designed by creatives from all over the world is not only professionally enriching but also a source of personal growth for each of us. We are very happy with this year's results, and we are especially pleased to see some familiar names among the student winners — participants who have already stood out in past editions. We wish all participants a bright professional future.'
More information:
Porada
[email protected]
www.porada.it
POLI.design
[email protected]
www.polidesign.net