The Salone del Mobile in Milan, since 1998, provides a special space for young designers under 35: the SaloneSatellite is a way to put young, creative minds in touch with the companies taking part in the fair. Since 2010 there is also the SaloneSatellite Award, to support the relationship between research, design, ingenuity and the industrial dimension.
For the iteration of 2022 the jury decided to reward three projects that stand out for their message, focusing not only on incisive forms but also on values of sustainability and inclusion. Two honorable mentions were also assigned to two young designers, with an accent on the same values.
First prize was for the Nigerian designer Lani Adeoye, with a project called RemX: a walker that also conveys a sense of dignity, giving force to the people who use the object on a daily basis. A product that manages to be pleasant to use, sustainable and in tune with the environment.
The jury emphasized how RemX is able to “wed elegance and dignity in a useful object for all. A valid example of contemporary crafts that combines local workmanship with global design inspiration.” Finally, they stated that the project “responds in an incisive, simple way to the theme of the SaloneSatellite 2022: Designing for our future selves.
Second prize went to Belgium is Design / Studio Gilles Werbrouck and their creation: Lamps. This is a limited edition of lamps made by bringing together two different techniques. White plaster is poured onto black crocheted VHS tape, generating a one-off: the crocheted shade and a plaster cylinder.
“The project – the jury remarked – uses memory, combining elements of playfulness, craftsmanship and design. The result is a handsome object, appealing and functional, but also sustainable due to the material utilized and its workmanship.”
The third award was assigned to the Serbian designer Djurdja Garčević. Her project – titled Meenghe – starts with the use of tire shavings to shape urban furnishings such as litter bins, bumpers, planters, stools, etc. The aim is to prevent the use of virgin materials for such objects, while eliminating refuse.
Meenghe is a “crossover project that focuses on extension of product life cycle, in a friendly interpretation of the product based on the material itself, namely recycled tires. The project facilitates the perception of urban furniture as a sustainable feature of the city, which is also enjoyable on an aesthetic level.”
The first special mention for 2022 was assigned to the Finnish designer Rasmus Palmgren with his Ease Chair. This creation has been conceived as a balance point between material, comfort and looks. It is a strong but also light, comfortable and stackable chair. The structure, as a key element of the design, adds a decidedly exclusive character.
“Simple, well-designed, satisfying and functional for use,” the jurors explained, clarifying that it is an “item ready to go into production.”
The second special mention of SaloneSatellite 2022, finally, went to the Italian designer (based in Munich) Emanuele Ferraro, with his Atelier Ferraro. The project is called +1.5 Celsius: a chair that is also a chameleon of sustainability. Thanks to its flexibility and image, it can be transformed into various furnishing elements, reutilizing scrap from particle board. The creation of Atelier Ferraro “is a contemporary project that responds to the needs of small space thanks to its constructive flexibility, expressed through good design,” the jury concluded.
Per tutte le fotografie © Ludovica Mangini
