design miami basel: designers of the future award 2011

from left to right: eva ziegler, SVP, global brand leader W hotels and le meridien with the 2011 design miami W hotels designers of the future award winners: katharina mischer and thomas traxler (mischer’traxler); priscilla lui and timo wong (studio juju); and asif khan image © designboom

on the occasion of milan design week, the 2011 design miami W hotels designers of the future award winners were announced. this year’s recipients are to three international design studios working across disciplines: asif khan (UK), mischer’traxler (austria) and studio juju (singapore). this award is given to promising, young design talents as a means of offering them the opportunity to present newly commissioned work to the greater public on the occasion of design miami/ basel fair each june.

the commissioned project for 2011 falls under the theme of ‘conversation pieces’. the designers’ challenge is to develop a project in which to encourage individuals to reconsider means of socializing, encouraging conversation with strangers and unexpected interactions forging new relationships. their aim is to foreground the potential of design, whether it be object, or series of pieces or installation. activating social settings and showing individuals the often unseen rewards which result from spontaneous human contact.

‘harvest’ by asif khan

asif khan is a london-based design office that works across architecture, furniture, interiors and product design working on combining these disciplines in new ways, intermingling high technology and low technology, characterized by craftsmanship, innovation and wit. . his work his clients range from manufacturers to private clients including: danese, design museum london, magis, sawaya & moroni and the royal academy to name a few.

‘harvest’ by asif khan

‘harvest’ by asif khan

‘relumine’ by mischer’traxler

mischer’traxler (katharina mischer and thomas traxler) are a vienna-based studio whose work focuses on performative and experimental design which often results in more overall systems or concepts rather than a definitive, single product. their work has been exhibited by the art institute chicago, designhuis eindhoven, design museum london and MAK vienna among others.

‘relumine‘ by mischer’traxler

‘relumine‘ by mischer’traxler

‘mushroom’ containers by studio juju image © designboom

studio juju (priscilla lui and timo wong) from singapore, works with a process that is characterized by a hands-on approach to prototype making, focusing on a detailed understanding of design principles related to functionality, form and material. their work has been exhibited at maison et objet, paris; salone satellite, milan; ricordi sfera, kyoto; and the national museum of singapore.

‘stacking drums’ by studio juju image © designboom

‘bambi’ chair by studio juju image © designboom