Winners of Scandinavian Design Awards 2024

Tonight, at Musikaliska in Stockholm, the winners of the Scandinavian Design Awards have been announced for this year's seven categories: Architecture of the Year, Furniture of the Year, Designer of the Year, Interior Designer of the Year, Interior Design Product of the Year, Rising Star of the Year and Sustainability Achievement of the Year. The Scandinavian Design Awards is a partnership between the publishing company It Is Media and Stockholm Furniture Fair.

The winners have been appointed by a distinguished jury from the architecture and design industries in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Finland. The award is an initiative to celebrate and highlight both established players and newcomers in the fields of architecture, interior design, and design in Scandinavia.

Winners of Scandinavian Design Awards 2024 are:

Architecture of the Year Award 2024
Press House by Atelier and KIMA Arkitektur Oslo, Norway
The jury's motivation: As the cliche says, a mix of old and new. But of course, much more than that – this project is a refined, contemporary interpretation of the eternal challenges we face as we build society together. How do we take care of each other? How do we make life beautiful and functional? And how do we best manage history without losing momentum forward, toward the stars? The Architecture of the Year is a place for practical poetry, a place to meet and live with. What could be more relevant?

Furniture of the Year Award 2024
Bench Ypsilon, by Daniel Rybakken for Vestre, Norway
The jury's motivation: Seemingly simple – as all truly great ideas – but far more advanced than it looks. A design created years ago and then put to rest. Seventeen years later the designer realized that it needed to come to life. Nothing has been changed from the original idea, which only goes to show that great design is everlasting. It is clever, simple, discreet, stripped down and brutalist handsome. Even though the design is iconically crystal clear, it will never be the loudest speaking part of an outdoor space. We salute the new member of the successful family of designs for this forward thinking company.

Designer of the Year Award 2024
Cecilie Manz, Denmark
The jury's motivation: A multifaceted designer with a strong sensitivity for materials, details, form and function, Cecilie Manz has proven time and time again that she is a creator of modern classics. Her designs often appear effortlessly simple, yet they hide intricate engineering and meticulous craftsmanship beneath their surface. Manz’s ability to make the complicated seem simple is a testament to her deep understanding of the design and production processes, allowing her to create versatile designs that stand the test of time. Never compromising on aesthetics or her design language, Cecilie Manz is a creator of beautiful, timeless, functional pieces that enhance both surroundings and everyday lives.

Interior Designer of the year Award 2024
Halleroed, Sweden
The jury's motivation: Crafting not just functional spaces, but destinations in themselves, Halleroed, a Swedish design agency established in 1998 by Christian and Ruxandra Halleröd, stands in a league of its own as a symbol of boldness and innovation in interior design and architecture. Renowned for their fearlessness, recent projects like Saman Amel at Harrods in London and an ACNE store in Paris attest to their ability to transcend conventional norms. What sets Halleroed apart is their role as trendsetters, challenging norms and creating extraordinary destinations. They go beyond mere functionality, tailoring interiors to evoke a sense of place. Pioneers in the industry, their unique approach inspires others. Unafraid to break rules, Halleroed leaves an indelible mark on the industry, dedicated to enhancing client brand identities. With a commitment to crafting interiors as unique destinations, they continue to captivate and inspire, solidifying their influential position in design.

Interior Design Product of the Year 2024
Wine rack Silo, by Chris Martin for Massproductions, Sweden
The jury's motivation: “Design should never be easy. The end result should look easy, but I am never satisfied unless I've been struggling at some part in the process”. The words are Chris Martin, designer-in-chief and co-founder of Massproductions, the company he started together with designer Magnus Elebäck in 1999, with a neo-modern mission to break free of PR-driven product strategies and focus on the interplay between object and context. Therefore, total control of the entire production chain was needed and so they proceeded. One of last year's latest product launches, Silo Wine Rack is an elegant example of that:

Wine and design, the perfect combination, are we right? The wine rack is a fun interior detail we haven't seen a lot of since the 90's. Based on a continuous loop, Silo wine rack is an unbroken line of wood, where the bottles rest firmly in milled-out compartments. It brings joy both to the eye and to the wine.

Rising Star of the year Award 2024
Didi NG Wing Yin, Finland
The jury's motivation: For a well-dressed transformation of classic design into a contemporary expression with a specification in woodworking, in both sculptural and functional furniture and objects. The artistic creations focus on craftsmanship and material culture. For broadening the concept of woodworking and contemporary design by emphasizing the essence of wood in its materiality through conceptual thinking, experimental surface treatment, and carving techniques. Didi's passion for woodworking throughout the years has aimed at exploring the honest expression of wood, which can be stated in one word – naturalness.

Sustainability Award of the Year 2024
Home.Earth, for their strong commitment to sustainability and the project Doughnut for Urban Development, Copenhagen, Denmark
The jury's motivation: The winner is a true leader in the realm of real estate and urban development. They have bravely pioneered a visionary framework, firmly rooted within the planetary boundaries, with inclusivity, social sustainability, and economic viability at its heart. Their generosity shines through as they offer this transformative framework to the industry, free of charge, catalysing the rapid adoption of these innovative ideals. Their unwavering commitment to industry innovation and sustainability is nothing short of inspirational, making them a most deserving recipient of the Sustainability Achievement of the Year.

Home.Earth and EFFEKT are co-editors of the publication Doughnut for Urban Development, which was developed through a collaborative effort between BUILD - Department of the Built Environment, DTU - Technical University of Denmark, Doughnut Economics Action Lab (DEAL), Rådet for Bæredygtigt Byggeri, EFFEKT, Home.Earth, SLA, Sweco Architects Denmark, Stockholm Resilience Centre and Tegnestuen Vandkunsten.

Scandinavian Design Awards
The awards are a partnership between the publishing company It Is Media and Stockholm Furniture Fair. It Is Media has previously been responsible for the Swedish Design Awards by Rum, which have been presented to Swedish designers and architects for ten years. Stockholm Furniture Fair has been responsible for the Editors’ Choice Awards. A new partnership has now been created to add greater weight and substance to both the awards themselves and the winners. The aim is to institute a major new set of accolades, based on a strong platform with an international outlook. Together, the awards will reinforce and spur on the design industry, supporting individual creatives and businesses alike.

The jury:
A jury of top names within the architecture and design industries in Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland has selected the winners. Every member of the carefully chosen jury has extensive experience within their own profession. The jury is chaired by architectural historian and writer Martin Rörby.

The Scandinavian Design Awards jury for 2024:
Amina Djemili, Editor-in-Chief of Magazine Rum Hemma
Antrei Hartikainen, Designer Vaarni
Anya Sebton, Designer and Interior Architect
Cassandra Bradfield, Designer and Interior Architect
Cecilie Molvær Jørgensen, Senior Advisor, Design and Architecture Norway (DOGA)
Eero Koivisto, Architect, Designer and Founder of Claesson Koivisto Rune
Hlín Helga Guðlaugsdóttir, Designer och Curator
Ivana Kildsgaard, Architect and Director of Sustainability and Quality at Tengbom
Jannicke Kråkvik, Stylist and Founder Kråkvik/D'Orazio
Josefin Udén, Editor-in-Chief of magazine Nya Rum
Julius Iversen, Creative Manager och Founder Tableau
Kari Korkman, Founder av Helsinki Design Week och Fiskars Village Art & Design Biennale
Kieran Long, Director at ArkDes
Lisa Marie Mannfolk Eklund, Editorial Manager of magazine Tidskriften Rum
Marcia Harvey Isaksson, Interior Architect
Martha Lewis, Material Manager, Henning Larsen
Niina Sihto, Senior Designer och Foundere Fyra Ltd
Per-Olav Sølvberg, Interior Stylist
Pekka Pakkanen, Architecure and Founder Planetary Architecture
Tina Vernon, Editor of Magazine Nya Rum
Viktoria Millentrup, Architect at BIG

It Is Media
It Is Media has published the architecture magazine Tidskriften Rum for 25 years, and also produces three other titles: Nya Rum, which presents architect-designed homes from around the world; Rum Hemma, a lifestyle and interiors magazine featuring personal, inspirational homes; and Rum Ute, a magazine that showcases stylish garden aesthetics. Byrum.se was launched in December 2020, combining content from all four titles with exclusive online material. Read more here.

Stockholm Furniture Fair
Stockholm Furniture Fair is the leading platform for Scandinavian design, attracting visitors from all over the world. Stockholm Furniture Fair 2024 runs from February 6–10 at Stockholmsmässan, in parallel with Stockholm Design Week February 5–11. Read more here.

Many thanks to our partners: Audi, Jura, Radisson and Orrefors

Follow Scandinavian Design Awards on Instagram: @scandinavian.design.awards.