Erik Behrens, Creative Director, AECOM
Erik Behrens is an emerging international Architect and Creative Director at AECOM. His work is signified by ambitious designs, many defying traditional architectural conventions. He has designed numerous architectural projects for a high-profile client base including leading patrons of the Art and Design World such as James Dyson and Karl Lagerfeld. His current work includes the conversion of the iconic Waterloo Eurostar Terminal in the UK, the Gordie Howe International Bridge between the US and Canada, a confidential Vertical Mixed-Use Tower in the ‘megatall’ building category and a series of Hyper Luxury Hotel projects in the Redsea.
His recently completed work includes Oxygen Park and the Al Wahda Gateway Arches in Qatar. Prior to AECOM, he worked with renowned architects such as Qingyun Ma (MADA s.p.a.m.) and Rem Koolhaas (OMA) and directed research and design studios at the KIT in Germany. He is a subject matter expert for The Times Academy and a regularly invited design critic at Universities including the Bartlett School of Architecture, Harvard GSD, AA London and the College of Design & Innovation at Tongji University.
Baranowitz + Kronenberg Architecture
Baranowitz + Kronenberg Architecture is the interior design and architecture studio of Irene Kronenberg and Alon Baranowitz based in Amsterdam and Tel Aviv. For the past twenty years the studio has become renowned for creating hotels, restaurants and public and commercial spaces that attract modern nomads and locals alike. B+K Architecture has proven able to turn historical landmarks and rough, sometimes inaccessible spaces into instant design classics that are open and welcoming, drawing on the stories of the past. With their unique contextual awareness, they are not only keeping local history relevant but are also serving the needs of global cities of the 21st century. Irene Kronenberg and Alon Baranowitz have developed a narrative driven mode of developing their designs which gives context and meaning to what would otherwise be a collection of easily forgettable facts, things and places. They are storytellers. Drawing implicitly on the sensuous connection between life, selves, history, memory, craftsmanship and experience, the choices B+K Architecture make in every act of design embody this connection in a fresh way.
Piero Lissoni, Founder, Lissoni & Partners
Piero Lissoni is architect, art director and designer and is recognized as one of the masters of contemporary design. For over thirty years, he has developed projects the world over in the fields of architecture, landscape and interior, as well as in product and graphic design.
He is also art director for Alpi, B&B Italia, Boffi, Living Divani, Lema, Lualdi, Porro and Sanlorenzo. Some of the most important architecture and interior projects deserving of mention include the Shangri-La Shougang Park in Beijing (2021) realized for the 2022 winter Olympics, The Ritz-Carlton Residences in Miami Beach (2020), the Grand Park Hotel in Croatia (2019), the restyling of the historic Camparino bar in the Galleria of Milan (2019), The Middle House for the Swire Hotels Group in Shanghai (2018), the residential projects One Paraiso and Grand Paraiso in Miami (2018), The Oberoi Al Zorah Beach Resort Ajman in the UAE (2017), the Sanlorenzo yachts SX112 (2020), SX76 (2018) and SX88 (2017), the Conservatorium Hotel in Amsterdam (2012) in addition to the corporate headquarters of Boffi, Cassina, Fantini, Glas Italia, Living Divani and the Sanlorenzo shipyards in La Spezia and Ameglia. Piero Lissoni has received a series of international awards, including the Good Design Award, the Red Dot Award and the Compasso d’Oro ADI.
Yiannis Ghikas Design
Yiannis Ghikas was born in Athens Greece. With his background encompassing Computer Science alongside Design, he employs functionality as the ultimate purpose of his designs while explores their potential emotive responses. He sees design as a process of satisfying needs either tangible or intangible.
His Monarchy stool has received the red dot design award (2009) and the German design award (2016).
His Soda tables for the italian brand Miniforms, entirely made of mouth blown Murano glass, got instantly the attention of the design world and won the archiproducts design award, the Azure magazine award and are shortlisted for the Dezeen design award 2021 so far.
In 2018 he was selected to participate in a three-month design residency in Arita, Japan where he worked with the local potter’s community, a valuable experience, not only in design but also in cultural aspect.
He has worked with companies like Objekten (Belgium), miniforms (Italy), Hiro (Italy), convex (Greece), Sarandis group (Greece), the Industrial Gas Museum/Athens, Biocidetech (UK), Marubun (Japan). His work has been exhibited internationally.
Chen Min Studio
Designer Chen Min was born in an artistic family in Hangzhou, China, has studied in the Köln International School of Design, the Design Academy Eindhoven, and the Domus Academy in Milan, Italy. He is proficient in five foreign languages and set up his own studio in 2012, finding the best bonding point between tradition and modernisation, east and west has always been what Chen Min Office is good at.He provides design services for BASF, Bic, de Sede, Loewe, Nike, Starbucks, Veneta Cucine and so on. Being the only finalist of 2018 Loewe Craft Prize in China, he was invited by the Loewe Foundation to be an expert judge for Craft Prize 2019.
Sotiris Lazou Design Studio
Sotiris Lazou studied at the University of Western Attica, earning a BA in interior architecture. He completed his Master’s Degree in Industrial Design at Domus Academy in Milan. Learning under sacred design masters such as Andrea Branzi, Alessandro Mendini, Antonio Citterio etc.
Sotiris treats all projects with an holistic approach, relying on archetypal forms, aspiring to be timeless. With each project, his inspiration comes from different stemming ideas. Stating that his work is not only a way of life and expression, its also an integral part of his life. He earned a Good Design Award in 2008 for the “cosmos.” A table produced by Varangis, is located at the Atheneum Museum of Chicago.
The “cosmos” was also a Nominee at the German Design Awards. In 2021 he earned a Big See Award for the “Hollywater” washbasin produced by Urbi et Orbi and the same year an Honorable mention at the LIGHTING DESIGN AWARDS for “Lucera” table light produced also by Urbi et Orbi. In 2022 he earned a Good Design Award again for “Lucera” table light.