Under the motto “Outstanding”, the gardiente Award celebrated its return at the trade fair with a new name and new concept. On the first day of the trade fair, a top-class jury of experts awarded prizes to the three best “Outdoor Living Stars” based on the criteria of aesthetics, innovation, function and sustainability. All winners and nominated applications were presented in the Trend Area and were admired during the trade fair. Lafuma Mobilier won the competition and received the Outdoor Living Stars Award in gold for their “Balcony II” furniture series. The expert jury was convinced by the high-quality, very well thought-out and aesthetically designed overall concept down to the last detail. Other positive aspects were the very comfortable seating, good handling and the lightness of the furniture. In other words, the perfect solution for small urban living. Innovative gimmick: table and chairs also stand alone and do not have to be leaned against the wall. In the end, the jury saw great market potential and mass applicability. The product is very sustainable due to its high quality and spare parts can be ordered. Silver went to 4 Seasons Outdoor for the “Sardinia” lounge. Our jury liked the contemporary, softly rounded shape, the balanced proportions. The lounge convinced with its airy look (knotted backrest), very comfortable seating, high-quality workmanship, long-lasting quality and thus also sustainability. bogason received the award in the Bronze category for the “bogason Quasar” stainless steel outdoor kitchen. The jury liked the visual integration of the barbecue into the outdoor kitchen (“indoor goes outdoor”) as well as the very high-quality, well thought-out and elegant design. The outdoor kitchen is made in Germany and available in several colour variations. TREWA was also delighted to receive a special mention for the new “TREWA T” stainless steel outdoor tables with convenient folding mechanism. The product convinced the jury of experts with its great, innovative technology, which is very practical for the catering trade. Self-levelling and also the simple clicking out of the table top are absolute plus points. In addition, the table tops can be easily replaced if necessary. Nadine Kümmel Design, Mainz “Nadine Kümmel Design” is a creative studio with a focus on furniture and home design, spatial conception and sustainable development from Mainz. User-based functionality and emotional aesthetics are particularly important to her in her work. The area of sustainability includes the development of holistic concepts based on the principles of Whole System Thinking and Design Thinking. After studying interior and product design in Mainz and Melbourne, Australia, she worked as a designer and project manager in the field of exhibit construction, working for clients such as Seat, EON and JUWI. At the same time, she began to work independently and to realise her first drafts in furniture design and interior architecture. With her degree in sustainable product development from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, she specialised further in the field of sustainability. Through lectures, workshops and as a chairing member of Cradle to Cradle e.V. Mainz, she has also repeatedly been involved in the further development of the circular economy. Architekt BDA, Mainz Marcus Hofbauer, born in 1967, lives and works in Mainz. He studied architecture at the University of Kaiserslautern and the Technical University of Darmstadt. Since 1998, Marcus Hofbauer has been working as a freelance architect in his office in Mainz, realising holistic architectural and interior design solutions as well as spatial and design concepts – especially in the field of furniture design. Marcus Hofbauer has been a member of the BDA Landesverband Rheinland-Pfalz since 2002. In 2018, in addition to his work as an architect, he founded Mogunto GmbH and has since been managing director of the design firm for small furniture and accessories with timeless design from Mainz. TRENDagentur For more than 20 years, Gabriela Kaiser and her TREND Agency have been advising manufacturers and retailers on interior trends. It is always important to her to be outward-looking, to relate to the overriding long-term megatrends and to focus on the needs and wishes of end consumers. She gives lectures at international trade fairs, writes for trade publishers and has published her own TRENDbook twice a year for many years. Jan Armgardt Design, Schondorf Jan Armgardt, born in 1947, lives and works in Schondorf am Ammersee. He looks back on an apprenticeship as a cabinetmaker, interior design studies and a traineeship in a furniture store. He founded his own office for furniture design and various small furniture mail-order companies. He experimented with grey board and paper for furniture production, produced designs for well-known European companies in the furniture industry and carried out furniture experiments in the field of ecological and sustainable furniture production. In addition, he has held numerous solo exhibitions in Germany and abroad and has organised workshops at universities in Germany, the Philippines (2006 | 2011) and Turkey (2007 | 2008 | 2010). Jan Armgardt has taught at the FH Coburg and the Staatliche Korbfachschule in Lichtenfels and is currently a professor at the FH Aachen. The designer has been awarded more than 50 international prizes for a variety of products and has himself extensive experience in jury work. Verlegerin des Special Interest Titels InteriorFashion Bianca Schmidt, born in 1971, studied business administration at Coburg University of Applied Sciences. The path to journalism was rather accidental, but turned out to be a calling. After 15 years in the editorial department of the furniture trade magazine MÖBELMARKT, she chose the path to self-employment at the beginning of 2016. Since then, she has been the publisher of the special interest title InteriorFashion. This deals with high-quality furnishings in the private and contract sectors and is primarily aimed at interior designers, contract furnishers and the upmarket furnishing trade that is active in planning. Since January 2021, Bianca Schmidt has also been responsible for the title Gastronomy Report. This is aimed at the gastronomy and hotel industry in Bavaria.The “gardiente Outdoor Living Stars”: Here, the best innovations have been presented and awarded.
Winners and impressions of the 2023 award ceremony
Unsere Fachjury 2023
Nadine Kümmel
Marcus Hofbauer
Gabriela Kaiser
Prof. Jan Armgardt
Bianca Schmidt
English
German