As a jury member in the 2021 INDE.Awards the position is both rewarding and challenging. Past experience is brought to the fore and professionalism is front and centre but at all times there is a generosity of expertise and time involved. Let’s talk to the jury for the 2021 INDE.Awards and find out about the experience.

As the only regional awards programme in the Indo-Pacific, the INDE.Awards recognises the breadth of talent from the many countries in our region. To support the diversity of projects and practices that enter the Awards the 16-person jury who will ultimately decide the category winners is integral on every level. Within the jury there are practitioners whose experience spans multiple genre from many geographic locations around the world. Each is an exemplar in their sphere however, en masse, they are formidable group – local heroes with global identities on the world stage of architecture and design.

Speaking to jury members, both returning to judge again this year and first-time jurors, we asked for their comments and perspective through their involvement with this year’s INDE.Awards.

Below are some thoughts from returning jurors Chan Ee Mun, Architect, WOHA, Luke Yeung, Principal, Architectkidd and Shashi Caan, Founding Partner, SC Collective.

What do you find the best aspect of being a jury member as you are returning to judge again this year?

Chan Ee Mun: Witnessing the exciting and progressive works taking place in the Indo-Pac region. Seeing evolving trends and new developments in works by the design talents scattered across the region.

Luke Yeung: The continuity I think is unique. Having been involved in the jury for four years, you can really see the bigger picture of design, developments that are happening and evolving and the benchmarks for design excellence in the region. But then at the same time, there are some projects that dare to think differently, countering our tendency to follow the familiar path. This could be another way for designers to come up with insights that enable them to change design expectations, another way to make progress and create new insight in design.

Shashi Caan: With the ravages of the pandemic experience, more than ever, we have all needed a sense of community and continuity. With Indesign’s commitment to both, along with a sharp focus on design excellence, returning as juror this year has been profoundly reassuring.

For you, what is the most interesting part of the programme that you are involved with, from you past experience?

Chan Ee Mun: Identifying new non-traditional categories that are not easily pigeonholed into more traditional architecture or interior design works.

Luke Yeung: The diversity of the projects makes reviewing them challenging but also the most interesting. You have projects from Bangladesh, Vietnam and Australia so how to really understand them?  So, I hope the successful projects will provide as much information about the place of the project in order to really communicate how they are making positive contributions towards their surrounding environment and space.

Shashi Caan: For me, the INDE.Awards represent one of the highest benchmarks of design creativity and brilliance. It is inspirational to annually connect with these qualities with Indesign.

What is it about the INDE.Awards that you find makes the programme an exemplar?

Chan Ee Mun: Its focus on a particular region that is diverse. Its inclusivity to achieve that end.

Luke Yeung: There are a lot of international design awards out there these days, but what I find about the INDE.Awards that is different is that it is both international and regional specific. The Indo-Pacific region is rapidly changing and new conditions are emerging particularly in Asian cities and that impacts how we are designing buildings and environments for them. I think the designers that are being recognised here are the ones who fully engage in these challenges and not just following the program and brief but are questioning them and that is leading to some interesting new results.

Shashi Caan: Organisation, quality and breadth of submitted work, along with exceptional standards and, of course, all the people – internal team as well as jurors, winners and INDE.Awards stakeholders.

 

And from new jurors this year, Jeff Copolov, Director, Bates Smart, Brodie Neill, Founder and Industrial Designer, Brodie Neill and Tonya Hinde, Principal I Design Lead, BLP – some words on the INDE.Awards and their participation.

What are you looking forward to as a juror this year on the 2021 INDE.Awards?

Jeff Copolov: To be captivated by the rich and diverse pool of talent in our region and to partake in a debate on the qualities that make for outstanding design with a group of the most eminent and talented practitioners. What could be more rewarding?

Brodie Neill: I am looking forward to analysing all the submissions, probing into each and every project and evaluating them against the exceptionally high standards they set out to achieve.  I am looking forward to sharing my thoughts with my fellow judges. I am sure we might not all agree all of the time, but I appreciate the different points of view gathered for this important occasion.

Tonya Hinde: After so much time indoors last year, I’m looking forward to being presented with design outcomes to better the human experience. The INDE.Awards program covers the Indo- Pacific region,  so I’m keen to see how the entries respond to the human condition and differences in local, varying climates.

What are your expectations of the role?

Jeff Copolov: As a practising designer you can’t help but view the world of design through your own prism; the act of judging forces me to think openly, generously, and expansively to look beyond my comfort zone and thereby add to my personal growth through the insights and talents of others.

Brodie Neill: It will be a tough task to see who takes top honours.  I anticipate the calibre to be high, diverse in discipline and rich in quality. It’s not going to be easy but there can only be one winner.

Tonya Hinde: As a juror alongside some of the most progressive thought leaders from the design and built environment industry, I’m proud to bring my expertise in human-focused design to the juror panel. I see this role as important in celebrating innovative design that contributes to our collective wellbeing and I look forward to collegiate debate, exuberant opinions and some fun.

What are your thoughts on the INDE.Awards as a programme that encompasses the Indo-Pacific region?

Jeff Copolov: In a period when our physical borders have closed how exciting it is to reach beyond our horizons and dip into the vibrant design communities of the Indo-Pacific region; to share a common dialogue in search of design excellence.

Brodie Neill: It’s an exciting programme across a wide region encompassing many cultures and climates.  With this diversity come many factors when considering projects of exceptional merit.

Tonya Hinde: The INDE.Awards is a programme that rewards originality and promotes innovation. Bringing together the most collaborative and inventive minds within the Indo-Pacific region provides a catalyst for ground-breaking design that has the power to challenge the norm and imagine better environments for all.

The eclectic group of architects and designers that comprise the jury for the 2021 INDE.Awards are,

Brodie Neill – Founder & Industrial Designer (Australia/UK)

Chan Ee Mun – Architect, WOHA (Singapore)

Florian Heinzelmann & Daliana Suryawinata – Founder and Directors, SHAU (Indonesia)

James Calder – Global Director, User Strategy, ERA-co (Australia)

Jan Utzon – Architect, Utzon Architects (Denmark)

Jeff Copolov – Director, Bates Smart (Australia)

Judy Cheung – Co-founder, Cheungvogl (Hong Kong)

Leone Lorrimer – National Practice Leader, GHDWoodhead (Australia)

Liam Timms – Fund Manager, International Towers (Australia)

Luke Yeung – Principal, Architectkidd (Thailand)

Peta Heffernan – Director, Liminal Studio (Australia)

Praveen Nahar – Director, India National Institute of Design (India)

Raj Nandan – Founder and CEO, Indesign Media Asia Pacific (Australia)

Shashi Caan – Founding Partner, SC Collective (USA/UK)

Tonya Hinde, Principal I Design Lead, BLP (Australia)

Our jury is a microcosm of the world of architecture and design and, as leaders in their field, they are eminently qualified to judge the incredible talent that abounds in our region. It’s going to be exciting and we look forward to the announcement of the winners at the gala party in Sydney on Thursday 5^th August. See you there.