Surface Design Award winners unveiled

The winners of the 2020 Surface Design Awards were unveiled on the last day of the Surface Design Show at the Business Design Centre in London. The Awards celebrate excellence in architectural projects worldwide and the materials used in their creation.

The impressive Krushi Bhawan from Bhubaneswa, India by Studio Lotus was named the Supreme Winner, as well as winning the Public Building Interior and Public Building Exterior categories. Capturing the admiration of all the judges Krushi Bhawan is a testament to design, created for the Odisha State Government’s Agriculture Department in India. The centre incorporates an eye-catching façade drawn from vernacular materials and narratives, which responds to the local climate and offers glimpses into the region’s agricultural folklore and mythology, which have been envisioned at an unprecedented architectural scale.

Judge Paul Priestman of PriestmanGoode praised the project’s sense of place, stating “This building characterises part of the world. It’s a lovely reflection of culture using local materials.” Glenn Johnson of Collins Aerospace added “Somebody’s heart and soul is in this building.”

Across 14 categories in total, from retail and public buildings to commercial projects and housing, including new categories public realm and affordable housing, the Award’s entries comprised the best in architecture and design from across the globe. Giles Miller Studio, Mikhail Riches and Chris Dyson Architects from the UK, Steven Holl Architects for the USA, and Kris Lin International Design from China were amongst those shortlisted.