The Jury

Prof. Masayo Ave
Architect and designer
MasayoAve creation / Haptic Interface Design Institute
Japan / Germany

The multiple award-winning architect and designer Masayo Ave studied architecture at the Hosei University in Tokyo. In 1990, she went to Milan to study design, where she spent 16 years as a designer. In 1992, she founded her own design studio Ave design corporation and introduced her own collection MasayoAve creation. In addition, she works as a product designer for companies such as Authentics, Industrielle, and Yamaha and she has various teaching assignments. Her products are characterised by an unusual feel and exceptional finishes. She says: “If materials and products are not ecologically valuable you cannot speak of good design nowadays. Because sustainability is not a trend but a necessity.”

Martin Bergmann
Designer and Interior-Designer
EOOS Design
Austria

“Quite a few materials that are hidden in a product have much beauty. After all, design is not something superficial – design is orientation in life.” Martin Bergmann studied industrial design at the University of Applied Arts Vienna. In 1995, together with Gernot Bohmann and Harald Gründl, he subsequently founded the Vienna-based EOOS design office. It is spe- cialised in product and furniture design and design research. EOOS develops products and furniture for companies such as Alessi, Dedon, Duravit, Lamy, Matteograssi, Walter Knoll, and Zumtobel. In addition, shop concepts for Adidas, Armani, or the mobile phone ser- vice provider A1 were realised. Until today, EOOS has received more than 60 international awards and holds 15 patents.

Sergey Shustov
Designer and head of the Salon-Press
publishing house
Russia


The architect, designer, and journalist Sergey Shustov studied at the Irkutsk School of Arts (IUI, Department of Design) and at the Moscow Architectural Institute (MARKHI). After his graduation, he founded Salon-Press, the first publishing house in Russia, which is primarily dedicated to architecture in the private sector and to interior design. As initiator of the Russian Design contest, he attaches great importance to ground-breaking innovations and also to the innovative refinement of approved everyday items: “Good design does not always have to be new – often it is the further development and improvement of known products that are really convincing.” Shustov is the chairman of the Совет экспертов интерьерного дизайна и архитектурной среды (Russian Council of Experts for Interior Design and Architecture).

Prof. Danny Venlet
Interior architect and designer
Venlet Interior Architecture
Belgium

Danny Venlet, owner of the Venlet Interior Architecture studio, first studied computer sciences at the University of Brussels before opting for a degree in interior design. He moved to the St. Lucas Institute of Architecture and Visual Arts, where in 1983 he passed his diploma in architecture and arts with distinction. His interior design projects include private homes, lofts, bars, restaurants, showrooms, and offices of international groups. “The quality of design is always based on a good concept and a well-founded motive. Only then is it possible to create products that release emotions,” says Venlet. His success in various design competitions gives evidence of his continuous achievements. Venlet is a professor at the Royal College of Arts (Ghent) and at the College of Advertising and Design (Brussels).

Prof. Dr. Peter Zec
Design consultant and initiator of the red dot design award
Germany

Peter Zec studied media studies, psychology, and fine arts. He has led the renowned Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen as chief executive officer since 1991. Since 2001 he has headed the red dot GmbH & Co. KG as a managing partner. In 1993, he was appointed professor of industrial communication at the University of Applied Science and Economics in Berlin. From 2005 until 2007, the initiator of the red dot design award was president of the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (Icsid). Peter Zec is editor of standard works of design and advises international companies as design expert. He defines one core aspect of good design as follows: “Design is becoming the clear statement of quality and it defines your personal lifestyle.”