Alderman Ferdinand Pleyte announced this on Sunday at the Cuypershuis in Roermond. The art prize is awarded to the best contemporary design firm operating nationally or internationally that draws inspiration from the interior designs of Pierre Cuypers.
A Deserving Winner of the Limburg Design Award
The jury was unanimous in awarding the Limburg Design Award to Formafantasma. They have expanded the scope of the discipline of design. Their objects possess narrative power, and their installations make you aware of how things are put together. They do not shy away from social commentary. Their work serves the client’s needs while remaining unmistakably Formafantasma: refined, sophisticated, and possessing an aesthetic that is un-Dutch. Guided by the spirit of Cuypers, Formafantasma is the convincing winner of the 2017 Limburg Design Award. The prize includes a purchase or commission valued at €7,000.
Formafantasma, the studio of Andrea Trimarchi and Simone Farresin, bridges the gap between craftsmanship, industry, object, and user. Experimental material research and a broad interest in cultures and cultural practices characterize their coherent body of work. A wide range of installations and products in various materials showcases their versatile talent.
Contemporary Designers Take Center Stage at the Cuypershuis
The Limburg Design Award is presented every two years to a contemporary design firm active at the national and international levels. The award focuses on contemporary interior design and its connection to the designs of Pierre Cuypers. The award’s guiding principle is therefore “Design in the Footsteps of Pierre Cuypers.”
A panel of experts selected the nominees. Their work is the centerpiece of the exhibition at the Cuypershuis. Video portraits showcase how the designers work and reveal their sources of inspiration and vision for design. Designer Maurice Mentjens curated the exhibition.
2017 Jury
- Henk Wolters—Managing Director of Kern||architecten, Chair
- Thomas Eyck – producer and distributor of contemporary design objects
- Jeroen Junte – writer specializing in design and architecture
- Robert Thiemann – Director of Frame Publishers