The highly anticipated 2025 Surface Design Award finalists have been announced, showcasing a range of categories the awards honour outstanding interior and exterior design highlighting projects that embody innovation and sustainability. The finalists represent creative quality, pushing the boundaries of design and highlighting the ever-growing potential in material innovation within architectural and interior design projects.
Surface Design Awards are part of Surface Design Show (SDS) an integral part of the design calendar, held at the Business Design Centre (4-6 February). The event brings together the best in new materiality for the built environment and is the event of choice for the sector to learn about the latest trends, see new products and network with the industry.
The expert judging panel was led by Head Judges, Jorge Mendez-Caceres, Founding Director of For Everyday Life and Tony Chambers, Founder of TC & Friends for Interiors and ex Editor in Chief of Wallpaper*.
Jorge Mendez-Caceres chaired the judging panel for the exterior categories and was joined by Amrit Seera, architect at Vabel, Jon Eaglesham, Managing Director at Barr Gazettas, James Dixon, Director at Benoy Architects and Vicki Odili, Director of Sustainability at TP Bennett. Tony Chambers was the lead judge for the interior categories and was joined by Lee Roberts, Director at Zebra, Pernille Bonser, CEO of Resonate, Simon Hamilton, Interior Designer and Associate Lecturer & Future Practice Leader at The Royal College of Art and Amber Luscombe, Head of ESG and Senior Development Manager at Oxygen.
The judges were impressed by the innovative designs and products, which seamlessly combined sustainability with diversity, all while delivering a powerful and influential message. 33 entries made the shortlist with the panel also deliberating the Supreme Winner.
Exterior Commercial Building Finalist, The Pavilion @ Cowley Manor by De Matos Ryan stood out to the judges because of the local materials, with the stone sourced only a few miles away from the location. They also commented that the project is a modern take on tradition. Additionally, the judges for the Interior Commercial Building Category were impressed with Roast & Toast by tHE gRID architects with them commenting again on the use of locally sourced materials including cow dung, clay and hay which was used to plaster the walls using local craftsmen.
For the Surface of the Year Interior Category, judges were inspired by shortlisted product Float Mini by Humanscale, commenting on the use of bamboo rather than traditional wood and the exclusion of using any harmful Red List chemicals including formaldehyde.
Sponsored by steel window and door experts Fabco the Exterior Housing Category finalist, Perforated House by Novak Hills Architects, accumulated recognition for its “clever and retro materiality use. This residential project shows a clear and unique cooling insulation system while highlighting a 1950’s cool interiors aesthetic that you can really celebrate both inside and out”. Whilst the judges for The Interior Housing Category praised both The Parisian Apartment by Cousins & Cousins and The Corner House by LANGSTAFF DAY ARCHITECTS for polar opposites, with the Parisian apartment highlighted for its controlled maximalism and the Corned House being commended for its quiet warmth through the use of materials.
Winners for the Surface Design Show Awards will be announced at a cocktail reception on Wednesday 5 February from 6pm at the Surface Design Show. Each category winner will be presented with a trophy designed by The Good Plastic Company.
For the Full Shortlist for 2025 please see visit: www.surfacedesignshow.com/surface-design-awards-2025/surface-design-awards-shortlist-2025
