The Furniture Makers’ Company has awarded the Jonathan Hindle Prize for outstanding design to two of this year's Design Guild Mark recipients.
The winners Catherine Aitken's Ori guest bed, and Igneous, designed by Nathan Philipott and Jemma Ooi, were announced at the Design Guild Mark ceremony, which took place on 21st May at Allermuir/Senator’s new showroom as part of Clerkenwell Design Week.
The Jonathan Hindle Prize is awarded to the most outstanding of the year’s Design Guild Mark awarded pieces in both the furniture and 2D categories. Both winners received a trophy which was sponsored by Corian, and a £1000 cash prize.
Two further furniture entries – the William lounge chair and ottoman, designed by Mark Gabbertas for Gloster Furniture, and Panel, designed by Lucy Kurrein for Capdell – were also highly commended.
Rodney McMahon, Design Guild Mark chairman, comments: “The judges voted to award the Ori guest bed the Jonathan Hindle Prize as the best of the Design Guild Mark furniture awardees, in a very strong field for 2019, as they were taken by the simplicity and versatility of the design, but were especially impressed that the holistic design process had eliminated environmental impact imposed by any of the materials – from fabrics to fixings.”
Ori, designed by Catherine Aitken and manufactured by Another Country, is a daytime sofa, a single put me up and a pull-out double bed, all in one. It is made from solid ash, with two slim mattresses manufactured by Naturalmat, filled with a combination of organic coir and wool.
Catherine says: “I am honoured to be recognised with both a Design Guild Mark and the Jonathan Hindle Prize. These industry-recognised seals of approval give us confidence in our work and it all came as a huge surprise!”
