Bobby Berk, Faye Toogood and Gaetano Pesce announced as judges for Dezeen Awards 2024

by : Jessica Smee

The first five judges for Dezeen Awards 2024 have been announced and include interior designer Bobby Berk, designers Faye Toogood and Giles Tettey Nartey, alongside architects Gaetano Pesce and Suchi Reddy.

Dezeen Awards 2024 launched last week in partnership with Bentley. Enter by 27 March to save 20 per cent on entry fees.

Now in its seventh year, the programme has become the ultimate accolade for architects and designers everywhere, with winners selected by a prestigious panel of international judges.

Read on to find out more about the first five of the 90 industry professionals who will be judging entries this year.

Interior designer Bobby Berk is one of this year’s judges

American interior designer and Emmy-winning host of the Netflix show Queer Eye, Bobby Berk will be joining the interiors panel for Dezeen Awards 2024.

The Los Angeles-based designer’s practice specialises in residential interiors and utilises furnishings, materials, colours and lighting to try to actively lift people’s mental well-being.

Berk has completed residential projects across the US, including a renovation of a 1950s traditional home using patterns and natural textures inspired by Indian actress Frieda Pinto’s heritage.

London-based designer and artist Faye Toogood is the founder of Studio Toogood

British artist and designer Toogood, who recently launched a furniture collection in collaboration with Maison Matisse, will be on the design judging panel this year.

Toogood is the founder of London-based Studio Toogood, a multi-disciplinary practice comprised of architects, sculptors, furniture makers and illustrators. Before founding her studio in 2008 she started her career as an editor for The World of Interiors magazine.

Recent designs include a Puffy Lounge Chair featuring a detachable seat for Swedish furniture brand Hem and a collection of pine outdoor furniture showcased at the latest Stockholm Furniture Fair.

Italian architect Gaetano Pesce’s work is featured in permanent collections around the world

Italian architect and designer Pesce is considered a pioneer of Italy’s Radical Design movement and will judge the architecture categories for the seventh edition of Dezeen Awards.

New York-based architect Pesce has worked with numerous brands, including Cassina, B&B Italia, Knoll, Venini and Swarovski. His works are included in permanent collections worldwide, amongst them the MoMA, Metropolitan Museum and V&A.

Projects by Pesce include an exhibition featuring his early designs at The Future Perfect Gallery in Los Angeles and a collaboration with fashion brand Bottega Veneta to create two handbags, which were unveiled at Milan Design Week.

British-Ghanaian designer and architect Giles Tettey Nartey will join the design judging panel

Joining Toogood on the design judging panel will be London-based designer and architect Giles Tettey Nartey.

British-Ghanaian designer Nartey’s work across filmmaking, installation, performance, and object design is informed by his West African culture.

His objects and films have been showcased worldwide, including at the Seoul Biennale and London Design Festival. Last year he presented Interplay, a black-stained ashwood bench exploring African craft cultures and rituals, at the London Design Festival.

Indian-American architect Suchi Reddy is the founder of studio Reddymade

Indian-American architect Suchi Reddy is the founder of studio Reddymade and will be on the architecture judging panel alongside Pesce.

Since founding her practice, Reddy has worked on various cultural, educational, healthcare, retail, commercial and residential projects informed by her research at the intersection of neuroscience and the arts.

Projects by Reddymade include a hexagonal house extension in collaboration with Chinese artist Ai Weiwei and a retail space for multinational technology company Google featuring cork furniture and recycled materials in New York.

Enter now!

Dezeen Awards 2024 is open for entries. Find out about all of this year’s categories and log in or create an account to start your entries. Enter by 27 March to benefit from our discounted early entry prices.

Click here for more information about Dezeen Awards and subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news. Plus you can always drop us a line at awards@dezeen.com if you have any questions.

Dezeen Awards 2024 in partnership with Bentley

Dezeen Awards is the ultimate accolade for architects and designers across the globe. The seventh edition of the annual awards programme is in partnership with Bentley as part of a wider collaboration to inspire, support and champion design excellence and showcase innovation that creates a better and more sustainable world. This ambition complements Bentley’s architecture and design business initiatives, including the Bentley Home range of furnishings and real estate projects around the world.