We’ve spoken a lot in recent weeks about the need for architects to get back in touch with materialsand understand how building-products work, and one of the best sources of knowledge on this front undoubtedly is the manufacturers behind that stuff. While much can be gained from communicating with the brands that make these components and learning from design precedents, some go further still, working together with industrial designers on projects that constitute a seamless blend of architectural design and building-products.
Collaboration doesn’t always guarantee commercial success, but when the creative pairing is right, it can yield outstanding results. We witnessed this in a number of new products featured in Architizer’s A+Awards program, from lighting and bath fixtures to furniture and decorative surfaces, designed in collaboration with architects and interior, graphic and industrial designers whose names you may recognize. Here, we take a look at 12 award-winning collaborations that prove that when architects and manufacturers work together throughout the life cycle of a project, truly beautiful things can emerge.
