London studio Pearson Lloyd has been named designer of the year at the Dezeen Awards 2023 ceremony.
The Designers of the Year category rewards the best emerging and established talent across architecture, interiors and design. It recognises those whose innovative work has made a notable impact on the industry.
Co-founders Luke Pearson and Tom Lloyd picked up the prize at the Dezeen Awards 2023 party last week, which was hosted in partnership with Bentley.
Pearson Lloyd was named designer of the year at Dezeen Awards 2023
Established in 1997, Pearson Lloyd is a design studio based in east London specialising in industrial and product design, furniture and interiors.
The studio's work ranges from research, objects, aviation, public realm and interior design projects, with the goal to tackle global economic and environmental challenges.
The studio's cross-sector position is informed by comprehensive research and insights into the social, economic and environmental challenges related to the home, work and travel.
Its focus lies in developing products and experiences that balance the evolving needs of users, manufacturers and the planet.
The studio took home the award at the Dezeen Awards 2023 ceremony last week, which was held at Shoreditch Electric Light Station in London and was attended by shortlisted studios along with past and present judges.
"Pearson Lloyd has taken a pivotal shift in recent years to shore up its design methodologies for the 21st century," the judges said. "Every new project aims to deliver maximum benefit with minimal planetary burden."
"The studio is leaning into the challenges of a rapidly changing world, clearly communicating its rigorous research, rationale and actions while inspiring positive change among its clients and peers," they continued.
Recent projects by the studio include CoLab, a furniture collection for modern classrooms geared towards Gen Z styles of learning.
The furniture is created for classroom settings that focus on active and social learning, to foster non-hierarchical interaction and engagement amongst students and educators.
The collection features hybrid furniture pieces that provide users with an array of seating and surface options, allowing them to adopt various positions such as sitting, leaning, perching or standing.
The studio worked with office brand Bene to create bFRIENDS, a collection of undulating 3D-printed desk accessories made from recycled bioplastic waste.
The accessories, which include pen pots, stands and trays, were 3D-printed from 100 per cent recycled polylactic acid (PLA) derived from food packaging by Batch.Works, which are said to have been diverted from landfills.
Pearson Lloyd chose the PLA bioplastic to align with its shift towards a more circular production, as PLA is derived from cornstarch instead of petroleum, making it a more eco-friendly alternative to conventional plastics.
The studio also created Flow X for British mobility specialists Access BDD, a stairlift designed to offer a practical and attractive aid for the home.
The stairlift, which features 180-degree folding arms, can be compactly folded away to minimise its footprint when not in use.
Pearson Lloyd was up against four other shortlisted studios in the designer of the year category, including American designer Stephen Burks and Dutch designer Marjan van Aubel.
The Designers of the Year were nominated and shortlisted by Dezeen Awards judges and Dezeen's editorial team. A total of 31 studios, spanning 14 countries including South Africa, India, Nigeria and Mexico, were shortlisted for awards in six distinct Designers of the Year categories.
Each category's winner will be showcased in an exclusive video produced by Dezeen and sponsored by Bentley. The videos will be unveiled on Dezeen from November 30 to December 7.
Dezeen Awards 2023
Dezeen Awards celebrates the world's best architecture, interiors and design. Now in its sixth year, it has become the ultimate accolade for architects and designers across the globe. The annual awards are in partnership with Bentley Motors, as part of a wider collaboration that will see the brand work with Dezeen to support and inspire the next generation of design talent.