Poetry, irony, lightness and a sense of play and wonder were the factors, that most influenced the jurors’ choices for the awarding of the XXIII Compasso d’Oro ADI award. However, this vision didn’t neglect the key qualities of planning (practicality, ergonomics, sustainability and solution of technical problems).

Design should solve the technical problems from an aesthetic point of view, we couldn’t agree more. But is should also be surprising and amusing, a dream come true; and it should do it in all the aspects of our life, everywhere: while we are treading on a manhole or sitting at a table or buying an ice cream or putting on our ski boots or closing a tin or switching on a lamp… that is not there.
This year the Compasso d’Oro winning projects cover almost all possible design sectors as never before. A strong message for those, who still consider deisgn just for products and furniture. On the contrary, the awarded furniture designs are just a few – and well justified – and they include lamps, as well..
The international Jury of XXIII Compasso d’Oro ADI was composed by:
Anders Byriel (president) CEO di Kvadrat (Danmark), Vivian Cheng designer, director of Design Center Hong Kong , Stefan Diez, designer (Germany) , Giorgio De Ferrari designer (Italy), Mario Gagnon, designer Aalto Studio, (Canada) , Defne Koz, designer (Turkey), Paolo Lomazzi designer (Italy), Laura Traldi journalis (Italy).
The 20 winners of XXIII Compasso d’Oro ADI and the opinions of the Jury:

1199 Panigale. Designer: Ducati Design Centre – Gianandrea Fabbro; Prod.: Ducati Motor Holding. “Compasso d’Oro for having transferred competition level performance to an elegant mass-production model that is still consistent with the brand’s traditional image”.
Bellevue. Designer: Marc Sadler; Prod.: IFI. “Compasso d’Oro for having created a product that is easy to clean and use, which stores and presents ice-cream in the best way possible, and whose minimalist design highlights the aesthetic value of the product it contains”.
Bitta. Designer: Enzo Berti; Prod.: Torremato – Il Fanale Group. “Compasso d’Oro for having given extra functionality to a traditional and symbolic object, and renewing it in an understated yet positive way”.
Counterbalance. Designer: Daniel Rybakken; Prod.: Luceplan. “Compasso d’Oro for having created a poetic solution to a static and mechanical problem”.

Deutz-Fahr 7250 TTV Agrotron. Designer: Fabrizio Giugiaro – Giugiaro Design; Prod.: Same Deutz-Fahr. “Compasso d’Oro for giving creative expression to a working tool, and reconciling ergonomic and functional aspects at the same time”.
Essenza. Designer: GSG International; Prod.: GSG International. “Compasso d’Oro for having integrated the simple window into the architectural repertoire”.
F12 berlinetta. Designer: Flavio Manzoni – Centro Stile Ferrari, Pininfarina; Prod.: Ferrari. “Compasso d’Oro for its streamlined shape, whose aerodynamics optimize the car’s performance”.
Futuro Artigiano. L’innovazione nelle mani degli italiani. Author: Stefano Micelli; Publisher: Marsilio Editore. “Compasso d’Oro for providing both economic and practical reasons for re-evaluating Italian industrial craftsmanship not from a nostalgic point of view but looking instead towards the future”.

IN-EI Issey Miyake. Designer: Issey Miyake Reality Lab; Prod.: Artemide. “Compasso d’Oro for having combined tradition and modernity in a single essential object, technologically advanced but poetic at the same time”.
Inventario. Designer: Beppe Finessi (Editor), Artemio Croatto (art director); Foscarini (promoter), Corraini Edizioni (publisher). “Compasso d’Oro for the ability to summarize culturally complex concepts with a lightness of touch, illustrating them with a strong visual identity and a high quality editorial design”.
L16. Designer: Lissoni Associati; Prod.: Lualdi. “Compasso d’Oro for giving architectural significance to a furnishing element, by making it surprisingly slender and subtle”.
Masterlite. Designer: MM Design; Prod.: Garmont. “Compasso d’Oro for elegantly transforming functional structure into a work of art”.

Nulla. Designer: Davide Groppi; Prod.: Davide Groppi. “Compasso d’Oro for having designed light and not just a lamp”.
Sampei. Designer: Enzo Calabrese, Davide Groppi; Prod.: Davide Groppi. “Compasso d’Oro for its capacity to be both a suspension lamp and a floor mounted one at the same time”.
Sfera. Designer: Giulio Iacchetti, Matteo Ragni; Prod.: Montini. “Compasso d’Oro for having interpreted a functional element of street furniture in an expressive yet ironic way”.
Slim and White Axolute Code. Designer: Migliore+Servetto Architetti Associati; Prod.: Bticino. “Compasso d’Oro for having created a poetic landscape with simple methods inspired by a technical product”.

Spun. Designer: Thomas Heatherwick; Prod.: Magis. “Compasso d’Oro for having recreated an everyday object in an ironic and entertaining way”.
Takaje Vacuum Seal. Designer: Adriano Design; Prod.: Facem. “Compasso d’Oro for creating a practical solution giving a new lease of life to an everyday object by increasing its functionality”.
Travel Air Jacket. Designer: Marco Broglia, Renzo Pigliapoco; Prod.: Uno61. “Compasso d’Oro for having employed Emergency Services technology in an item of clothing”.
Venticinque. Designer: Bruno Fattorini & Partners; Prod.: Desalto. “Compasso d’Oro for the stunning effect of its slender form in relation to its dimensions”.

Targa Giovani Award-winning:
The Targa Giovani, awarded by a special jury and intended to recognize designs and projects developed in Italian design schools has gone to.
Apiarium. Designer: Bettina Böhm. Libera Università di Bolzano / FreieUniversität Bozen.
Color-Id. Designer: Emily ‎Catena, IED Roma.
El Niño. Designer: Matteo Costa, Politecnico di Milano
10 Honourable mentions have also been awarded.
The Targa Giovani jury included Flavio Maestrini (president), Chiara Alessi, Helen Nonini,Gabriele Rosa, Marco Sammicheli.

Career Achievement Awards:
Giorgio Armani, Riccardo Dalisi, Bruno Danese, Puccio Duni, Italo Lupi, Alessandro Mendini, SaloneStellite, Richard Sapper.
International Awards
Apple, Ekuan Kenji, Dieter Rams.
The Compasso d’Oro Career Achievement Awards were awarded by a joint Committee consisting of Luisa Bocchietto, ADI President, Roberto Marcatti, Giovanna Talocci (ADI Executive Committee), Giovanni Cutolo (ADI Compasso d’Oro Foundation Collection President), Elena Miroglio, Rodrigo Rodriquez ( ADI Foundation board members), Angelo Cortesi, Walter de Silva, Manlio Armellini (honorary ADI members).
As usual, the award-winning products will become part of the Award’s Historical Collection, which encompasses more than 300 award-winning products dating back to 1954 to today and that from 2015 will have a permanent exhibition centre open to the public in the future ADI headquarters in Milan, in the area between Via Bramante and Via Ceresio and which is currently undergoing renovation.
Text by Gabriele Masi.