Recognised as the premier architecture and design awards program across the Indo-Pacific, the INDE.Awards celebrate the region’s most progressive and inspiring projects. Each year, they honour those who challenge convention and redefine the boundaries between form, function and human experience.

In its 2025 edition, the INDE.Awards once again spotlighted the designers shaping our shared future, where craftsmanship meets innovation and the built environment responds to evolving cultural narratives. Within this landscape, A Cabinet of Curiosities by Adam Markowitz Design with Simeon Dux emerged as the winner of The Object category, presented in partnership with the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC). This award recognises exceptional design objects that embody purpose, beauty and technical mastery.

Commissioned for an apartment interior originally designed by Adam Markowitz Design in 2019, A Cabinet of Curiosities reflects the transformation of domestic life in a post-pandemic world. Where once a glazed wall opened to views across East Melbourne, an office tower now stands as a symbol of urban change and adaptation. The apartment, once purely residential, now serves dual purposes as both home and workspace.

The clients, avid collectors, sought a piece that could perform multiple roles: to showcase their treasures, provide privacy from neighbouring buildings, and function as a concealed work-from-home station. The design answers this brief with sensitivity and ingenuity, offering both openness and retreat.

Through the use of elegant tambour doors, the cabinet transforms with ease; solid and shielding one moment, light and transparent the next. When the doors slide away, they disappear entirely, leaving a permeable, glowing object that filters light while maintaining visual connection.

At the heart of A Cabinet of Curiosities lies an extraordinary commitment to craftsmanship. Realised by master maker Simeon Dux, every element speaks to the precision and artistry of fine woodworking. Hand-cut dovetails, piston-fit drawers, continuous grain quartersawn veneer tambour doors and hand-turned drawer pulls fashioned from 10,000-year-old ancient redgum create a piece rich in material narrative and tactile depth.

Complemented by handmade brass fittings and seamlessly integrated power and lighting, the cabinet merges traditional joinery with modern function. It stands as both a sculptural centrepiece and a deeply practical object, embodying the dialogue between permanence and flexibility that defines contemporary living.

As The Object Winner at the INDE.Awards 2025, A Cabinet of Curiosities exemplifies the values of craftsmanship, adaptability and emotional resonance. It is not simply a piece of furniture, but a reflection of how design can respond gracefully to change, redefining the home as a place of beauty, meaning, and evolution.

Through this award, the INDE.Awards and AHEC continue to celebrate the enduring artistry of the handmade, and the designers and makers who give form to the stories of our time.

Discover the full lineup of 2025 INDE.Awards winners here. Entries to the 2026 INDE.Awards will open in early December. 

Photography
Charlie White