Hosted in the grand Carriageworks Theatre, the official INDE.Awards Ceremony was opened by Indesign Media Asia Pacific’s CEO & Founder, Raj Nandan and Indesign magazine Co-Editor, Alice Blackwood.

Being the inaugural year, our commander in chief set the tone of the evening and the program in general by giving everyone some needed context:

“When we started Indesign Media almost 20 years ago in a small one-bedroom flat in Woollahra, our ambition was to create titles that we could use as vehicles to examine, document and celebrate the very best of the Asia Pacific design region.

Starting small but thinking globally from a four-person office in Sydney, we’ve been able to follow you on your journeys into new markets. From New Zealand to Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, India, China – and many beyond.

We have spent these 2 decades learning, growing and achieving great things in this region right alongside you; working hard to represent you and your incredible talents every step of the way. We’ve seen and lived through both the triumphs and setbacks of our industry just as you have – sharing the good with the bad. And tonight this 20-year path comes full-circle as together we – as an industry – acknowledge, reward and commend the most exceptional people, products and projects our corner of the world has produced, propelling them into recognition on the wider, global stage.

When we began putting this program together, our vision was to be the new benchmark for design accolades across the Asia Pacific. Something that – in the tradition of Indesign Media – represents our industry not from afar, but from within. This mission has always been our number one commitment from 1999 onward, and we have been overwhelmed with the tremendous response we received to the next stage of this journey – the inaugural INDE.Awards.

We owe the success of this program to all of you, where we received over 400 projects, people, products and idea submissions, from every touch-point across the Asia Pacific region; Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, Jakarta, China and many more. Because of you, we are a new name and a unique presence on the awards stage, purpose-built by the industry, for the industry, to champion the best in design, architecture and people across South-East Asia.

The support and participation of our industry’s most iconic players truly demonstrate the strength and prowess of architects and designers across our talented corner of the world. And much of the success of this program has been down to the knowledge and efforts of our highly regarded jury, sponsors and partners…”

Here, Indesign Co-Editor Alice Blackwood commented on how, “Unlike many others, the design industry is one built on the strength of relationships and the ongoing support of an active community. We would not be standing here tonight were it not for the continued backing of our sponsors and partners:

First of all, our long-time collaborator and Platinum Sponsor, Zenith. Our Gold Sponsors Sunbrella and Tongue ‘n’ Groove. Our Category Sponsors Cult, Denovo Recruitment, Shaw Contract, Gaggenau, Living Edge, Neolith, Interface, Cosentino, Wilkhahn, and Schiavello. Our Trophy Partner, Dinosaur Designs. Our Hotel Partner, The Old Clare. And finally our Event Partners, Cake Wines, CoLab Design, Harry The Hirer, Laurent Perrier Champagne and Sample Brew.”

She went on to reflect on the truly “glocal nature of these awards,” and how the official judging panel – an enviable collective of our industry’s most exceptional design minds – were faced with a tall order in narrowing 400 submissions down to a tight top 60.

Following the formalities and a tremendously insightful speech from jury member and Indesign Luminary Sue Carr, the evening’s emcees: Joe Snell and Solvig Walkling commenced the official ceremony, awarding each winner with a bespoke, hand-made trophy from Dinosaur Designs.

Take a look…

Photography by Tim da-Rin