Italian furniture brand Sitia and its Singapore retailer d’Doubles launched a design competition in March during the Singapore Design Week 2019. Supported by the Italian Embassy in Singapore, the Italian Chamber of Commerce and the DesignSingapore Council, the competition called for an office furniture design that promotes a relaxed, domestic experience in a commercial setting, while looking completely at home in it. 

The competition attracted over 30 submissions by young design professionals, as well as students. On 23 May, Sitia and D’doubles, with industry judges Executive Director of ONG & ONG Ong Tze Boon and DP Design Director Mike Lim, chose the five finalists, of which one design emerged as the winner. 

The finalists were:

Raffle, a triangular seating with a small table embedded on its centre by Huang Hui Min. 

A Human Desk, a collaboration desk embedded with a 55-inch smart touch screen by Nithipong Subaneknan from Studio Myth

Stitch, flat-packed, slot-assembly desk and stool set by Lai Si Yuan

Ramo Tavolo, a portable, height adjustable and stackable side table by Ng Ka Wai. 

And the winner of the competition was Una, a transformable and multifunctional space divider by Abigail Chang. 

Una features a circular acoustic panel that can be transformed into a work surface. The jury praised the concept for providing an elegant work surface that “offers both visual and acoustic privacy, whilst promoting openness and collaboration.”

As the prize for winning the competition, Chang will participate in a workshop in Italy at Sitia’s production factory, where she will have the opportunity to work with the brand’s artisans to develop and prototype her product.

The prototype will also have a chance to be presented at  Salone del Mobile 2020, and be included into Sitia’s catalogue and global distribution network. 

View photos from the awarding ceremony in the gallery below. 

Sitia Managing Director Emanuel Battocchio (left) and Abigail Chang (right).