The 687 submissions received for the INDE.Awards 2021 demonstrated the accolades’ prestige and the diversity of the design scene in the Indo-Pacific region. Just like the previous year, Wilkhahn was one of the sponsors of this design prize, which is known outside the region too. A distinguished panel of judges has now chosen the winners in a total of 15 categories.
The Luminary category, sponsored by Wilkhahn, honors a particularly well-deserving leading light from the region. Penelope Forlano, who is based in Perth, Australia, fought off the two male rivals to win the prize. She focuses on experimental projects that she initiates herself. In her Forlano Design Studio, she’s spent years combining academic research with progressive craftsmanship, which has already won her a whole host of academic, teaching and design-practice awards. In her 2018 dissertation, Penelope Forlano conducted research into emotional and psychological consumption practices, an issue that she feels very drawn to.