Interviews med Paolo Demel

The core idea is to enhance emotional connection with the sea, using a large lateral glass panel to visually dissolve the boundary between interior and water.

The design invites light and nature inside the vessel, creating a feeling of immersion. This redefines how we experience movement and space on water.

I focused on transparency and elegance, aiming to create a vessel that feels open, immersive, and futuristic.

I wanted to move away from traditional nautical aesthetics and introduce a design that speaks more to architecture and fluidity. The goal was to create calm through clarity.

I plan to refine the concept for production and explore limited edition collaborations with luxury brands.

A small run of high-end, customizable models could bring the vision to niche collectors. Additionally, I’d like to exhibit it as a design object in galleries or art fairs.

The design process took about 6 months from concept to final render.

It was a personal exploration of form and experience, not a commissioned project.

I was driven by curiosity to see how a boat could become a fluid, sculptural object. The concept emerged naturally from sketching without constraints.

The design is not currently in production, but I would love for it to be realized by someone, as it’s a concept I deeply care about.

It began as a personal creative exploration, and seeing it come to life would be incredibly meaningful.

My goal is to find a partner who believes in the project and can bring it to reality while preserving its original vision.

I wanted to reinterpret the traditional boat in a more sculptural and experiential way.

Modern yachts often prioritize size and luxury, but I was more interested in emotional impact. This design invites calm, wonder, and connection.

Inspiration came from architecture and automotive design more than other boats, though designers like Zaha Hadid influenced the fluid form.

Her dynamic lines and organic transitions encouraged me to abandon rigid forms. Also, futuristic car design helped with the streamlined profile.

The target is luxury clients who seek innovation, exclusivity, and emotional experiences at sea.

These are individuals who value design as a form of personal expression and want something unique, functional, and iconic. A collector’s mindset is key.

The panoramic glass and the seamless exterior create a radically different presence compared to traditional yachts.

It’s less about opulence and more about purity, silence, and the emotional atmosphere on board. The boat feels like an extension of the sea itself.

The name is inspired by Greek mythology, specifically Hermes, the god of travel, fluid movement, and communication. Hermes represents speed, elegance, and the ability to move freely between worlds, much like the concept of this boat, which blends the boundaries between sea, vessel, and experience. The name adds a layer of symbolic meaning, evoking a refined yet dynamic identity.

The wraparound glass is the key feature offering direct visual connection with the environment.

It redefines the relationship between user and water, while the boat’s form disappears into its reflection. That lightness is extremely rare in marine design..

I did not collaborate with anyone for this design. It was a project I carried forward entirely on my own, from concept to final execution. This allowed me to fully express my personal vision and maintain a cohesive design identity throughout the process.

Technology plays a key role in both the construction and user experience of this yacht. From advanced materials to seamless integration of smart features, it supports both aesthetics and performance. Technology also enables the large side glass element to be structurally safe and thermally efficient.

design was not based on analytical or data-driven research. It was guided entirely by intuition, observation, and a strong personal vision of connection with the sea.

One challenge was achieving a balance between futuristic aesthetics and functional marine architecture. Another was designing the glass panel so that it maintained transparency without compromising safety or insulation.

I felt that this concept had a strong identity and could speak to a global audience. I wanted to test its value outside of the design studio and share it with a wider creative and professional community.

This project taught me how to stay consistent with a vision while solving real technical constraints. It also improved my ability to think holistically—balancing design, engineering, and user experience.

I’d like to highlight how emotional impact was a driving force in my design choices. Connecting people more deeply with the sea through space, light, and silence was my core intent.

The inspiration for this project was born almost out of nowhere, I was in the office during the lunch break (in my old job the lunch breaks lasted 2 hours so I had a lot of empty time) I wanted to create something of my own. I started making the sofa in 3D, simple and linear, then I thought ... "What if I cut it with a diagonal?" "Why should all sofas have a straight back?" Obviously for convenience, one could answer, but it is not exactly like that, because there is always a solution to everything, even if initially we take the seemingly wrong path.

My goal for this project was to create a design icon, a unique thing, something that had never been seen.I wanted to get exactly the result I got, unfortunately I never had the means to represent it in the best way, but with the means I had available I can be very satisfied.

My biggest dream for this product is that it is made concretely by an interesting company in this sector, precisely because this product is a "concept" and therefore only waits to be made. I hope this project will open the way for me to actually pursue my dream as a designer, I would like to design products for many companies in the sector.

the idea was born in less than 5 minutes. Then it took more time to finish and perfect it, I made several versions before reaching the final shape.

This project was not commissioned by anyone, it is an idea entirely mine and born in my "free time".

My wish is that it be made by a company, currently no company has this project.

I do not have the possibility to make it alone on a large scale, for this reason I will definitely have to lean on or collaborate with a company interested in this product.

Since I finished university, I have been interested in the interior designer, so in all the companies I have worked in I have tried to fit in that specific field. For this reason, even when I had free time if I could, I created something of my own during the lunch breaks.

Certainly a designer who influenced me a lot (indirectly) and in particular in this project it could be Le Corbusier, let's say for a matter of the choice of materials, the use of iron tubulars and leather for example, are of great impact for a product, that's why I chose these materials. I am also very attracted to Japanese Design, in particular from Naoto Fukasawa and Tokujin Yoshioka, I highly value them because they are pioneers of a very precise style, and above all they are attentive to cleanliness and innovation.

Surely the target customer for this product is a very careful and sensitive person to the "shape", this sofa is almost a sculpture, for this reason whoever buys it wants to have a particular "piece" in his collection. It could also be an excellent product for a large room or museum, so where multiple people can use it during the day (but always in places of a certain type).

This design is distinguished from the others by the particular shape due to the cut, and by the metal part that goes to redesign the missing part of the sofa. Another great feature is the possibility of adding extra elements on the metal part thanks to the magnets, so there will be the possibility to customize the sofa as you want and to your liking. Obviously also the extra elements will be created especially for this sofa, there will be special cushions with magnets in the back so they can be attached to the structure.

I wanted to give the name of a girl for this project. A girl who was directly linked to this project and who is no longer here. I wanted to participate in this contest because I promised her. "Gloria" is a girl who I met a long time ago and she had become my friend, I had already conceived this project but I wanted to present it to companies to look for a possible manufacturer of my sofa, but I needed some sketches to enrich my project, so I asked this girl to do them for me because she was really good at drawing. So one day I sent her the renders of the sofa and she made the sketches following my computer rendering to the letter (they are the same that I have attached to the project of the competition). Some time later she told me that she had to leave for London with her boyfriend Marco, looking for a stable job, she had just graduated from the IUAV in Venice in architecture. On June 12th 2017 Gloria wrote to me "Paolo after tomorrow I'm going back to Italy and I promise you we'll see you so tell me how the sofa project proceeds, and I'll tell you how I am finding myself in London with work" .... On June 14, 2017 the news on TG "the 24-story skyscraper Grenfell Tower in London caught fire in the night" ... she was there, and she was on the 23rd floor. Gloria Trevisan died that night with her boyfriend Marco, and they were two splendid and full of hope people, I suffered a lot, and just two days before it happened she made me a promise. On the day of her funeral I made her a promise, that is I would have brought this project to the end ... this is the meaning of the name of my project.

For this project I used Rhinoceros 3d for modeling, for rendering I used Keyshot. While the drawings were made freehand

The most unique aspects of my design are: the shape, the function and the history behind the name of my design

For this project I did not initially collaborate with anyone. A girl helped me make the sketches later, Gloria.

The particular role that this design has is to make a person feel at ease, in the exposed armrest (made of iron tubulars) there is a glass shelf that slides up and down according to your needs, where you can place a glass of wine or a magazine. Even the sofa can meet your needs, thanks to the possibility of moving the various elements with the magnets on the structure.

This project has not been influenced by anything but my mind, I have not done any research to get to the final result.

A big challenge was to make something seemingly "uncomfortable" "comfortable", the idea of ​​applying extra elements to the structure with magnets came to me later, initially I concentrated on the shape and wanted to find a solution to maintain the "beauty" of the shape I had thought of without detracting from comfort.

I decided to participate in this contest because I wanted to change my life and I hope so much to succeed. I also hope to find the right contacts to grow as a Designer. I have never participated in a competition before, and I was also looking for a way to show off my skills. The other reason why I participated is related to the promise I made to Gloria.

When I entered this competition, I uploaded my project and I admit I got a very low score, I think insufficient, but I never lost confidence in myself, the first judge who examined my work a year ago was very critic and showed me all the points to improve, so I got up and tried to do my best. That job was worth more than 4/10 and I knew it ... I believed it to the end. This makes you understand that in life you must never break down, but you must fight ... always. And that judge will always thank him.

I wanted to thank the team that works with "A Design Award Competition", real professionals in the sector. They have always followed and supported me with professionalism and patience. In particular Laura, who has always been available and serious in her work, always showing me the right way. This project is vital for me and they all made it a reality.

Design has always been a great passion of mine. I started studying industrial design at the age of 14 in high school at the Pietro Selvatico art institute, until the age of 19. Also in the same year in which I finished high school I decided to continue my studies in Design at the university at SID- Scuola Italiana Design (in Padua in Italy), which I then concluded after 3 years. At 22 I immediately started working as a designer, and currently it's the job I've been doing for 6 years (as product designer and interior designer). In recent years I have worked in several companies in different sectors.

I became a designer because it is something that I felt inside me. When I was 7 years old, the primary school teacher asked in a questionnaire how we would become in the future and what we would do. I wrote "It is still early to say why many things can change over time, but I will definitely design furniture." Maybe it's part of my DNA because in my family they are almost all artists.

I chose it, nobody has ever chosen something for me. Fortunately my family has always left me the freedom to choose what to do in life .. and so it was

I like to design anything, also because the beauty of design is just that, there are no limits and above all when designing a new product a new world opens up that was not known before. If I really have to give a preference I prefer furniture in general, which is the field in which I specialized (sofas, armchairs, kitchens, chairs, etc.).

To become a legend you have to chase your dreams, only if you love what you do you can get wherever you want. There will certainly be more or less high obstacles in your path, but no obstacle will ever be high enough to stop your dreams. Never stop and never give up.

A good designer is satisfied with the result obtained, while a great designer is never satisfied and perseveres in his work constantly improving it, achieving excellent results. For a good designer, design is a job, for a great designer, design is his life.

A truly valid design must be something innovative, it must solve a problem by improving its interaction with the user. Good design is what anticipates the future.

If you want to progress with evolution you have to invest in "good" projects, otherwise how can we progress? There have been inventions in the past and projects that have drastically changed people's lives by improving it.

If I had time, I would design for anyone who needed it and for those looking for a unique and particular design.

The project of my dreams that I have not yet had the opportunity to realize is this "Gloria" sofa that I brought to the "A 'Design Award and Competition" competition, my hope is that a company in the sector is interested in my project to really make it happen.

I still do not consider myself a successful designer ... the road is still very long, I am only aware of having a lot of passion for what I do.

I am very attracted to Japanese Design, in particular from Naoto Fukasawa, Tadao Andō and Tokujin Yoshioka, I highly value them because they are pioneers of a very precise style, and above all they are attentive to cleanliness and innovation.

There are many designs that I like, but if I have to choose one in particular, my favorite design is Le Corbusier's LC4 chaise longue. It is a great icon in the world of Design, and I have always admired it a lot, it was the first product that I included in a rendering during a university tutorial, chosen precisely because it was a product that always impressed me a lot.

My greatest design (speaking of the product) is the "Gloria Sofa" that I brought to the 2020 "A 'Design Award and Competition", it is my most important work because I am very close to it. It has a shape that I like very much and that remains etched in the mind. It also has a very strong history linked to the name that I gave to this product and that makes me even more connected.

To improve yourself, you must always be critical in your own projects and listen to the criticisms of others, only in this way you get good results, otherwise you never get a good project.

I have always had another great passion, astronomy, a few years ago I bought my first semi-professional telescope. Probably another course of study that I would have liked to pursue is astronomy, or always remaining in the artistic field that I would have liked to be an archaeologist.

Design is all for me. It has always been everything. To explain my statement I go back to talking about my grandfather, when I was little he gave me a trunk where inside it was full of small objects, pieces of plastic, string, caps etc., I played with those, that is, I built my toys assembling the pieces, then, growing over time, I have always maintained a certain curiosity for everything around me, I took the objects and looked at how they were made. That's why I chose my study and work path.

My whole family has always supported me in what I wanted to do in my life, I could never have paid for my studies alone, so I have to thank my whole family. In particular, my mother who has always been interested in my path and has always followed me on my path. During my course of study I had to face very bad and difficult times with my family, but I learned that you must always strive and never give up.

Passion, curiosity and certainly a futuristic vision.

The obstacles are endless, but none of them were high enough to stop me, so none of these obstacles clouded my vision on my way. My goal has always been higher.

A designer must always try to present his work with as much detail as possible, because the customer who looks at it will not always reason with the head of the person who thought it. So it is necessary to give all the information, a complete presentation is always important, starting from the research done up to the final concept.

I have many plans in mind for the future, I just have to put my ideas into practice and implement them, I will probably register again for the next "A 'Design Award and Competition" competition, or maybe I could try even more than one.

My future plan is to found my design studio to then design my products for different companies. Obviously I'm open to new interesting job offers as long as I'm young. But my biggest wish is to see my ideas come true.

I believe that people who truly believe in me and in what I do hope to always see something new that amazes him, and so it will be, I want to keep improving and the road is still all uphill.

In order to be a "good design", design MUST improve society, it must bring innovation to the field, being close to people, helping them, supporting them and improving their lives.

Right now I am a little stuck with my personal works, because of what is happening with the coronavirus, unfortunately I have an old computer that does not allow me to use the programs I know how to use. Right now I'm very active via social networks, I manage several pages on design and interior design for a total of about 5 million followers.

The project that has given me most satisfaction for now is the "Gloria" sofa that I brought to the "A 'Design Award Competition", I had never participated in a competition before this, and the result I got gave me a lot of satisfaction. I have to be honest, I didn't expect it to be voted so by the judges. I am very attached to this product, and I really care that it is made, now I only wait for that if some company will take an interest in my product.

In my opinion, design has slowed down in recent years, there are few investments in the formation of this "art". There is a need for innovation in all fields, the world needs it, especially now. So we must also start from education. When I attended high school more than 10 years ago there were no schools that dealt with "Design", there was only the course that I attended at the Pietro Selvatico art institute - Industrial Design (and definitively closed from the following year due to lack of members).

The design in the coming years is increasingly concentrated in the automotive field, due to a necessary technological evolution, the transition from "petrol" to electric. It would be a field in which I would like to design, perhaps the interiors of cars.

This question is a bit generic, it depends on the subject, it can take a month or years. The factors are obviously different, such as how many components and how many materials an object consists of. For example, if I have to design a plastic cup, it will certainly be simpler than designing a bicycle, since the glass is made up of a material and a production method (injection molding) while a bicycle has multiple components, multiple materials and different methods. of production that will therefore have to match. In fact, for this reason, for more complex projects, a team also made up of designers and engineers is needed.

first of all I try to sketch some ideas on a sheet of paper or 3D modeling on the computer, I try to do this without being influenced by any shape, then maybe I am looking for some possible inspiration in the field of classical or contemporary art that can help me to open your mind. Once I have found the right path then I try to find some variations in order to choose the best one.

"Design is pure art, design is everywhere and in everything, every object has a story and a project behind it. The Designer is the artist, and his works enter people's daily lives silently"

trends are always created by "designers", from whatever field they come from, so in my opinion design and trend have always coexisted.

Technology plays a very important role, as technology (if any) is always that added value that can improve the object, both in performance and in interaction with the user

Technically I use many programs with the computer, for 3D modeling Rhinoceros 3D or Solidworks, for rendering Keyshot or V-Ray. For 2D technical drawing I always use Rhinoceros 2D or Autocad (or DraftSight) while for the graphic part I use a lot of Photoshop for post production of renders or for photomontages, I also use it a lot for the creation of textures. Then I use the illustrator for the vector part and finally Indesign for the graphic layout of the presentations and the final books. In my life I have had a lot of base also in the practice of freehand drawing and technical drawing. I also have a lot of manual skills in creating models and prototypes, I have used many materials for my study models: polystyrene, wood, clay, balsa, plastic, resin glass, plexiglass etc. Coming from a family of artists at home we have a library with hundreds of books on ancient and modern art, obviously also many books on Design and history from which I take some inspiration.

The value of colors, materials, and environments in design is very important, it requires special research, you need to find the right combinations, find the right contrasts and give the right weights. Not doing a thorough research on these aspects can compromise the final quality of a product.

I wish they asked what I went through in my life before I got to that result.

A great emotion, if a person manages to achieve a "design" close to perfection it is impossible not to recognize beauty. Beauty also derives from universal canons, if a design arrives it means that it can only be born from a great mind.

Yes, I believe it, my ideal partner should be a constantly curious person, who never stops, especially at the first obstacle (but not even after 100). That he is a quiet and available, but above all humble person, who is willing to learn when he doesn't know, and to teach when he really knows something.

Certainly the professors I had in high school and later in university. Probably because they are people who have studied this profession down to the smallest detail, and all of their teachings have led me to improve over time and has always sought my own way.

Coming from a family of artists, in our house we have an ancient library full of books on art of all kinds and from every part of the world, both ancient and modern. Maybe it was those books that influenced me the most.

I undoubtedly developed my major skills with the university that I attended "SID - Italian School of Design", surely they gave me the foundations for what they then managed to achieve in the work. Then when you start working you acquire even more skills, and deepen in practice what you have always studied.

Leonardo Da Vinci.

I'm not famous hahahaha =) (maybe we'll talk about it in a few years)

My favorite color is black, I have many favorite foods, let's say I love the cuisine of my country which is the best in the world, so Italian food in general. My favorite place is a place that I haven't seen yet but that I have as a computer wallpaper for 3 years, i.e. a historic street in Kyoto in japan. My favorite brand is Mercedes-Benz, which I consider one of the giants of world design

One day while I was at work (it was my first job), in a large company, I was assigned to the "design" department, so I was a direct subordinate of the owner, after a few months I went to the technical office, there were about 15 -20 technicians and engineers and one of them asked me for advice. So I sat in his position and helped him, at some point the head of the department arrived, a rather surly dictatorial person, everyone feared him in the technical department (but he was not my superior), he stood behind me and he said "come on Paolo what do you want to do? what are you doing? you can't do anything" (just because I was 21 and I had just arrived), I turned to him and looking him in the eyes I said to him: "sit down, do it yourself so, you know how to do it? do you know this program? " he did not know what to answer and went away. Suddenly all the employees of the department got up and hugged me, nobody had ever answered like this .... let's say he deserved it.

My motivation grows when I manage to concretize what I have in mind, then once it materializes the road is always downhill and my passion grows more and more.

I come from a family of artists, my grandfather has entered the "top 100 world artist" and is a very influential person in the art world, my father is also an artist in the field of jewelry and creates unique pieces in the world . I have always had a very strong artistic and creative component, already in high school I studied industrial design for 5 years, and then I continued university at SID - Italian Design School for another 3 years. I always knew what I wanted to do in life, at 7 I wrote a letter for a school assignment in which he asked me "What will you do when you grow up?" and I replied: "it is difficult to say because there is still a lot of time, but I will certainly design furniture and objects".

In a thousand years I am sure that with the climatic difficulties that will upset our planet, we will have already colonized another planet, I believe this will be necessary for the salvation of our species, with the hope of not "polluting" and then leading to the destruction of the new planet. I believe that before 100 years this will happen, technology advances and growth is exponential, hoping that it is the same technology and science that will save us.

I would also like all people who would like to know more about my design to contact me, I will be happy to answer any questions, it would also be very nice if among my visitors there was some company or entrepreneur who appreciated my idea and my design and that he was interested in making it happen, it's my biggest dream. So contact me

I come from a family of artists, my grandfather has entered the "top 100 world artist" and is a very influential person in the art world, my father is also an artist in the field of jewelry and creates unique pieces in the world . I have always had a very strong artistic and creative component, already in high school I studied industrial design for 5 years, and then I continued university at SID - Italian Design School for another 3 years. I always knew what I wanted to do in life, at 7 I wrote a letter for a school assignment in which he asked me "What will you do when you grow up?" and I replied: "it is difficult to say because there is still a lot of time, but I will certainly design furniture and objects".

My dream is to open my own studio and design products for companies. But currently I have been working for almost 5 years at Studiolo1844 and Ypsilon Collection, they are two interior design companies in Padua (Italy). We mainly design for the foreign market, Studiolo1844 is a General contractor (we design and build luxury villas and hotels, from construction while furnishing). While Ypsilon Collection is a bathroom furnishing company. I have always worked in companies in the world of furniture and products.

Design is all for me. It has always been everything. To explain my statement I go back to talking about my grandfather, when I was little he gave me a trunk where inside it was full of small objects, pieces of plastic, string, caps etc., I played with those, that is, I built my toys assembling the pieces, then, growing over time, I have always maintained a certain curiosity for everything around me, I took the objects and looked at how they were made. That's why I chose my study and work path.

I like to design anything, also because the beauty of Design is just that, there are no limits and especially when you design a new product a new world opens up that you didn't know before. If I really have to give a preference I prefer furniture in general , which is the field in which I specialized (sofas, armchairs, kitchens, chairs, etc.)

There are many designs that I like, but if I have to choose one in particular, my favorite design is Le Corbusier's LC4 chaise longue. It is a great icon in the world of Design, and I have always admired it a lot, it was the first product that I included in a rendering during a university tutorial, chosen precisely because it was a product that has always impressed me A lot.

The first thing I designed for a company was a "refrigerated counter" for the supermarket, the unit is a large producer in this sector: Criocabin S.p.a. the products to be designed were very complex because they required different technical notions, and it was necessary to design taking into account the company's means of production. it was a great challenge for me because it was my first job after university, but it went very well because after a few months they put into production some products designed by me and my team.

aesthetically I prefer metal, wood and leather, because they are "warm" materials and that offer many possibilities in finishing and personalization. While speaking of "practical" material and which in any case gives excellent results, I prefer plastic, both for the ease of series production (injection molding) and for rapid prototyping with the new 3D molding technologies, fast and at low cost.

My creativity emerges when I listen to music while I work, this happens because music is a propagator of intense and different frequencies and stimulate the brain (however, you need to know how to interpret these sound waves in art). Let's say I love all genres of music, but for my creativity, Hans zimmer helps me a lot.

Usually I focus on form and function, form and function in design must go in parallel, because it is important that we both have a thorough study. Form does not only deal with aesthetics, but also ergonomics. Function must not only be "functional" but also intuitive.

A strong passion and hope. Carefree, because when I design, time passes in a flash

it is one of the greatest satisfactions that I can have in my life, then seeing your creations and being able to say "I created it", "my mind created it", and the world accepted and understood it . Why is this being a designer, being at the service of the world and people.

There are several factors that can make a project successful. It can be a very innovative design, where thanks to this you can take huge steps in medicine and therefore save lives, I bring the example of the Dechatlon diving mask, which was already a good design in itself, but which in the last few months has saved many lives with a small modification by a designer who was able to turn it into a coronavirus respirator.

the first aspect that strikes me both positively and negatively is the "aesthetic" aspect in anything, even in design. Because I must like something at first sight it has to "electrocute me", and therefore I can move on to more technical or practical aspects, but just if something doesn't strike me at first sight, I tend not to get close. I admit, however, that before saying whether a Design is good or bad we need to look at how innovative this thing is or if it improves the practical actions that previously took place with a more complex design.

A designer must always respect both society and the environment in all respects, when a designer designs he must also think about how to dispose of his products once they have finished their life cycle, even better if they can be recycled. We now live in a world where the environment is collapsing, we must respect it, and if we do it all together there is still hope of making the next generations live in a better and healthier world

when we talk about a "new" design we always talk about evolution, a designer when designing must always have a futuristic vision of his project, precisely because from design to production it can spend a lot of time, so you have to project yourself into the future while you are doing the first sketch.In the next few years we will be able to see with our own eyes what I just talked about, the car market will have a radical change, as already more car manufacturers have already talked about the total change of their cars from "petrol" to "electric" within a couple of years. For this reason, the designer must always look ahead and predict what will happen, "a designer must think and plan the future in the present".

My first and last exhibition I did was when I was in high school about 10 years ago, I was 19 years old, I had to design and create a jewel that synthesized the discoveries of Galielo Galieli made with the telescope. I hope my next exhibition will come soon, perhaps with a nice product thought and designed by me, maybe (I hope) thanks to "A 'Design Award and Competition".

There are no precise sources of inspiration for my design, often they are real "flashes of genius", sometimes from nothing or sometimes from something that has absolutely nothing to do with what I'm doing. However, I happened to take inspiration from nature (therefore also from mathematics), or once I had to design a "tower" fan and I was inspired by skyscrapers.

I don't have a precise style, it often depends on what type of product I have to design, sometimes I prefer sinuous and organic shapes, while at other times I prefer minimal and clean shapes.The important thing is that there are proportions and balance, I don't like them unbalanced and unbalanced things.My approach to design is very simple (if you think with my head), I create a shape in my head, and then I reproduce it either on a sheet of paper or on the computer. what I was really thinking, I move on to the more technical and practical part, that is to look for the suitable material, the technology to be able to produce it. Finally, I also think about the part of marketing, so where you can position that product in the market, what are the needs required for that product, where you can sell, who can buy it, who could serve it etc.

I live in Italy and after everything I have seen and studied, I can safely say that Italy is the most "culturally rich" country in the world, nothing to take away from other countries in the world, but in Italy there is no corner where there is history. We have a very important heritage that has influenced the art and history of the world. So it is very important for me to have this cultural weight on my shoulders. I have always studied a lot of art since I was in school and later in university. and I must say that it has helped me a lot, they are the foundations that every person who approaches something artistic must have.

I have always worked as an internal employee, this has always been very useful to me because within a company you can truly understand the soul of the company and therefore you can understand 100% what they would like, because the work of a designer is also to interpret what some customers are looking for. Even if I repeat that my dream is to start on my own and work for multiple companies as an independent Designer, and I would like my style to be recognizable and unique.

This is a point for which I have always tried to fight. Unfortunately nowadays if you don't already have a "known name" hardly any company will come looking for you, even if you are very good. This happens because the sites of the companies to be "credible and serious" need to have certain illustrious names on their site. I'm not saying that it always goes, but many companies behave in this way, this method unfortunately does not help new talents to emerge. I am very much in favor of the possibility that competitions like this one of "A 'Design Award and Competition" give, where to decide if a project is "winning" is a jury of more than 200 judges, then if a project deserves to win it will have all the benefits to be advertised by professionals in the sector. And it is at this point that if a company wants to renew itself and looking for real talents, he can look for the right project for his needs among winning products for each category. This is the correct method.

When I have an idea I start to make sketches in pencil on a white sheet of paper, or I start to model in 3D with the computer. Once I get to the product I want I finish it in detail. Finally if I need it I make a scale model to bring to life what I initially thought.

A couple of Sonus Faber speakers, a product for Alessi salt and pepper, my Ikea bed, my Clestron Astromaster 130eq telescope, the TV in my Samsung living room

A classic day of my life starts with a hearty breakfast if I have time to make it, then I go to a job where I start to give vent to my creativity until the evening, before dinner if I can do physical activity in the gym or going to play tennis. Then once back home I dedicate myself to my family or a few hours of leisure

Set a goal in your head, then leave and go and get it, if there is one thing I have learned so far, it is precisely that nothing is impossible, and you can make dreams come true. Of course there will be very high obstacles and sometimes you will come throw yourself to the ground by force majeure, but always get up, because your goal is there waiting for you.

The positive points of being a designer are infinite, a designer tends to be curious, attentive, being a designer can know the world in a different way "from behind the scenes", he can understand the processes that are normally not seen. A designer has the dynamic and open mind, precisely because his preparation makes him face problems at 360 °. The cons of a designer is that not everyone speaks the same language as you, for example the engineers (no come on ... I'm kidding)

my golden rule in design is "never stop ... there will be many obstacles in your way ... but none of them will be high enough to stop your dreams"

A designer must have different skills and fairly complete. A designer must know art, must know production methods, must know materials, must have great intuitive or problem solving skills. In addition, a designer must have practical, drawing, computer graphics or manual skills in creating small prototypes.

Technically I use many programs with the computer, for 3D modeling Rhinoceros 3D or Solidworks, for rendering Keyshot or V-Ray. For 2D technical drawing I always use Rhinoceros 2D or Autocad (or DraftSight) while for the graphic part I use a lot of Photoshop for post production of renders or for photomontages, I also use it a lot for the creation of textures. Then I use the illustrator for the vector part and finally Indesign for the graphic layout of the presentations and the final books. In my life I have had a lot of base also in the practice of freehand drawing and technical drawing. I also have a lot of manual skills in creating models and prototypes, I have used many materials for my study models: polystyrene, wood, clay, balsa, plastic, resin glass, plexiglass etc. Coming from a family of artists at home we have a library with hundreds of books on ancient and modern art, obviously also many books on Design and history from which I take some inspiration.

Planning takes a long time and it is important to always be focused, sometimes when you lose concentration you risk doing some damage, so sometimes it is better to put aside a job when you are tired and take it back as soon as you are more relaxed and concentrated. You have to set goals and try to predict how long it will take to perform the various steps, so as not to be late with deliveries.

This question is a bit generic, it depends on the subject, it can take a month or years. The factors are obviously different, such as how many components and how many materials an object consists of. For example, if I have to design a plastic cup, it will certainly be simpler than designing a bicycle, since the glass is made up of a material and a production method (injection molding) while a bicycle has multiple components, multiple materials and different methods. of production that will therefore have to match. In fact, for this reason, for more complex projects, a team also made up of designers and engineers is needed.

The question I am often asked is: is it a design object? and I tend to answer "not only !!! Everything is design" from the broom to the car, "good or bad is design". I think designers have always been there in history, like Leonardo Da Vinci, he designed exactly how we design today, indeed, certainly better. Design is all that requires research and finds a concrete solution to a question or problem, design encompasses history, science, mathematics and art ... it is not a fad of the last 70 years as many think.

I had several important work experiences, the first was after a few months that I finished university, where the company I worked for proposed me to invent and design the central furniture of their stand from scratch for an important fair in Düsseldorf which they eventually built and was exhibited. I was lucky enough to work for a historic company in my area that restored the Scala in Milan. Then in the last 4 years of work (since 2016) I have made, together with a team in the place where I work, large projects, that is, the interiors of villas and luxury hotels all over the world, and it's nice to see your works actually made , even if unfortunately you remain anonymous, your name does not compare and you stay behind the scenes.

Over time I have worked with several companies: Criocabin Spa, Museum art Srl, True Design & TMA Italia, Studiolo1844, Ypsilon Collection, SID Italian School Design (Padua) Team 3 Lamborghini, Ramelle Sisters, Mondo Toys, Stefanplast, Vetroerre, M.Gaspardo . In the company in which our customers currently work, they tend to be private and therefore I cannot indicate names due to privacy.

I especially like to design everything that has to do with the home, therefore interiors. From the kitchen to the sofa, from the chair to the bed, I would also love to design everything that is technological, such as smartphones, computers, televisions etc.

My future plan is to found my design studio to then design my products for different companies. Obviously I'm open to new interesting job offers as long as I'm young. But my biggest wish is to see my ideas come true.

The products that I propose like the sofa in this competition are totally my works, while in the society in which I work, I currently work in a team, where everyone has their own duties.

Currently I admit that it is a bit difficult for me to put my ideas into practice because I usually need a good enough computer with the programs I usually use, while in the last few months I have had to remain still as many stuck in the house because of the Coronavirus. But my mind never stops, and I always have something on my mind to put into practice as soon as I can.

mail: demelp@hotmail.it - ​​phone: +39 3401481032 You can also find me in the various social networks where I am very active, such as: LinkedIn, Facebook or Instagramm you can find me simply by looking for my name.

I wanted to thank the team that works with "A Design Award Competition", real professionals in the sector. They have always followed and supported me with professionalism and patience. In particular Laura, who has always been available and serious in her work, always showing me the right way. This project is vital for me and they all made it a reality.

The panoramic windows on Hermes Yacht were designed to erase the boundary between interior and exterior, offering passengers a direct, uninterrupted connection with the sea. This immersion elevates the onboard experience, turning each journey into a sensory and emotional escape. To me, modern luxury is about creating meaningful space not just through materials, but through how the environment makes you feel. The glass design reflects this, blending elegance, openness, and serenity in a seamless way.

I drew inspiration from haute couture because of its emotional power and sculptural beauty. I wanted Hermes Yacht to express identity and movement, like a tailored garment on water. Fashion principles—fluid lines, bold shapes, refined details influenced the form. To balance this with marine function, we collaborated closely with engineers and used flexible, lightweight materials like fiberglass. The result is a yacht that fuses elegance with performance, style with structure.

Sustainability was a core focus in Hermes Yacht’s development. I researched advanced composites and opted for fiberglass and aluminum for their strength, lightness, and recyclability. I also explored non-toxic coatings and sustainable wood veneers that meet luxury standards. The goal was to blend environmental responsibility with refined aesthetics. Our team prioritized materials with low environmental impact while ensuring the yacht maintained its high-end finish and tactile quality. Sustainability, for us, is elegance with awareness.

The LED lighting was designed to enhance the yacht’s sculptural lines and create a strong nighttime identity. I wanted the vessel to feel alive after dark, with subtle illumination outlining its fluid silhouette. Beyond aesthetics, the lighting aids visibility and safety when docking or navigating. We used low-energy, marine-grade LEDs, integrating them seamlessly into the design to preserve elegance while adding functional value and ambiance that evolves with each moment on the water.

Winning the Platinum A’ Design Award validated the vision behind Hermes Yacht where style, innovation, and sustainability coexist. I believe this recognition will inspire greater experimentation in eco-conscious luxury design. It encourages others to challenge tradition and explore sustainable alternatives without compromising beauty. It also motivates me to keep pushing forward, integrating responsible solutions into elegant forms. This award is not an endpoint, but a new starting point for future innovation.

Integrating the electrical glass roof presented both structural and technical challenges. We needed a mechanism that was silent, reliable, and weather-resistant. Compact actuators and custom seals were developed to ensure smooth movement and waterproofing. Weight distribution was also a concern, so we selected lightweight tempered glass and refined the frame design. The final result is a seamless indoor-outdoor transition that enhances the user experience without sacrificing performance or aesthetics.

The aerodynamic form of Hermes Yacht was crafted to express elegance while optimizing efficiency. I worked closely with naval engineers to test and refine the hull’s shape, ensuring minimal drag and improved fuel economy. At the same time, the design needed to reflect the fluid, fashion-inspired identity of the yacht. Every curve was both an artistic and functional decision, merging beauty with performance to create a vessel that moves gracefully and efficiently through the water.

The user interface was designed to be both sophisticated and intuitive. I aimed to remove complexity without reducing control, so we implemented a touchscreen-based system with adaptive feedback and clear visual hierarchy. The interface adapts to different user profiles, allowing experienced skippers and casual users alike to navigate with ease. Voice-assist functions, smart automation, and remote diagnostics were integrated to elevate usability while staying consistent with the yacht’s refined character.

Space efficiency guided every decision in the interior layout. The bow cabin, often tight in vessels of this size, was redesigned for openness and privacy. I used modular storage, indirect lighting, and multi-purpose furnishings to expand functionality without visual clutter. Careful zoning allowed us to maintain sleek exterior lines while offering generous interior comfort. It’s a balance of proportion, light, and purpose—delivering luxury through thoughtful design, not excess volume.

Hermes Yacht sets a precedent for how sustainability and luxury can coexist in yacht design. Its success proves that environmental responsibility doesn’t mean sacrificing beauty or innovation. I hope it inspires future designers and shipyards to rethink material choices, energy systems, and lifecycle impact. As regulations tighten and client values shift, I believe the Hermes approach elegant, efficient, emotionally engaging—can shape a more conscious and refined direction for marine design.

The Gloria Sofa redefines traditional design by exposing its internal structure, creating both an aesthetic statement and functional innovation. Visually, the contrast between the sleek metal frame and upholstered sections adds lightness and a modern, architectural feel.Functionally, the open structure allows for customization through magnetic accessories, enabling users to attach elements like side tables, lamps, or storage units. This modular approach makes the sofa highly adaptable to different needs and spaces, merging design, technology, and personalization in a unique way.

Gloria Sofa’s magnetic system transforms a static sofa into a dynamic, modular piece. Magnets enable easy attachment of accessories like tables and storage, maintaining a clean aesthetic. This flexible design enhances functionality, allowing users to adapt it to different spaces and needs.

No, the initial concept was developed two years before the competition. I originally asked Gloria Trevisan to create emotional sketches to help present the project to companies, but none were interested as it didn’t fit their collections. After the tragedy, I didn’t want to leave the project behind, so I decided to submit it in her memory.

The distinctive cut in the Gloria Sofa’s padding presented a challenge in maintaining structural integrity while achieving its bold aesthetic. To address this, we reinforced the internal frame with a carefully designed support system that ensures stability without adding bulk. High-density foam and precision upholstery techniques were used to maintain comfort and durability, while the exposed structure enhances both the visual impact and functional adaptability of the sofa.

The integration of the glass shelf within Gloria Sofa’s exposed steel structure was driven by both functionality and aesthetics. We wanted to enhance the modular nature of the design while maintaining a sense of lightness and openness. Glass was chosen for its visual transparency, ensuring the sofa retains its sleek, modern appeal without adding visual weight. The adjustability of the shelf allows users to customize the space, adapting it for storage or display, reinforcing the sofa’s versatility and user-centric design.

Gloria Sofa challenges traditional upholstery by exposing part of its structure, integrating a magnetic surface for accessories. This transparency eliminates hidden frames, reducing material use and allowing customization. It redefines manufacturing by merging furniture and modular design principles.

The variable-density polyurethane foam ensures comfort while adapting to the sofa’s exposed structure. Firmer foam supports key areas, while softer sections enhance seating comfort. This balance maintains ergonomic integrity without compromising the sofa’s sleek, open design and modular adaptability.

The need for versatility led to a lightweight metal frame for durability and a magnetic surface for customization. The polyurethane foam balances comfort and practicality, while the open structure ensures adaptability in different environments, from lounges to offices, without overwhelming the space.

Users can attach accessories like side tables, storage units, or lighting to the magnetic surface, adapting the sofa to different needs. This flexibility allows it to function in various settings, from workspaces to homes, encouraging creativity and personalization without altering the core structure.

Gloria Sofa sets a precedent for modular, user-adaptable furniture by merging exposed structure with customization. Future designs may embrace transparency, magnetic modularity, and sustainable material use, encouraging more interactive, personalized, and multifunctional furniture solutions for dynamic living spaces.