Dezeen Awards 2023 judges

Skylar Tibbits, Chris Cooke and Katelin Butler named Dezeen Awards 2023 judges

Designers Skylar Tibbits and Chris Cooke, editor Katelin Butler, 2LG Studio co-founders Russell Whitehead and Jordan Cluroe and Quirk Studio co-founders Shivani Ajmera and Disha Bhavsar have been announced as Dezeen Awards 2023 judges.

Dezeen Awards 2023 in partnership with Bentley Motors is open for entries. Submit your project before midnight London time on 1 June to avoid late entry fees.

Now in its sixth year, the programme has become the ultimate accolade for architects and designers everywhere, with winners selected by a prestigious panel of international judges.

Read on to learn more about five of the 90 industry professionals judging entries this year:

Skylar Tibbits
Skylar Tibbits is a researcher, designer and computer scientist

Designer Tibbits is the founder of Self-Assembly Lab, a research lab at US university Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

MIT associate professor Tibbet's research focuses on developing self-assembly and programmable materials within the built environment. Tibbet's MIT students recently developed sustainable furniture concepts for an exhibition in collaboration with furniture brand Emeco.

Tibbits has designed and built large-scale installations and exhibited in galleries around the world, including the Centre Pompidou, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum and Victoria and Albert Museum among others.

The computer scientist is also the author of the book Self-Assembly Lab: Experiments in Programming Matter, editor of the book Active Matter, co-editor of the book Being Material and editor-in-chief of the journal 3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing.

Chris Cooke
Chris Cooke is the head of design collaborations for automotive brand Bentley

English designer Cooke is the head of design collaborations at British automotive brand Bentley Motors.

His career at the automotive brand started in 2010 and he has since developed a range of projects including Bentley Home furniture, Bentley residences and the upcoming members club VIP Record Room in Manchester.

Bentley's head of design collaborations has also worked with designers such as Philippe Starck and Federico Peri, architect Carlo Colombo and companies including whiskey brand Macallan, audio manufacturer Naim and writing instrument manufacturer Graf von Faber-Castell.

Designer Cooke, alongside interior designer Ilse Crawford, will take part in the inaugural Lighthouse Talk organised by Dezeen and automotive brand Bentley during next week's Milan design week in a discussion about material innovation within the luxury sector.

This will take place at the Bentley Home Atelier, where the brand will also showcase its latest homeware and furniture collection.

Katelin Butler
Mellbourne-based Katelin Butler is a writer, editor and curator

Melbourne-based Butler is the editorial director at publisher and events company Architecture Media, where her role includes the custodianship of the magazine Architecture Australia and curation of the Design Speaks event series.

The Australian writer has also co-edited three books, The Forever House: Time-Honored Australian Homes, The Terrace House: Reimagined for the Australian Way of Life and The Apartment House: Reframing the Australian Dream. She is also the co-author of the book The New Queensland House.

Editor Butler holds a bachelor of environmental design from the University of Tasmania and a master of architecture from the University of Melbourne.

Jordan Cluroe and Russell Whitehead
Jordan Cluroe and Russell Whitehead are co-founders of design office 2LG Studio

Partners Cluroe and Whitehead are the co-founders of London-based creative design consultancy 2LG Studio.

Actors Cluroe and Whitehead's southeast London studio works on projects spanning residential and commercial interiors, design consultancy and styling.

The practice has worked with international brands such as Ligne Roset, Ercol, FloorStory, Caesarstone, Cameron Design House, House of Rohl, Maitland & Poate and Studio Custhom.

In 2020 the duo published their first book Making Living Lovely and in 2022 appeared as presenters on British public broadcast Channel 4's second series of Changing Rooms.

Other projects by design consultancy 2LG include a white-stained timber garden pavilion and a London home featuring blue tilework and coral-orange cabinetry.

Disha Bhavsar and Shivani Ajmera
Disha Bhavsar and Shivani Ajmera are co-founders of Indian interior design firm Quirk Studio

Interior designers Bhavsar and Ajmera are the co-founders of Mumbai-based practice Quirk Studio.

The interior design studio was founded in 2013 and offers spatial and interior design solutions for residential, commercial, hospitality and retail sectors.

The design duo has been featured in Forbes India's 30 under 45 list and in publications including Architectural Digest, Elle Décor India, Goodhomes, Time of India, Cosmopolitan, Design Pataki and Beautiful Homes.

Notable clients include actors Anushka and Aditya Seal, music platform Jam8 Studio director Pritam, retail brand Fancy Pants, comedian and writer Rohan Joshi and Indian film producer Deepshikha Deshmukh.

Dezeen Awards 2023

Dezeen Awards celebrates the world's best architecture, interiors and design. Now in its sixth year, it has become the ultimate accolade for architects and designers across the globe. The annual awards are in partnership with Bentley Motors, as part of a wider collaboration that will see the brand work with Dezeen to support and inspire the next generation of design talent.