Five key projects by architect and Dezeen Awards judge Piero Lissoni

Italian architect Piero Lissoni has joined Dezeen Awards 2023 as a judge. Here, he selects five projects that best reflect his studio's work.

Lissoni, who is the founder and director of multidisciplinary practice Lissoni & Partners, defines the core ethos of his work as "passion, study, research, proportion, discipline and a dash of anarchy".

The Milan- and New York-based studio is working on designs across the globe, including hospitality projects in North America and Europe.

"We have many projects on the go all over the world, such as Dorothea Hotel & Residences in Budapest, AKA NoMad in New York and AKA in Alexandria and The Ritz-Carlton in Pompano Beach, Miami," Lissoni told Dezeen.

"From our New York studio, we continue to develop and manage architectural projects in the Americas," he added.

Earlier this year, the Embassy of Italy in London hosted Italian Design Day (IDD), which promotes Italian design, focusing on its quality and artistry. As part of the London event, the embassy hosted a talk with the Italian architect in conversation with Dezeen's deputy editor Cajsa Carlson.

Lissoni among Dezeen Awards 2023 judges

Dezeen Awards 2023, in partnership with Bentley Motors, is open for entries. Yesterday we announced six more Dezeen Awards judges: industrial designer Maurizio Montalti, Will Meyer and Gray Davis of Meyer Davis, architect Olayinka Dosekun-Adjei, design director Pragya Adukia and professor Kate Goldsworthy.

Submit your project before the entry deadline on Thursday 1 June. Click here for more information.

Read on to find Lissoni's views on the five projects that best represent his studio's work:


Photo by Tsing Lim

Shangri-La Shougang Park Hotel, Beijing, China

"The hotel is constructed within an abandoned industrial area. This project respects the architecture of the facades alongside the interiors, as well as the internal and external green spaces.

"The existing structural framework of the main building is maintained, but its interior emptied to reveal a skeleton of industrial heritage that consists of concrete walls and steel roof trusses whose markings reveal the passage of time and have transformed it into a fascinating backdrop."


Image courtesy of Lissoni Casal Ribeiro

Skylines, New York City, USA

"This is a vertical ecosystem with suspended gardens designed for the international architecture competition Skyhive 2020 Skyscraper Challenge.

"Skylines is not simply a skyscraper, but a veritable ecosystem which integrates architecture and nature."

Read more about Skylines ›


Photo by Tommaso Sartori

SX-88 yacht

"The project for the Sanlorenzo SX-88 crossover yacht comes from a simple idea: designing the interior as open space.

"This approach has revolutionised the interpretation of the spaces inside yachts – an open space that takes the form of the boat where the contact between the inside and outside is forever present."

Read more about Sanlorenzo yachts ›


Living Divani - Extrasoft

Extrasoft for Living Divani

"It is a modular and informal sofa with soft, yielding and malleable comfort; welcoming and restful seating that can be freely configured into a variety of geometrical and irregular compositions.

"A concept of a freer and deconstructed idea of the sofa, a way to design islands and archipelagos and to define new geometries for the home."


Almanac, Sanlorenzo

"This was a special graphics project for Sanlorenzo, each year focusing on a different line of the company's yachts.

"From architecture to graphics and brand identity, this project reflects the all-embracing approach we use to work with specific companies, taking account of the values, the qualities and the productive and creative capabilities."

All images courtesy of Lissoni & Partners unless stated otherwise.

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.