The Prodigy is an architect, designer or product designer who knows no bounds, is a precocious talent and exemplar creative. This year, the 2022 INDE.Awards recognises the outstanding new creatives in the Indo-pacific region with seven nominations in this category. Each is an intuitive practitioner, who pushes boundaries and is achieving great success. Singularly, they are each a powerhouse and together they present the very best new talent that resides in our Indo-Pacific region.

Always supportive of new, up-and-coming practitioners, Milliken understands that nurturing is required for even the most outstanding of talents and demonstrates this as sponsor of The Prodigy category. As a business, Milliken is both ethical and sustainable, having supplied flooring products to the architecture and design community for decades. Milliken grew from a small beginning and knows what it takes to grow to reach the pinnacle of success and is well placed to support The Prodigy.

While each of The Prodigy nominees is outstanding, Shaneel Deo, Managing Director of Milliken reflects on the shortlist as a group and the common design threads between them and their work saying, “There is the element of reconnecting people with nature in the built environment through architecture and design. Architects and designers have the ability to shift our physical relationship to the environment and build upon the humanity of connecting rather than disconnecting from nature in well thought out designs and components that go into the building. The biophilic design element is still crucially fundamental in the planning and designing of each space – from an aesthetic perspective to the health and well-being of the occupants and the experiences they share within the space.

There is also a deliberate focus on design paying homage to history, culture and the aspirations of the local communities where the built environment is being created. In addition, in a global community that has seen disconnect at a human-to-human level, we see designers seeking to establish a memorable human experience that heightens sensory stimulation and a feeling of belonging.

We also see that in our data driven, high-tech existence, there is a return to combining craft with technique to create environments that are a canvas for bespoke design expression that has deep meaning for the creator and the people who experience the spaces.

The connection to design, space and nature resonates in what we at Milliken do in our philosophy of designing and producing our carpet tiles products that are aesthetically nature inspired and are combined with ergonomic and sustainable attributes.

We encourage curious minds that spark inspiration with an end result being to provide solutions with diverse benefits to the user with healthy spaces.”

With nominations for The Prodigy from across the Indo-Pacific, each creative is in sync with the ethos and ideals of Milliken as Deo comments, “The architectural designs and thought provoking created spaces are amazing and the designers’ visions of implementing natural elements with a sustainable focus is to be admired. We understand the journey in establishing yourself in the industry and finding that distinct path.

At Milliken, our philosophy is Possibility with Purpose, because a positive and a sustainable impact is everything in all facets of what we do from design to manufacturing to people who come in contact with our product.

In a world that is constantly changing, we face the challenges of today while working together to ensure we’re ready for tomorrow. That is why we embrace our responsibilities as a company and developed our Global 2025 Sustainability Goals around People, Product and Planet to help address those challenges.

Our sustainability work starts with putting people first. Our People Goals recognise that it’s what we do together, today, that will make for a better tomorrow. Our community focus initiatives include our “Product Pathway” with The Property Industry Foundation who build homes for homeless youth and Key to Life: I Am Hope who aim to promote positive attitudinal societal change around youth mental health.

Our collaborations with Indigenous artists and designers through our Reconciliation Through Design initiative align with the desire for built environments to connect to country and local culture. Our “Water Yuludarla” collection is a contemporary interpretation inspired by the original works of Brentyn Lugnan, which signifies a connection to both the land and the people of the Urunga region, past, current and future. It also provides a platform for corporate Australia to support Indigenous communities through meaningful partnerships that directly benefit the collaborators.

We understand that architects and designers embody the synthesis between creative thinking, problem solving and innovation to bring new life to buildings and the spaces the users inhabit. The desire for both artistic expression and design thinking requires the appropriate tool kit to achieve both. Our Four Step Milliken Couture customisable design process is providing the attainable platform for architects and designers to literally be the artists of the environments they create through our streamlined concept design to production process.

Building a circular economy requires a systems approach to change the way we look at design, waste, and materials. Our 2025 Product Goals help to create circular economies through internal assessments and industry-wide collaborations. All Milliken carpet, luxury vinyl tile and entryway tile are part of our M/PACT carbon neutral program. These products offset the raw materials and manufacturing carbon footprint using third party Verified Carbon Standard Credits that support renewable energy and carbon reduction technologies to help fight climate change.

Protecting the planet starts with responsible operations. Our Planet Goals help us reduce our environmental footprint as we grow our global impact. We’ve completed nearly 40 per cent of the more than 400 projects identified to reduce our environmental footprint. The world is always changing. But our Purpose and Values have not. Milliken is creating a healthy future where we are all in it ‘Together for Tomorrow’ and this spans to our design, manufacturing and sustainability considerations.”

Could there possibly be a favourite nominee in The Prodigy category? Upon review Deo responds, “The shortlist nominees all have the running theme of connectivity through biophilic design which Milliken resonates with, as well as pushing the design boundaries. All seven nominees have presented amazing works and projects, so it is difficult to choose one as they all express their individuality and have their unique flair. But what is pleasing to see is each one of the nominations have a strong philosophy, drive and spirit to create their own brand.

They should all be proud to be recognised and acknowledged on such a prestigious platform such as the INDE.Awards.”

While it’s near impossible for us to choose a winner from the outstanding shortlist in The Prodigy, the jury has reached its decision and the ultimate accolade of best in category will be announced at the INDE.Awards gala party in Melbourne on 4th August.

Perhaps the last word should come from Shaneel Deo who declares, “The Inde.Awards has been a great platform to connect with the industry and support the impressive work in design across our region. We are proud of our association with the Inde.Awards and the recognition it provides the design community. It is amazing to see the inspiration and best practice in use from different regions that contribute positively to the industry.
Millken is committed to supporting the next generation of design leaders, and The Prodigy award is a great way to recognise the future talent in our industry. The recognition and exposure to the industry in the early stages of their career is important. It provides a platform for expression and encouragement for forward thinkers to continue to create a positive impact. We wish them all the best in their budding future and continue to push the boundaries to make a positive impact on the industry.”

The Prodigy

Proudly partnered by Milliken

Jade Kake
Matakohe Architecture and Urbanism
New Zealand/Aotearoa

Jenchieh Hung and Kulthida Songkittipakdee
HAS Design and Research
Thailand

Molina Hun
Parenthesis
Singapore

Pete Kennon
Kennon
Australia

Sean Shen, Xuanru Chen, Yu-ying Tsai
ZJJZ
China

Siddhant Tikkoo & Nikita D’Silva
STaND Design LLP
India

Yasmine Ghoniem
YSG Studio
Australia

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The INDE.Awards will be announced at the annual Gala ceremony on Thursday August 4th. Register now to join the live stream.

AND

Discover the knowledge that powers the awards at the INDE.Summit, which brings a full day of industry experts together to discuss the topics influencing regional architecture and design. Get your ticket now.