Press Release
Silver A' Design Award in Street Furniture Design Goes to Arisa Bench by Pedro Fernandez Cortina
Pedro Fernandez Cortina recognized for street furniture design by the international grand jury of the 2024 - 2025 A' Design Award & Competition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMO, Italy, April 18, 2025 /DesignNewswire/ A' Design Award & Competition has announced that Arisa Bench by Pedro Fernandez Cortina, designed for Rokam, has been granted the Silver A' Design Award in the Street Furniture Design category. The recognition forms part of the 2024 - 2025 A' Design Award & Competition and was determined through blind peer review by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members, who scored anonymized entries against predetermined criteria.
The Silver A' Design Award Explained
The Silver A' Design Award celebrates top-tier designs that embody excellence and innovation. This award acknowledges creations that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also highly functional, reflecting the designer's deep understanding and skill. Silver A' Design Award recipients are recognized for their contribution to raising industry standards and advancing the practice of design. Their work often incorporates original innovations and elicits a strong emotional response, making a notable impact on the improvement of everyday life.
About Arisa Bench
Arisa is a modular bench designed for public spaces. The bench is made of lightweight recycled concrete with added stone material, which provides strength while keeping the weight low. Proportions follow the golden ratio, and varied heights allow children to climb, teenagers to gather and adults to rest. The curved form encourages conversation between people of different ages. Several units can be arranged in different configurations, and the bench suits both outdoor and indoor settings. Each unit measures 600 by 600 by 1800 mm.
About Pedro Fernandez Cortina
Pedro Fernández Cortina is a multidisciplinary architect and artist. His work spans architecture, interior design, painting, drawing, fashion, and literature, integrating material and conceptual experimentation. He co-founded and served as creative director of Rokam for 13 years, developing internationally recognized projects. In 2024, he launched his own brand to further expand his creative exploration. He has received design awards, including the DNA Paris Design Award, the IDA Design Award, and a Special Mention at the German Design Awards.
Award Record
This recognition makes Pedro Fernandez Cortina a winner of 1 A' Design Award.
About the A' Street and City Furniture Design Award
The A' Street Furniture Design Award is an international design competition recognizing good street furniture designs by leading designers and brands worldwide. The competition is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to street furniture designers, industrial design studios, street furniture brands and street furniture manufacturers from all countries. Entries typically include benches, bollards, bus shelters, bicycle racks, litter bins and planters. Awarded street furniture designs are published at https://dezigners.org/design-category/street-furniture
About A' Design Award & Competition
A' Design Award & Competition is an international, juried design accolade organized annually since 2008. The competition is open to entries from all countries. The A' Design Award has a philanthropic mission to advance society through good design by recognizing and promoting superior products, projects and services that benefit society, and by creating a global awareness and appreciation for good design practices and principles. Entries are peer reviewed and anonymously evaluated by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members against predetermined criteria such as functionality, ergonomics, engineering, presentation, innovation, usability, sustainability and technology, with score normalization applied to remove biases. Awards are conferred at Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Iron levels. The A' Design Prize granted to eligible laureates includes the award trophy, the certificate of design excellence, the hardcover yearbook, a lifetime license to use the A' Design Award winner logo, exhibition of awarded works, an invitation to the gala night and award ceremony in Italy, inclusion in the World Design Rankings and Designer Rankings, and public relations and publicity services. Registration, the upload of a work and the preliminary score are free of charge, and Professional and Digital Edition laureates are not contractually obliged to pay further fees to claim the A' Design Prize. Further information is available at https://competition.adesignaward.com
Press Resources
- Winner Page: https://dezigners.org/164200
- A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/164200
- Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!164200
- Laureate Profile: https://dezigners.org/d/341137
- Further Information from the Laureate: https://rokam.com.mx/arisas/
Media Contact
Giulia Ferrari, Press Office
Designers.Org
Via Leone Leoni 32, 22100 Como, Italy
press@designers.org
+39 031 4491953
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Fact Sheet
The Work
- Project
- Arisa Bench
- Function
- Bench
- Category
- Street Furniture Design
- Discipline
- Industrial Design
- Industry
- Architecture and Social Impact
- Colors
- Dark Gray, Black, Dark Slate Gray, Gray and Dim Gray
- Images
- 5
- Client
- Rokam
The Recognition
- Laureate
- Pedro Fernandez Cortina
- Country
- Mexico
- Recognition
- Silver A' Design Award
- Edition
- 2024 - 2025
- Design ID
- #164200
Credits
- Image Credits
- Monserrat Castro
Design Details
- Unique Properties
- The Arisa bench redefines street furniture by combining aesthetics and functionality in a piece sculpted from Rokam, a type of recycled concrete known for its durability and elegance. Designed by architect Pedro Fernandez Cortina, this bench reflects his innovative approach and desire to transform the way people interact with public spaces.
- Inspiration
- Inspired by the golden ratio, Arisa features different heights that invite diverse interactions. Children can climb and play, teenagers find a social meeting point, and adults enjoy a comfortable place to rest and connect. More than just a bench, Arisa is a sculptural piece designed to blend into urban environments, fostering a sense of community. Its modular design ensures adaptability across various spaces, offering long-term durability and flexibility.
- Research
- Our research included an exhaustive analysis of the urban furniture available in the market, identifying the lack of options in Mexico that encourage social interaction. We observed that many existing benches do not invite dialogue or coexistence between people of different ages and backgrounds. Through observation methods and surveys, we designed the Arisa bench, designed for everyone, from children to seniors, promoting an accessible and comfortable space. We used 3D modeling tools and lightweight concrete to ensure durability and aesthetics. The results confirm that Arisa not only improves interaction in public space, but also responds to an urgent need for urban furniture in our country.
- Challenge
- The biggest challenge in designing the Arisa bench was to balance aesthetics and functionality. Creating an object that would encourage social interaction in the public space without compromising the durability of the material was key. In addition, there were technical hurdles in working with lightweight concrete, as it had to maintain its strength without the traditional internal structure. This was compounded by production constraints and challenges in exploring organic forms that would invite use and social interaction.
- Realization and Technology
- Rokam, our material is manufactured by adding stone material to our mix, resulting in a natural, lightweight and resistant cultured stone. This allows us to create a wide variety of shapes, finishes and geometries, thanks to its unique properties and weight-to-strength ratio.
- Operation and Interaction
- The Arisa bench is designed to create a meeting space in public environments. Its curved shape invites social interaction, encouraging a natural conversation among those who use it. Made of lightweight concrete, it adapts to both exteriors and interiors, offering versatility in its use. Its modular design allows various pieces to be arranged to form different configurations. It is a piece that invites to be touched, used and enjoyed intuitively, making the environment come alive through the furniture.
- Project Duration and Location
- This product started with 1:10 scale prototypes in 2022 and was launched to the public at the Mextropoli festival in CDMX in September 2024. Where it was presented in the center of the CDMX and in a space called Laguna.
- Specifications
- 600 mm x 600 mm x 1800 mm
- Keywords
- bench, concrete, industrial design, sustainable furniture, interaction in public spaces, adaptable furniture, structural innovation, outdoor design, urban landscape, multifunctional furniture, multifunctional furniture
