Joseph Binder Award 2014

The Joseph Binder Award is named for the Austrian-American graphic designer Joseph Binder (1898-1972), who "was one of the pioneers of the so-called Viennese style of two-dimensionality," per the award website. Therefore the prestigious award focuses on graphic design and illustration, handing out gold, silver and bronze awards in twelve categories. The design of Wood Perspectives, carried out by Atelier Gassner Redolfi and Alberto Alessi Architecture, focuses on the story of wood told by forests, trees and buildings, making the tactile qualities of wood felt while showing the regional and international importance of the material in architecture. The jury praised how the exhibition's messages are viewed from different perspectives, how a static material, wood, is made dynamic, and how the simplicity of the design awakens a sympathy for the material.