JURY

• Antonio Lo Presti

  Antonio Lo Presti is an architect and currently the owner and CEO of the Koefia Academy in Rome, one of the first of its kind to be founded in Italy. A lover of cinema, photography, comics, and science fiction literature, he blends his passions with his work and creativity. Before devoting himself exclusively to the Academy, he worked as an architect specializing in exhibition design. Since 1999, after studying patternmaking in Milan, Paris, and Los Angeles, he has taught subjects with a strong digital component: digital illustration, CAD CAM, CLO3D, and Texturing.

  

• Francesca Pedroni

  Francesca Pedroni is an architect and project leader at Scandurra Studio in Milan, where she has worked for six years on international architecture and urban design projects ranging from buildings and public spaces to interiors and product design. She previously gained experience at leading firms in Italy and Belgium. Her notable projects include the expansion
  of Museo del Novecento in Milan, the redevelopment of public squares in Bergamo province, and a new school complex with an urban park in Brescia. Alongside professional practice,she researches urban dynamics, co-founded the participatory design collective “Pasta Madre,” and has taught in Brussels and Milan.

  

• Linda Lissola

  Linda Lissola works at the intersection of design research, strategy, foresight and product development.With a background in studies of urban design and industrial design, she has worked with hardware design in Milan, Lund and Tokyo, in both design consultant agencies and large corporations. Between 2016 and 2026, she was part of the core team leading Sony Design’s global research, facilitating the analysis and synthesis work through global workshops, and heading up European research. The last two years, this research resulted in magazines, SIGNALS, translating innovation and storytelling into a format for a broader audience.

  

• Pärtel Vurma

  Pärtel Vurma is CEO, Design Lead, and Partner at Velvet, Estonia’s largest and most awarded strategic design agency. Velvet creates brands, digital products, and services for public institutions and international companies, earning numerous regional and global awards. Pärtel has led service design projects for major Estonian public e-services, including the renowned e-Tax system and services for the Estonian Statistics Board. As a design educator, he trains civil servants in applying design thinking to public services. He has served on juries for leading Baltic creative competitions. His work is guided by clarity, simplicity, empathy, and user-centered design at every stage.

  

• Willem van Hooff

  Willem van Hooff is a designer based in Eindhoven, driven by a passion for uncovering the potential of forgotten techniques, materials, and products. His work explores the raw and authentic qualities of these elements, reinterpreting their stories through contemporary design and a distinctive visual language. Willem believes that meaningful design goes beyond function and aesthetics—it should have a mind, a body, and a soul. Through a strong dedication to craftsmanship, he creates objects that preserve and celebrate overlooked histories, giving them a renewed purpose and future in a world shaped by mass production.