DESIGN AWARD
#02
AMAZON ITALIA
#1 PLACE: WORKSPACE HABITAT
INTERIOR DESIGN - 2019 - MILANO, ITALY
Creativity meets logistics as IED Milan students transform Amazon Italy's warehouses. The Amazon Design Award returns, challenging young designers to reimagine workspaces, with the top team earning a trip to Amazon's Seattle Headquater.
Redesigning Amazon Italy's sorting centers to open them up to the community with new, human-scale functional spaces that promote not only worker well-being but also interaction with the local community: this is the concept of the Habitat project, winner of the Amazon Design Award. This award, established by the American e-commerce giant in collaboration with the European Institute of Design (IED) in Milan, aims to bring creativity and innovation to their facilities. Ultimately, team Habitat, composed of Isabella Klabacher (Austria), Dayana Baikurazova (Kazakhstan), Victoriia Boiko (Ukraine) and Jimena Maria Ranero (Guatemala), prevailed. In 2020, they will have the opportunity to fly to Seattle to present their idea directly at Amazon's headquarters.
"What intrigued us the most," explains Patrizia Tombini, Amazon Italy's Personnel Relations Manager, "was the idea of combining the positivity of the environments designed for those working in the facility with the possibility of involving the outside community, breaking down all kinds of barriers." This vision encapsulates the winning project by Team "Habitat," which stood out for its fresh and original approach. Their innovative concepts include 'wow experience' islands that break daily monotony with music and laughter, and pathways through internal spaces that can be chosen based on the day's mood.
These unexpected and creative ideas reflect a diverse cultural interpretation of Amazon’s core values—frugality, social integration, sustainability, and technological innovation. The Habitat team's design not only aims to enhance the well-being of Amazon employees but also seeks to foster a sense of community engagement and interaction. The Amazon Design Award is another example of how partnerships with educational institutions can benefit even global giants like Amazon. "These collaborations are valuable," says Stefania di Mico from Amazon Italy, "not only to open us up to the outside world and new ideas but also to give young people the chance to approach the world of work with a different mindset."
This initiative is a testament to Amazon's commitment to innovation and community integration, demonstrating that thoughtful design can transcend traditional boundaries and create spaces that are both functional and socially enriching. The Habitat project exemplifies how creative thinking and collaboration can lead to transformative outcomes, paving the way for a new era of community-centered workspace design.
