The Ocean Master Voilare Parasols Win in the Casegoods and Freestanding Furniture Category
Tuuci®, the Miami-based manufacturer of nautically-inspired indoor-outdoor living products, is proud to announce they have been named Best of Competition in the 2024 IIDA/HD Expo Product Design Awards as well as winner in the Casegoods and Freestanding Furniture Category with the Ocean Master Voilare Collection. This esteemed competition recognizes products that excel in seven different criteria, including aesthetics, cost and value, design innovation, environmental responsibility, need, technical advancements, and usage. This year’s entries were evaluated by a panel of distinguished design industry experts.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to share our passion for creating inspirational and comfortable, open-air destinations with the design community,” said Dougan Clarke, Founder, CEO and Chief Product Designer for Tuuci. “On behalf of our entire Tuuci team, we are honored to have been recognized by the panel of judges for design excellence in our category and to have received the overall Best of Competition award.”
‘‘Innovative product design is essential to the whole hospitality experience, as the object or item’s use must captivate and contribute to the guest’s whole experience,” said IIDA Executive Vice President and CEO, Cheryl S. Durst, Hon. FIIDA. ‘‘This competition, and the Expo, are key to showcasing visionary designers as they evolve for that experience through their craft. We look forward to seeing how these winning designs inspire others.’’
This year’s jury of design professionals included Rottet Studio Principal and Design Director, Chris Evans; HOK Principal and Practice Leader, Kelly Lott; and BRPH Chief Design and Creative Leader, Cristi Moore, IIDA.
‘‘We saw designs that address needs and use cases for a variety of spaces while also inspiring and innovating – all huge factors when designing for the hospitality space,” said Moore on behalf of the jury. ‘‘The jury was excited to see this unique and compelling work as the industry continues to highlight experience as a crucial, pivotal factor.’’
The winners were announced and celebrated at a special reception during the 2024 HD Expo + Conference, and their exceptional products, as well as the manufacturers and designers behind them, will be showcased on the Hospitality Design website, IIDA.org, and across IIDA’s and Hospitality Design’s social media platforms. For questions regarding this or other IIDA design competitions, please contact competitions@IIDA.org.
To learn more about Tuuci products, visit tuuci.com.
About Tuuci
For more than 26 years, Tuuci® has revolutionized outdoor living spaces with durable, innovative shade and furniture products featuring nautically inspired designs. Founded by Dougan Clarke in 1998, the Ultimate Umbrella Company, Inc., (simply known as “Tuuci”), was born from his seaside roots in Miami, where Clarke began his career as a marine outfitter for high performance yachts.
With a keen eye on design and a passion for form and function, Clarke applied his craftsmanship to the shade industry to create Tuuci’s unique brand of marine grade shade architecture. Today, Tuuci’s distinctive, award-winning parasol designs, luxury indoor-outdoor furniture, cabanas and pergolas, and space-making accessories are experienced around the world and sought by leading design professionals within the commercial, hospitality and residential design communities.
Globally headquartered in Miami, the company owns two additional manufacturing centers in Northern Europe and Southeast Asia, and operates showrooms in Miami, Chicago, Atlanta and The Netherlands.
Tuuci’s sense of community is a cornerstone of the company’s foundation, providing charitable outreach across a host of environmental and humanitarian concerns. The company’s mission is to help people live their best life outdoors through inspiring design, enduring performance, and convivial service.
About IIDA
IIDA is the commercial interior design association with global reach. We support design professionals, industry affiliates, educators, students, firms, and their clients through our global network of members across 58 countries. We advocate for advancements in education, design excellence, legislation, leadership, accreditation, and community outreach to increase the value and understanding of interior design as a profession that enhances business value and positively impacts the health and well-being of people’s lives every day. IIDA.org.
About HD Expo + Conference
HD Expo + Conference attracts the world’s most talented and sought-after network of interior designers, architects, hoteliers, restaurateurs, owners, operators, developers, and purchasers. It’s where hospitality professionals come face-to-face with the most captivating products and resources to consider for global projects and stay on top of industry news and trends through thought-provoking conference programming, curated by Hospitality Design magazine. HD Expo + Conference is owned by Emerald. www.hdexpo.com