Element 17 Named NZ Best in Design Finalists
Posted September 10, 2025
We're excited to announce that Element 17 have been named as finalists in the Hospitality and Lighting categories at the Designers Institute of New Zealand Best Design Awards for our team effort at The Loft Bar!
Australasia's largest annual showcase of excellence across graphic, digital, motion, product and spatial design, the Best Design Awards highlight the real cream of the crop of the industry. With this in mind, we knew we had to bring our best to the table, a project with a real wow factor; introducing, The Loft Bar.
One of our most captivating designs yet, The Loft came from the idea of sport as a shared cultural ritual - dynamic, collective, and emotionally charged. We explored how this energy could be translated into spatial language and materiality without falling back on masculine clichés or visual clutter. Each layered design element was carefully chosen to bring texture, character, and a sense of relaxed sophistication to the experience.
The design celebrates iconic sporting moments while avoiding predictability. Sporting references and artwork are subtly integrated throughout, appearing in joinery, lighting, signage, and art, rather than presented as overt memorabilia. A highlight includes the oversized vintage tennis racquet chandelier - a playful, handcrafted statement piece that captures the spirit of the venue.
We were humbled to have been named alongside such incredible designers who have helped set such a high bar for commercial design in Aotearoa, New Zealand. The industry is growing and changing so much year on year, and we're thrilled to be a part of the journey.
The awards are being held at the Viaduct Events Centre in Auckland, on October 10th 2025. We'll see you there… it'll be a night to remember (hopefully one that we can remember the next morning ????)!