Martin Lesjak, co-founder of Austrian firm INNOCAD and 13&9 Design, has been named Contract magazine’s Designer of the Year 2015 - the magazine’s 36th annual awards’ most prestigious honor.
“Martin Lesjak elicits power, grace, and emotion from his engaging and sensuous interior spaces. Through both his visionary architecture and interior design, as well as beautiful product design, Lesjak is clearly a design star that others in the profession look up to,” says Contract Editor in Chief John Czarnecki, who selected Lesjak as Designer of the Year. “Martin has won a total of three Interiors Awards from Contract in the previous two years, those projects turned heads in the U.S., and his body of work continues to grow and gain international attention.”
“I am grateful to receive this recognition on behalf of my teams at INNOCAD and 13&9.” says Lesjak. “Throughout my career I have sought purpose in my designs by being curious about life’s diversity. I strive to elevate design by encouraging my team to rethink design‘s parameters and explore new ways, methods and materials. I feel deeply honored and humbled to receive an award for something that is a personal and life-long passion.”
Lesjak now joins a list renowned past recipients including Michael Graves, Graft, Shigeru Ban, William McDonough and David Rockwell.
