The exclusive driTT collection, designed by Tom Van Malderen for Dari, has received the prestigious BIG SEE Product Design Award 2024.
This esteemed recognition was awarded after the collection earned the highest score from an international jury, securing its place among design leaders.
The award ceremony took place at the three-day BIG SEE event in Ljubljana, Slovenia, where driTT was celebrated alongside renowned brands like Volvo, Hisense and JBL for its excellence in design and innovation.
For over two decades, BIG SEE has promoted quality architecture and design, striving to serve as a global platform for a responsible, Bio Intelligent Generation.
The driTT collection is an extensive furniture line, featuring tables, shelving systems, home desks, benches and stools. Each piece is manufactured in Malta using decorative melamine-faced panels, a material typically associated with kitchen and cabinet production.
The collection reimagines and redefines the traditional logic of these manufacturing techniques, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.
Inspired by the Maltese word for “straight”, driTT playfully explores the potential of straight lines, unlocking endless layers of complexity within simplicity. The collection brings rhythm and a sense of play to industrial design, transforming functional pieces into sculptures, where practicality meets pleasure.
“While a straight line may seem simple, it opens up infinite possibilities,” said Tom Van Malderen, architect and designer of the collection. “With driTT, we’ve infused industrial production with a playful twist, creating functional yet sculptural pieces.”
Based in Malta, Van Malderen’s work spans the intersections of art, design and architecture. His designs reflect his fascination with how people interact with their environments, incorporating rich cultural references into the objects and materials he works with.
Commissioned by Dari and curated by Jennifer Apap Brown, the driTT collection is fully engineered and manufactured at Dari’s 3,500-metre-sqaured factory in Qormi.
driTT’s innovative use of straight-cut panels offers a versatile approach to furniture design, allowing users to personalise pieces and create unique stories through their interactions with the collection.