Created by interior designer Simona De Fazio and NID – Nuovo Istituto Design di Perugia students Maria Giulia Ferroni and Maria Claudia Scopetti, these are the first-place projects in the 2025 edition of the contest dedicated to designer towel warmers for the hotellerie.
Unveiled in Milan the winners of the fourth edition of the Design Warm Contest, the competition created by Scirocco, the first and only in Italy, to search for talented new designers to create innovative designer radiators and towel warmers.
Open to students and professionals, with no age limit, the initiative, under the patronage, for the fourth consecutive year, of ADI Association for Industrial Design, saw the participation of professionals and students from all over Italy. The 2025 edition focused on the creation of a towel warmer that would combine several innovative aspects, both technical and aesthetic, suitable for installation in the hospitality sector (hotels, resorts, relais, etc.).
Winners of the fourth edition were the projects VEA, for the category reserved for professionals, and SPACE UP, for that of students, which thus won the prizes up for grabs of 5,000 and 2,000 euros, respectively, as well as, the possibility that the project will be put into production with a specific contract that will regulate its economic relationship with the designer.
VEA, created by interior designer Simona De Fazio (founder of Studio Sospeso with Carmen Carugno), is a radiator inspired by the art of modular origami, which translates the language of folds into a sculptural surface capable of spreading heat in an enveloping way. Made of aluminum with high thermal conductivity, it is available in two sizes designed to fit different proportions of the hospitality bathroom. Available with a mixed heating system, combining hydraulic and electric operation, the radiator features a quick-dry function for towels and fabrics, and with remote control via app it allows users to easily manage the heating even remotely.
SPACE UP, created by the students of NID – Nuovo Istituto Design di Perugia, Maria Giulia Ferroni and Maria Claudia Scopetti, is a radiator whose concept draws inspiration from the nests of weaver birds, real suspended architectures made of interwoven blades of grass. Starting from this image, an object then takes shape that does not simply adhere to the wall, but interprets its role, transforming and redefining it, introducing a three-dimensional dimension that enriches the visual and functional perception of heat. The radiator consists of a circular metal body inside which an electrical resistance is integrated. The heat is, then, diffused through a rope made of conductive polyester fabric, which deliberately recalls the theme of weaving.
Finally, the jury wanted to give a special mention to the students of the IUAV University of Venice, who, in four editions of the competition have participated by entering as many as 35 projects, 6 of which made it to the shortlist of finalists and distinguished themselves by their constant commitment and the quality of the projects submitted.
“We are particularly attached to the theme of hospitality – comment Sabrina Mora and Filippo Arbellia, directors and partners of Scirocco – given the growing interest that our products are receiving from leading architectural and interior design firms that have been involved in the creation of prestigious Italian and international hospitality and residential facilities. We were really pleasantly impressed by the projects that students and professionals submitted to us in this edition of the competition. In many cases, extremely creative solutions, such as those that won the contest, and that we think can have real feedback from a design and implementation point of view and with real chances of success as innovative and functional solutions for the world of hotellerie and hospitality as a whole.”