Corporate and commercial furniture company Zenith has been named the inaugural sponsor of the IDEA Community Services award.

Headlining the 2021 program, this new category recognises the positive impact interior design and architecture have had on our community or not-for-profit sectors.

IDEA 2021 entries close at midnight AEST on 11 June 2021. Enter now.

From humble beginnings as an office partition company in the 1950s to the opening of the first showroom in Melbourne in 1990, Zenith has helped shape and define the particulars of the Asia Pacific design scene.

With 13 showrooms in Asia Pacific and six in Australia – including its stunning new Perth location – Zenith is a longtime supporter of sustainable design and community-minded projects.

In fact, the company has teamed up with Schamburg + Alvisse to introduce an initiative that will help ensure the longevity of our forests.

For every Jac chair you buy, a tree is planted in a five-year project to plant up to one million trees in Bushfire Recovery Nurseries around Australia.

Given the impact of Australia’s devastating bushfires in 2019/20, the Bushfire Recovery Nurseries will be the first step in significant replanting following the impact of the bushfires on tree species’ in gravely affected areas.

IDEA’s inaugural Community Services award celebrates similar acts of altruism in the A&D industry.

Designed to highlight the work architects and interior designers do for those who don’t traditionally have access to design expertise, it is open to projects completed between January 2018 and July 2021.

To be eligible, the project must have been completed as a pro bono service or at a significantly reduced fee.

This year’s jury, which includes David Flack, Meryl Hare, Jean-Paul Ghougassian, Brahman Perera, Chelsea Hing and Ryan Genesin, will be looking, in particular, at how the project benefited the community, high risk groups and/or neighbourhood.

Speaking to ADR about the announcement, Zenith marketing and events manager Ammie Marshall said the new category was the perfect fit for the company.

“Zenith are honoured to be apart of such an important award!

“What a great way to celebrate and give commendation to the firms and designers who are giving back to our communities.”

Enter IDEA 2021 now

Enter IDEA 2021 before 11 June! Click here to start work on your submission.

For more details, visit our how to enter page. You can also subscribe to our newsletters to receive regular updates on IDEA 2021.