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Inclusive, universal and with the highest design standards

In 2024, HEWI won prestigious design awards, including two “Gold” awards. The focus is on well thought-through solutions that remove barriers.

With seven design awards, HEWI, the expert for barrierfree sanitary solutions, really swept the board in 2024. The Bad Arolsen-based, internationally orientated company has shown what is important, particularly in terms of new developments in accessibility. The juries of the various design awards unanimously recognised that real innovations often lie in the well thought-through details and bring a significant increase in comfort in everyday life. HEWI received the coveted IF Design Award Gold as well as the golden trophy of the ARCHITECTS' DARLING Award.

HEWI received high praise from the various juries for this year's product submissions. The patented, magnetic shower head holder, for example, for which HEWI received the high-calibre iF Gold Award, was described as a “masterpiece of simplicity”. “From the outset, the designers worked on a solution that was sleek and elegant while removing barriers for people with physical disabilities. The use of magnets eliminates the need for moving parts and makes it easier to operate with one hand. The extraordinary structural strength is part of the design language,” is the iF Gold Statement. At the ARCHITECTS' DARLING Awards, HEWI received the Golden Phoenix trophy, which is regarded as a kind of Oscar in the architecture and construction industry, for “Accessibility” in the category of Best Construction Product Manufacturer. The award is organised by Heinze, one of the leading portals for building products, company profiles and architectural objects.

Global challenges, local solutions

The experts from the Hessian State Prize for Universal Design also recognised HEWI for its development of themagnetic shower head holder. The award honours companies that contribute to "shaping our future in an aesthetic, sustainable and inclusive way”. By participating in the Hessian State Prize for Universal Design, HEWI is also supporting the explicitly formulated aim of linking global challenges with local solutions. The Hessian State Prize for Universal Design is jointly organised every two years by various Hessian ministries and sees itself as a “socially motivated competition”.

Two-time winner for solutions that make everyday life more comfortable

The jury of the Universal Design Award looked at another barrierfree HEWI product and gave a prize to the motorised tilting mirror. As a specialist in barrierfree sanitary solutions, HEWI has an extraordinary flair for solutions that make everyday life even easier and more comfortable. One of these small but fine additions is the motorised tilting mirror, which is a useful addition to the existing range of manual tilting mirrors. Among the jury’s awards were prizes for “comfortable bathroom additions” for all age groups. The tilting mirror can be easily adjusted using a wireless wall switch, making it possible for people of all ages and abilities to use it independently. The Universal Design Award is the only design competition that, in addition to an expert jury, also has a consumer jury that independently awards the “Universal Design Consumer” label each year with around 100 participants aged between 14 and 90. Both committees awarded HEWI the title of Winner.

HEWI is one of the “best of the best”

The S 900 Q design variant of the proven, barrierfree S 900 architectural system was honoured three times. S 900 Q is characterised by accessories in a basic square shape. The striking design gives the already extensive System 900 a fresh boost by further expanding the scope for planning. HEWI received the German Design Award 2025 Winner in the "Excellent Product Design” category, in line with the award concept of also taking the durability of designs into account. The S 900 Q was also honoured with the title of Winner of the ICONIC AWARDS: Interior Products 2024. The ICONIC AWARDS: According to Interior Products, the award is only given to “the best of the best” from the furnishing and design industry. The German Innovation Award 2024 presented HEWI with a Special Mention in the “Excellence in Business to Business” category. One of the points emphasised by the jury was that, thanks to the system concept, the System 900 Q can be combined with all of HEWI’s solutions and therefore offers a uniform design”. The three prizes are awarded by the renowned German Design Council.

Well thought-through details are crucial

Both the prizes that were won and the award-winning products provide information about the range of barrierfree developments at HEWI and the attention to detail involved. Sometimes it is just a small but well thought-through detail that determines whether a product can also be operated by people with physical limitations.

HEWI Heinrich Wilke GmbH

Since its foundation in 1929, HEWI has developed into a system provider for comprehensive solutions in the areas of building hardware, sanitary accessories, and accessible products. Over the past 90 years, the company has grown to become a leader in the field of accessibility and a recognised expert in system design. In line with Universal Design, the focus for HEWI is on the individual needs of people. 

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