For those designing the future, few accolades carry the weight of the A’ Design Award & Competition. With the submission period for the 2025—2026 edition well under way, this international juried competition calls on designers, innovators and creators from every field and every corner of the globe to put forward their best work, and stand a chance to be recognised on the world stage.
More than 100 main categories (185 to be precise), and countless subcategories allow for nuanced submissions, with disciplines ranging from architecture, product and fashion, to interaction, graphics, furniture, packaging, and beyond. Whatever the creative focus, the A’ Design Awards are engineered to spotlight exceptional design — wherever it happens — and to reward those who make it.
Barin Ski Resort by Ryra Design Studio,
Winner in Architecture, Building and Structure Design Category, 2015—2016.
Grotto Sauna Freestanding Residential Sauna by Partisans, Winner in Architecture, Building and Structure Design Category, 2014—2015.
Resonet Pavilion-Sinan Mansions Pavilion by William Chen-Creative Prototyping Unit, Winner in Lighting Products and Lighting Projects Design Category, 2016—2017.
Submissions are peer-reviewed and anonymously judged by a Grand Jury Panel made up of 319 members from the International Design Academy, a cohort of leading academics, respected professionals and prominent media figures. The judging process is rigorous, but luckily for you, it’s well worth the effort on their part.
Winners receive the coveted A’ Design Prize, a comprehensive package that goes far beyond the usual digital certificate. Think international recognition backed by tangible assets: a framed design excellence certificate, a special-edition 3D printed trophy housed in a luxury box, global press coverage, inclusion in the World Design Rankings, and project translation into more than 108 languages to reach audiences far beyond your native market. A hardcover annual, interviews, and a ticket to an exclusive gala in Italy seal the deal.
Human Haus Tp Clothing Store by Minusplus Design,
Winner in Interior Space and Exhibition Design Category, 2023—2024.
Naive Blue Lab Photo Shooting Space by Sig Design, Winner in Interior Space and Exhibition Design Category, 2021—2022.
Rice Wine Town Reception Room Cultural Exhibition by Wei Zhang and Kesuo Wu-Gad, Winner in Architecture, Building and Structure Design Category, 2021—2022.
Founded to promote global awareness around good design practices and ethical innovation, the A’ Design Awards seek to elevate work that improves society, respects process, and inspires peers across industries. The aim isn’t just to celebrate form, but to raise the bar for how we live, build, communicate, and connect.
The deadline to enter is 28 February 2025. Winners will be announced on or around 1 May 2026, with We Heart dedicating a full feature to our top picks once results are in. Until then, we’re revisiting 20 of our favourite past winners, this article a celebration of designs that continue to resonate and inspire; some many years since they were crowned A’ Design winners.
In a year that will see millions of new products and projects released worldwide, visibility matters. If you’re making work that deserves to be seen, now’s the time. Submit your design to the A’ Design Award & Competition at competition.adesignaward.com and claim the recognition your vision deserves.
Jungle Collection Upholstery Fabric by Ioannis Solomozis,
Winner in Textile, Fabric, Textures, Patterns and Cloth Design Category, 2017—2018.
Spiral Pavilion Parametric Cardboard Structure by Daisuke Nagatomo & Minnie Jan, Winner in Generative, Algorithmic and Parametric Design Category, 2017 – 2018.
Solar Egg – More Than a Sauna Public Sauna by Futurniture and Bigert & Bergström, Winner in Architecture, Building and Structure Design Category, 2017 – 2018.
Mirrors Cafe by Hisanori Ban,
Winner in Architecture, Building and Structure Design Category, 2014—2015.
Trill MacHine Voice Processing Device by Lichen Wang, Winner in Arts, Crafts and Ready-Made Design Category, 2018—2019.
Union Industrial Corporate Building by Popching Construction, Winner in Architecture, Building and Structure Design Category, 2022—2023.
10:1 Compressible Furniture by Christian Hammer Juhl,
Winner in Furniture, Decorative Items and Homeware Design Category, 2017 – 2018.
View Change Glasses by Luo Shuzhen, Winner in Fashion and Travel Accessories Design Category, 2018—2019.
Junzi Kitchen Bleecker Street Restaurant by Xuhui Zhang, Winner in Interior Space and Exhibition Design Category, 2018—2019.
Astron Shape Shifting Rug by Ingrid Kulper, Winner in Furniture, Decorative Items and Homeware Design Category, 2018—2019.
The Animal Backbone Retail Store by Eason Zhu,
Winner in Interior Space and Exhibition Design Category, 2021—2022.
Loong Swim Club by Xiang Li; Winner in Interior Space and Exhibition Design Category, 2019—2020.
Al Moosa Pediatric Clinics Interior Design by Caline Morcos Interiors, Winner in Interior Space and Exhibition Design Category, 2023—2024.
