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| Design of the Year | |
|---|---|
| Name | Design of the Year |
| Awarded by | Design Museum, London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| First awarded | 2006 |
Design of the Year
Design of the Year is an annual prize recognising innovation across architecture, product design, graphic design, fashion design, digital design, and transportation conceived or launched within a twelve‑month period. The award is administered by the Design Museum, London and has spotlighted projects associated with institutions such as Vitra, Royal College of Art, IDEO, Foster and Partners, and firms connected to personalities including Zaha Hadid, Norman Foster, Sir David Adjaye, Patricia Urquiola, and Tom Dixon. Recipients and shortlisted projects have been exhibited alongside collections from the Victoria and Albert Museum, Tate Modern, Barbican Centre, and displayed in festivals like London Design Festival and Salone del Mobile.
Design of the Year identifies exemplary design achievements across multiple disciplines, engaging curators from the Design Museum, London, critics from outlets such as Dezeen, Wallpaper*, The Guardian, The New York Times, and jurors from institutions like Museum of Modern Art, Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum, and Centre Pompidou. The prize often elevates work linked to studios such as Pentagram, StudioFriso, Hawkins\Brown, Nicholas Grimshaw and Partners, UNStudio, and collaboratives involving figures like Paola Antonelli, Jasper Morrison, Neri Oxman, Marina Tabassum, and Shigeru Ban.
Established in 2006 by the Design Museum, London with support from patrons and sponsors historically including Esterházy Foundation, Rolex, and corporate partners like Microsoft, Samsung, and IKEA, the award built upon precedents set by competitions such as the Pritzker Architecture Prize, Turner Prize, and Compasso d'Oro. Founding jurors included representatives from Royal College of Art, RIBA, British Council, and media organizations such as BBC and The Observer. Over time the prize has chronicled shifts traced to events like the Global Financial Crisis (2007–2008), the COVID-19 pandemic, and climate policy developments following Paris Agreement negotiations, influencing entries from designers affiliated with Arup, AKT II, ZEMLJARIĆ', and academic labs at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, University College London, Politecnico di Milano, and Delft University of Technology.
Submissions are evaluated on innovation, social impact, sustainability, usability, and cultural resonance by panels drawn from institutions including Design Museum, London, RIBA, Civic Trust, Royal Institute of British Architects, Crafts Council, and critics from Financial Times, Architectural Review, and Wired. The process involves longlisting by curators, shortlisting by jurors representing Victoria and Albert Museum, National Gallery, British Library, and final selection by a panel chaired in some years by figures such as Sir Terence Conran, Deyan Sudjic, Frances Corner, and Maya Hakvoort. Assessment draws on precedents from award frameworks like Pritzker Architecture Prize, Turner Prize, and Compasso d'Oro with input from experts at European Cultural Foundation, UNESCO, and World Economic Forum.
Winners have included projects associated with architects and designers such as Zaha Hadid, Norman Foster, Bjarke Ingels, Ilse Crawford, Ronan Bouroullec, Hella Jongerius, Eames Office, Yves Béhar, Marc Newson, and studios like BIG, Foster + Partners, Herzog & de Meuron, UNStudio, and Snøhetta. Awarded works have ranged from buildings commissioned by municipalities like City of London Corporation, cultural venues such as Southbank Centre, transport systems for operators like Transport for London, to consumer products launched by companies including Dyson, Apple Inc., Nike, Adidas, and IKEA. Impact traces include museum acquisitions by Victoria and Albert Museum and Museum of Modern Art, policy influence on procurement in cities like Barcelona, Copenhagen, Singapore, and economic boosts documented in studies from Nesta, British Council, and OECD.
Although primarily a single annual prize, the scheme recognises entries across sectors frequently aligned with categories in festivals like Salone del Mobile and institutions such as Royal College of Art degree shows. Eligible submissions are typically linked to creators affiliated with universities and companies including Royal College of Art, Central Saint Martins, Parsons School of Design, Pratt Institute, IDEO, Frog Design, and manufacturing partners like Vitra, Muuto, Knoll, and Herman Miller. Past shortlists have included collaborations with public bodies such as NHS England, Transport for London, Greater London Authority, and non‑profits like Amnesty International.
Shortlisted projects are exhibited at venues such as the Design Museum, London gallery and touring spaces including Tate Modern, Barbican Centre, Southbank Centre, Somerset House, and pop‑ups during London Design Festival, Milan Design Week, and Frieze Art Fair. Educational programmes have involved partnerships with Royal College of Art, University of the Arts London, British Council, and civic outreach with authorities such as Greater London Authority and BBC broadcast features. Digitisation efforts have led to online catalogues supported by platforms like Google Arts & Culture and collaborative cataloguing with archives at Victoria and Albert Museum and Wellcome Collection.
The prize has faced critique from commentators in outlets such as The Guardian, The Telegraph, Dezeen, and Design Week for perceived biases toward metropolitan, marketable projects linked to firms like Foster + Partners and Pentagram and for sponsor influence from corporations like Samsung and Rolex. Debates invoked perspectives from academics at Goldsmiths, University of London, London School of Economics, Royal College of Art, and activist networks including Extinction Rebellion and Architects Climate Action Network over sustainability claims, representation of designers from regions including Africa, Latin America, Southeast Asia, and minority practitioners associated with collectives such as Studio Mumbai and Women in Design.
Category:Design awards