Design awards are a strange currency: some open doors, some only sell a sticker. This is our list of the ones that still mean something, grouped by field, with who organises them and who can take part.
Entry periods change every year, so instead of dates we say who is eligible and link to the official website, where you will find the current call.
Product and industrial design
- Red Dot Design Award
Red Dot, Germany. Three competitions: product design, brands and communication design, and design concept. Open to companies and designers, with a fee per entry. - iF Design Award
iF International Forum Design, Germany. Product, packaging, communication, interior, architecture, service and UX. Open entries, with a separate free award for students. - ADI Compasso d’Oro
ADI, Italy. Founded in 1954 and the oldest design award still running. Products are first selected for the ADI Design Index, then judged for the prize. - Good Design Award
Japan Institute of Design Promotion. The Japanese G Mark, running since 1957, covering products, architecture, software and services. Open entries. - Good Design Awards
The Chicago Athenaeum, USA. One of the oldest programmes in the world, started in 1950, for product and graphic design. - German Design Award
German Design Council. Product and communication design. Entry is by nomination from the Council and its partners. - IDEA
Industrial Designers Society of America. The International Design Excellence Awards, open to designers worldwide, with a student category. - Core77 Design Awards
Core77, USA. Broad categories from consumer products to speculative design, service design and design education, for professionals and students. - Danish Design Award
Denmark. The national Danish award, focused on the impact of design rather than on the object alone. - Australian Good Design Awards
Good Design Australia. Running since 1958 and open internationally, across product, architecture, digital and social impact. - DFA Design for Asia Awards
Hong Kong Design Centre. Recognises design with an Asian perspective or impact in Asia. Open entries. - Swiss Design Awards
Swiss Federal Office of Culture. A national competition open to designers based in Switzerland or of Swiss nationality, exhibited every year in Basel. - James Dyson Award
James Dyson Foundation. For current university students and recent graduates in design and engineering. Free to enter. - Fast Company Innovation by Design Awards
Fast Company, USA. Design that solves a problem, from products and interfaces to spaces and systems. Open entries.
Graphic, communication and packaging
- D&AD Awards
D&AD, UK. The Pencils, running since 1962, across advertising, graphic design, typography, packaging and digital. - ADC Awards
The One Club for Creativity, USA. The Art Directors Club Cubes, the oldest awards for craft in advertising and design. - Type Directors Club Awards
TDC, USA. Two competitions, one for typography in use and one for type design. - European Design Awards
ED-Awards, Europe. Communication design across Europe, judged by the editors of European design magazines. - Pentawards
International. The main international award dedicated to packaging design.
Interiors, craft and multidisciplinary
- Dezeen Awards
Dezeen, UK. Architecture, interiors, design and sustainability, with studio and emerging categories. Open entries. - Wallpaper* Design Awards
Wallpaper*, UK. Chosen by the magazine’s editors and guest judges. There is no call for entries. - Frame Awards
Frame, Netherlands. Dedicated to interiors, from retail and hospitality to workplaces, including the people behind them. - Loewe Foundation Craft Prize
Loewe Foundation, Spain. For makers working in craft disciplines, from ceramics to textiles, wood, glass and metal. Open to individual artisans worldwide. - SaloneSatellite Award
Salone del Mobile, Italy. For designers under 35 exhibiting at SaloneSatellite during Milan design week.
Architecture
- Pritzker Architecture Prize
Hyatt Foundation, USA. The best known prize in architecture, awarded to a living architect for a body of work. By nomination only. - EUmies Awards
Fundaçió Mies van der Rohe and European Commission. The European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture, every two years, with an Emerging category. Works are put forward by experts and associations. - RIBA Stirling Prize
RIBA, UK. Awarded to the best new building in the UK, chosen among the RIBA National Award winners. - Aga Khan Award for Architecture
Aga Khan Development Network. Every three years, for projects that serve communities where Muslims have a significant presence. By nomination. - World Architecture Festival Awards
WAF, international. Shortlisted teams present their projects live to the jury during the festival. - Architizer A+Awards
Architizer, USA. A broad programme across architecture, interiors and products, with both a jury and a popular vote.
We have deliberately left out awards that hand a prize to almost anyone who pays to enter. Missing one that belongs here? Write to us at info@feeldesain.com. Last updated September 2026.