Design Awards

Awarded by the Design Zentrum Nordrhein-Westfalen in Essen, this competition has been one of the most prestigious and largest international design awards since 1955. With over 18,000 submissions from more than 70 countries each year, it covers the fields of product design, brand & communication design, and design concepts. Winning entries are exhibited in international Red Dot museums, highlighting award-winning design and global recognition.

The Red Dot is regarded as a globally recognized seal of quality for outstanding design excellence.

The iF Design Award has been presented in Hannover since 1953 and is among the most established and independent design awards worldwide. Each year, it honors around 11,000 entries in the fields of product and packaging design, architecture, interior design, UX/UI, and social impact.

The iF Award is regarded as a long-standing and globally respected mark of quality for excellent design.

Awarded by the Design Center Baden-Württemberg in Stuttgart, the Focus Open has been the official state award of the region since 1991. It is considered internationally recognized and independent, with a focus on product, service, and communication design. The distinctions “Focus Gold, Silver, Special Mention, and Meta” stand for high design quality.

Focus Open is one of the few state-run, non-commercial design awards in Germany.

Presented since 1950 by the Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design, the GOOD DESIGN® Award is one of the oldest and most prestigious design awards worldwide. It honors outstanding industrial and graphic design across numerous industries.

GOOD DESIGN® is regarded as a classic among international design awards and a benchmark for design excellence.

Established in 2012 by the German Design Council in Frankfurt am Main, the German Design Award is among the most internationally visible design awards from Germany. Its focus lies on product and communication design, architecture, and circular design.

The German Design Award is regarded as a forward-looking platform for innovative design achievements.

Founded in Montréal in 2007, the Grands Prix du Design have been open internationally since 2020 and are regarded as a reference for multidisciplinary excellence. They honor achievements in architecture, interior and product design, landscape design, communication, and art. An international jury ensures high standards, while winners benefit from publicity and networking platforms.

The Grands Prix du Design are considered a dynamically growing international seal of quality for creative excellence.

Awarded since 2006 by the Frankfurt am Main Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) and BIEG Hessen, this prize recognizes outstanding corporate websites. The evaluation criteria include usability, design, technology, and performance.

The Hessian Website Award is regarded as a significant distinction for digital excellence among SMEs in Hesse.

Presented by the International Trade Association for Broadcast & Media (IABM) in Malvern, UK, these awards have honored outstanding product and workflow innovations in broadcast and media technology since 2014.

The IABM Awards are regarded as an important international industry recognition in the field of media and broadcast technology.

Held in the USA (San Francisco/Pasadena), the Spark Design Award has existed since 2006 and is open internationally. It honors innovations in product, UX, transport, and space design.

The Spark Award is regarded as a platform for visionary and interdisciplinary design ideas.

Awarded from 1969 to 2014, this official federal prize was regarded as the “award of awards.” Participation was possible only by nomination after winning a recognized distinction. It honored product and communication design as well as outstanding personalities.

The Design Award of the Federal Republic of Germany was the highest official design distinction in Germany.

The NAB Pick Hits have been awarded since the 1980s during the NAB Show in Las Vegas by expert juries from the broadcast press. They recognize particularly innovative trade show innovations.

The NAB Pick Hits are regarded as long-standing innovation awards of the international broadcast industry.

The state of North Rhine-Westphalia presents honorary awards in various fields to recognize outstanding achievements and role models. They carry high regional reputation and emphasize the social relevance of the awardees.

The Honorary Award of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia is regarded as official recognition for exceptional achievements.

The ISPA Product of the Year Award is presented within the office communications and machinery sector and honors outstanding technical innovations. Evaluation criteria include degree of innovation, functionality, user-friendliness, and market potential.

The ISPA Award is regarded within the industry as a recognized seal of quality for forward-looking office technology.

Awarded since 2012 by the Federal Ministry for the Environment and the German Environment Agency, this federal prize honors outstanding achievements in ecological design. The evaluation criteria include sustainability, circularity, and design quality.

The German Ecodesign Award is the highest official distinction for sustainable design in Germany.

Awarded by the German Steel Federation in Düsseldorf since 1989, this prize honors outstanding achievements in products, processes, architecture, and climate protection with steel every three years.

The Steel Innovation Prize is regarded as the leading award for innovations in the steel industry.

Various industry rankings such as the PAGE Creative Ranking or the Red Dot Design Ranking list the most successful design studios based on award achievements, innovative strength, and reputation.

The design rankings are regarded as recognized benchmarks for the performance and visibility of design studios.

A public vote in Germany, organized by trade media such as WELT am Sonntag and the magazine ARMBANDUHREN. Since the 1990s, it has recognized outstanding innovations in the watch industry.

The Watch of the Year award is regarded as an influential public prize with strong industry resonance.

Awarded by the German Crafts Association in cooperation with Messe Frankfurt. Since the 1960s, it has honored outstanding contemporary design craftsmanship.

FORM is regarded as an established award for quality in design and craftsmanship.

“Bank Workplace at the Beginning of the 21st Century”

A nationwide competition launched in 1986 by the Stuttgart private bank Ellwanger & Geiger in cooperation with IBM. Four students from each of five German design universities were invited to develop future-oriented studies.

The prize is regarded as an exemplary case of practice-oriented design research in Germany.