The A’ Design Award & Competition is recognized as one of the most significant international platforms for architecture, design, and innovation. Its mission is to promote excellence by identifying and celebrating the most outstanding projects across a wide range of creative fields. Each year, participants from over one hundred countries submit their work, making the competition not only a showcase of global talent but also a space where disciplines intersect and new ideas emerge.
Winning an A’ Design Award provides far more than a title. It offers architects and designers an opportunity to gain international visibility through exhibitions, yearbooks, press exposure, and participation in an extensive global network. For many creative professionals, it represents both recognition of their vision and a springboard toward greater professional opportunities.
Competition Categories
The competition is organized into multiple categories, reflecting the diversity of design practice today. For ArchEyes’ readership, the most relevant categories include Good Industrial Design Award, Good Architecture Design Award, Good Product Design Award, Good Communication Design Award, Good Service Design Award, or the good Fashion Design Award, among other categories.. Each of these fields captures a different aspect of contemporary practice, from large-scale urban interventions to the refinement of everyday objects.
Beyond these, the award spans dozens of additional disciplines, offering specialized recognition for nearly every design typology imaginable. Interested participants can explore the full range of categories here:
Benefits of Winning
The value of winning the A’ Design Award lies not only in the honor but also in the comprehensive support given to laureates. Victorious projects are showcased in international exhibitions, featured in a high-quality annual yearbook, and amplified through global press campaigns. Winners are also included in the World Design Rankings, a resource consulted by institutions, media, and industry leaders alike.
Recognition extends beyond symbolic accolades. Each winner gains the right to use the A’ Design Award Winner’s Logo, receives a carefully prepared press kit, and benefits from professional translation of their project into multiple languages. The award ceremony and gala night provide a unique networking opportunity where architects, designers, critics, and industry figures converge. Alongside the prestigious trophy and certificate, these benefits create a complete ecosystem that ensures winners’ work reaches audiences far beyond their immediate professional circles.
Full details of the Winner’s Pack can be found here: Benefits of Winning.
Jury & Evaluation Process
The credibility of the A’ Design Award is grounded in the rigor of its evaluation process. Each submission is reviewed by an international jury composed of academics, established design professionals, and members of the press. This broad composition ensures that projects are examined from multiple perspectives: intellectual, practical, and cultural.
The jury applies a detailed methodology that considers innovation, functionality, aesthetics, and social impact, making the award both transparent and meaningful. Those interested can learn more about the panel at the A’ Design Award Jury, and explore the complete evaluation framework through the Award Methodology.
Featured Past Winners
One of the most compelling aspects of the A’ Design Award is the quality of its past winners. Each year, the competition highlights projects that push the boundaries of architecture and design, offering both inspiration and critical insights into contemporary practice. For example, residential projects have been recognized for rethinking the relationship between domestic space and landscape. At the same time, public buildings have been celebrated for their ability to blend local context with global ambition. Product and industrial designs, meanwhile, illustrate how functionality and beauty can coexist in objects we use daily.
Deer Chaser Yuchi Resort by Chi Wei Shih
Deer Chaser Yuchi Resort by Chi Wei Shih redefines the hospitality experience by merging the growing trend of glamping with traditional Taiwanese cultural references. Inspired by the communal spaces of farmhouses and the imagery of gathering beneath a tree, the design creates shared areas that foster connection while maintaining harmony with nature.
Fuma House by Masakatsu Matsuyama
Fuma House by Masakatsu Matsuyama responds to the challenges of a noisy railway, nearby nightlife, and lingering fears of flooding in a declining Japanese town by creating a resilient yet open living environment. The design organizes spaces along intersecting north-south and east-west axes, linking courtyards, terraces, and a double-height living area that connects to a third-floor theater.
Valencia House by Lucas Padovani
Valencia House by Lucas Padovani is a summer retreat in the countryside of São Paulo designed to blend seamlessly with its natural surroundings. Partially embedded in the terrain, the house minimizes verticality while emphasizing slender, horizontal lines that frame panoramic views. Its layered blocks and open social spaces foster both family interaction and a strong connection between the interior and the tranquil landscape, creating a harmonious balance between architecture and environment.
Images of Urban Symbiosis by Xiyao Wang
Urban Symbiosis Mix Use Towers by Xiyao Wang, winner of the 2024 A’ Design Award, reimagines the high-rise typology by horizontally dividing residential and office programs into two interconnected towers. This innovative layout balances energy demand by aligning daytime and nighttime usage, easing pressure on the grid while fostering a more sustainable urban model.
Marche Vison by Tomoya Akasaka
Marche Vison by Tomoya Akasaka reinterprets agricultural symbolism through architecture. Inspired by the water cycle, its sweeping curved roofs suggest the absorption and nurturing of energy, while the supporting structures echo the repetitive torii gates of the Akone Yashiro Shrine at Ise, a motif traditionally linked to prosperity and harvest.
Nanbu Eye Gymnasium by Li Yang and Xu Haifeng
Nanbu Eye Gymnasium, designed by Li Yang and Xu Haifeng, is conceived as a landscape building situated on the banks of the Jialing River, where culture and nature intersect. Described as a “gem on the Silk Road,” the project acts as a mediator between the toughness of sport and the softness of nature. Its design channels the fusion of these contrasting qualities, generating a new energy that allows athletic activity to unfold in harmony with the surrounding environment.
Tetris House by studio MK27
Tetris House by studio MK27, winner of the Golden A’ Design Award in Architecture, blurs the boundaries between interior and exterior through a seamless continuity of circulation and materials. By dissolving spatial limits, the project creates a fluid architectural experience where indoor and outdoor realms merge into a cohesive and harmonious whole.
Huanghesong Theatre Cultural Venues by Xuelin Wu
Huanghesong Theatre by Xuelin Wu, Hai Lin, and Gao Li, winner of the 2022 Platinum A’ Design Award, embodies the fusion of ecology and culture through a form inspired by the swirling vortex of the Yellow River. This dynamic geometry extends into the interior, where design elements reinterpret the ritual and musical traditions of the Central Plains, transforming ancient cultural expressions into a modern architectural experience that resonates with both place and history.
Muji Eco Pavilion in Emptiness Exhibition Space by Chenzhu Sun
Muji Eco Pavilion in Emptiness Exhibition Space by Chenzhu Sun, winner of the 2024 Platinum A’ Design Award, translates MUJI’s minimalist philosophy into an architectural statement of “emptiness.” Rather than simply eliminating decoration, the pavilion creates a pure, flexible environment free of predefined functions, where infinite possibilities for use and interpretation emerge. This cleared, open exhibition space embodies freedom and creative potential, offering visitors an experience that transforms simplicity into a profound form of beauty.
Yan Art Museum by Guanyu Tao
Yan Art Museum by Guanyu Tao draws inspiration from the rugged Rushan mountain range and the cultural traditions of the region to create a museum that harmonizes architecture with its natural and social context. Its loosely arranged, courtyard-style layout recalls the organic composition of traditional Chinese villages, while textured concrete surfaces echo the rocky landscape. Integrating studios, galleries, and public plazas, the museum transforms sloping terrain into functional spaces that foster exchange between visitors and artists, blending cultural heritage with contemporary expression in a setting deeply rooted in place.
The Westin Miyako Kyoto Chapel Renovation by Takenori Katori and Fumi Habara
The Westin Miyako Kyoto Chapel Renovation by Takenori Katori and Fumi Habara transforms a sacred space by embracing the natural beauty of its surroundings. Respecting the existing framework, the renovation integrates elements of traditional shrine and temple architecture, with rock and wood as central materials. A wooden lattice ceiling interwoven with indirect lighting evokes sunlight filtering through branches, casting delicate shadows and layered gradations that enhance the spiritual atmosphere and timeless Japanese aesthetic.
Samaranch Memorial Museum by Archiland
The Samaranch Memorial Museum, designed by Archiland, was conceived as a green building that honors Juan Antonio Samaranch and the enduring Olympic spirit. Its form is derived from the symbolism of the five Olympic rings: two intersecting circles define the main building, while three others shape a sunken courtyard.
Urban Clouds Congregate Housing by Ya-Yuan Design, Shanghefa Development
Urban Clouds Congregate Housing by Ya-Yuan Design and Shanghefa Development, winner of the 2024 A’ Design Award, redefines residential living in the heart of a cultural district by blending modern architecture with strong local identity. Surrounded by expansive green spaces, the project emphasizes harmony with its context while delivering an elegant and functional housing solution.
Spira Silva Mixed Use by Hao Zhong and Yuchen Qiu
Spira Silva Mixed Use by Hao Zhong and Yuchen Qiu, winner of the 2024 A’ Design Award, reimagines timber high-rise construction through the innovative use of twisted CLT panels as primary structural elements. Inspired by the designers’ visit to a timber factory in Spokane, the project pushes beyond conventional stacking methods to create a dynamic, expressive, and sustainable architecture.
House for Parents Residence by Masakatsu Matsuyama
House for Parents Residence by Masakatsu Matsuyama, winner of the 2019–2020 Silver A’ Design Award, draws inspiration from the island tradition of gathering beneath the shade of large trees. Designed to revive the spirit of communal life, the residence features a broad roof supported by slender steel columns, creating a generous shaded space that offers comfort in the island’s harsh southern climate.
Punta Piedra Waterfront Microcity by Marcello Rodriguez Pons
Punta Piedra Waterfront Microcity by Marcello Rodriguez Pons, winner of the A’ Design Award, envisions a vibrant new neighborhood in Carmelo, Uruguay, centered on public life and access to the river. Anchored by an elliptical boulevard known as the Gran Via, the masterplan weaves together residences, offices, cultural venues, schools, and recreational areas while ensuring continuous engagement with the waterfront through promenades, docks, and beaches.
Immerso Hotel by Tiago Silva Dias
Immerso Hotel by Tiago Silva Dias, winner of the A’ Design Award, is a sustainable retreat on the Portuguese coast that harmonizes contemporary architecture with the surrounding valley and ocean views. Inspired by southern Iberian traditions of scattering buildings along slopes and hilltops, the design integrates seamlessly with the landscape while emphasizing environmental sensitivity. More than a hotel, Immerso offers guests a holistic experience of well-being and cultural immersion, combining luxury with activities such as cooking workshops, gardening, and meditation.
Hera Sailing Yacht by Nicola Mondini
Hera Sailing Yacht by Nicola Mondini, winner of the 2019–2020 Bronze A’ Design Award in Yacht and Marine Vessels, is a futuristic reinterpretation of the iconic J-Class yachts of the 1930s America’s Cup. Drawing inspiration from these legendary single-masted racers, the concept blends tradition with innovation, employing advanced materials and bold new forms to celebrate both the heritage of classic sailing and the possibilities of contemporary design.
Registration for the A’ Design Award & Competition 2025-2026 is now open
