Organizer

Seoul Metropolitan Government and Seoul Design Foundation

Region

Open globally, no regional restrictions

Deadline

June 30, 2026

Competition Categories

Design Areas:

Main Award — Projects or products that are produced, launched, and available for users
Young Designer Award — Design concept mockups, prototypes, plans, etc.
ESG Design Impact Award — Corporate projects in sustainable design

Focus Areas:

Health & Peace — Projects ensuring the health and well-being of all people and promoting sustainable peace
Equal Opportunities (Universal Design) — Projects creating opportunities for all, such as Universal Design
Energy & Environment (Upcycling, Recycling) — Projects for ecosystem conservation and sustainable resource management, such as upcycling
Cities & Communities — Community-oriented projects utilizing sustainable infrastructure and innovative technologies

Eligibility

All designers, design teams, or enterprises worldwide
All design projects completed within 5 years (products, visual, digital/multimedia, spatial/systems, service/experiential/social, etc.)

Entry Fees

No Entry Fee!

Awards

Benefits for All Winners: E-Certificate, permanent use of award logo, global expert feedback, invitation to award ceremony, global promotion, website archiving, introduction in archiving book.

Additional Benefits for 12 Best of the Best Winners: Total prize money of 150 million KRW, opportunity to speak at international design conference, 3-night hotel accommodation, partial support for round-trip airfare.

Additional Benefits for 3 designboom Special Prize Winners: Winner features on designboom.

All winners who attend the ceremony in person will receive a special trophy.

Core Introduction

Seoul Design Award is the world's only global design award aiming for a harmonious relationship between people, society, and the environment, themed "Design for a Sustainable Life." Since its inception in 2019, Seoul Design Award has been successfully held for its seventh edition. The award is given to designers, organizations, or companies whose projects have contributed to a sustainable daily life that aims for a harmonious relationship between people, society, and the environment. Participating designers from over 80 countries annually, with 32 design leaders from more than 20 countries serving as jurors, recognized by international design experts. 2026 will continue the live presentation format, where top 10 finalists will present their work in person during the award ceremony, and the Grand Prize will be determined through a combination of global juror scores and participating citizen votes, making it a unique "participatory design award."