2021 Design Anthology Awards
Introduction
WELCOME
Announcing the return of the Design Anthology Awards, the industry awards for the Asian and Australian design communities
Across Asia, Australia and New Zealand, countries and cities are competing to become design hubs, attract talent and be considered more creative than their neighbours, bringing a renewed focus to design as a byword for the way we live. As an established authority on design and architecture in the region, we established the Design Anthology Awards to celebrate and showcase the talent and vision of the region’s creative community. We look forward to sharing more with you soon, so subscribe below to stay up to date with news and submission details.
Entry Criteria
The Design Anthology Awards 2021 aims to recognise exceptional work in the fields of architecture, interior and product design, and to recognise individuals and organisations that are actively working to change the public’s perceptions of what Asian, Australian and New Zealand design means today.
Entrants:
- Must have graduated university in a design-related field (except for the Vanguard and the Ambassador)
- Must be working as a design professional within Asia, Australia and New Zealand
- May be individuals or groups
- Must be designers except in the case of the Ambassador
- Must pay an entry fee of US$129
- There are no age restrictions for the awards, ONLY for the Emerging Talent Award, the designer must be under 35 and have their own practice
Work:
- Must be original
- Must be located/created in Asia, Australia or New Zealand
- Must demonstrate artistic intent in addition to technical proficiency
- Must be innovative in the sense that it updates tradition
- Places must be in Asia, Australia or New Zealand and must have been completed between July 2018 and August 2021
- Products must have been designed between July 2018 and August 2021, and can be a prototype or in production
- Submissions of Interior projects must be furnished
Submission Guidelines
- Please note the submission deadline. Entries close on 31 August 2021.
- Each entry is limited to one Awards category. If you would like to submit a project to multiple award categories, you will need to enter multiple times. If entering the same project in multiple Awards categories, a fee for each entry will apply.
- Please be sure to read our Terms & Conditions carefully; not following our guidelines may result in a disqualification.
- For Places and Product category submissions, please remove all names on materials (your own name, client names etc.) to maintain anonymity in the judging process.
- If submitting as a partnership or group, it is the group’s responsibility to select one lead entrant who will be the contact for the Awards process and to provide his or her contact information with the entry. Designs submitted by multiple people may be disqualified. It is the group’s responsibility to ensure that all members understand and comply with the conditions of entry including the publicity and copyright terms.
- Awards in the People category will only be awarded to individuals. While entrants/nominees may work as part of a group, group nominations will not be accepted for these awards.
- All submissions must be accompanied by 6-10 photographs, which in the case of transformative works can include photography of the ‘before’ state. Entrants must ensure that the images are relevant to the category, i.e., Interiors Award submissions should be images of the interior only, Architecture submissions should be of the exterior with select interior images that convey the architectural language and concept intended. Photographs must be genuine, not renderings, though photographs with minor retouching are acceptable. Hand drawings will not be accepted. Strong imagery is crucial to the judging process, so images must be representative of the project and high-quality. Landscape (horizontal) format images are preferred.
- For architecture, interior design projects, furniture, lighting and accessories, you can also submit up to 5 drawings in vector-based PDF format (e.g. floor plans, site plans, sections, elevations, production drawings, model drawings). For buildings, these must include a north point, scale bar and key. Hand drawings and renderings will not be accepted.
- For the People category, entrants may nominate themselves or a third party. Images should include a portrait of the nominee along with some examples of recent work.
- Please date all images using YYYYMM in the file name and specify the photography credit (if any) e.g. ‘Interior-1_201803_image by XXXX.jpg’. Images must be no less than 3000px wide at full size and be suitable for printing.
- Entrants may also submit a 90-second video by uploading it to YouTube, Vimeo or a similar site and including the URL with their entry.
- Written statements should be in English and no longer than 3000 characters. Entrants are advised to save their written statements in a separate Word document before uploading to the submission portal in case of any technical issues. See below for the written statement format and criteria.
- Entries that do not adhere to the submission criteria may be disqualified.
Categories & Prizes
PRIZES
All category winners will be awarded:
A bespoke Design Anthology Awards trophy created by Lasvit
A framed certificate
Coverage in the Awards book produced by Design Anthology
CATEGORIES
Three categories, 21 awards to be won. Individual category prizes to be announced soon.
People
ARCHITECT
An individual active in architecture, urban planning and/or landscape architecture
EMERGING TALENT
A young designer who brings a fresh take or aesthetic to their designs, whether in architecture, interiors or products
INTERIOR DESIGNER
An individual active in interior design; this may be in residential, commercial and/or other areas
INDUSTRIAL DESIGNER
An individual active in product/industrial design
FEMALE DESIGNER
A noteworthy female industrial or interior designer or architect who has made a significant contribution to the field
AMBASSADOR
An individual with a strong profile in promoting or representing design from Asia, Australia or New Zealand outside of the region — for example, a designer, a writer, a patron, a collector, an educator
VANGUARD
An individual with a visionary approach towards design and who redefines design
Places
ADAPTIVE REUSE
This award recognises excellence in the reuse and regeneration of a building
COMMERCIAL SPACES
This award recognises excellence in the architectural or interior design and realisation of spaces such as offices and co-working facilities
CULTURAL, ART & EDUCATIONAL SPACES
This award recognises excellence in the architectural or interior design and realisation of cultural spaces such as art galleries, museums and educational facilities
HOSPITALITY SPACES —DINING
This award recognises excellence in the design and realisation of food & beverage spaces
HOSPITALITY SPACES — HOTELS
This award recognises excellence in the design and realisation of hotel and resort spaces
RESIDENTIAL LIVING SPACES
This award recognises excellence in the design and realisation of private living spaces
RESIDENTIAL LIVING SPACES (COMPACT)
This award recognises excellence in the design and realisation of small private living spaces (up to 1,000 square feet in size only)
RETAIL SPACES
This award recognises excellence in the design and realisation of retail spaces
SUSTAINABILITY
This award recognises excellence in the integration of sustainability into a building and/or development
URBAN REDEVELOPMENT
This award recognises excellence in the design and realisation of an area that is at the forefront of changing a cityscape or the way people live and work
Products
FURNITURE
This award recognises excellence in the design and realisation of residential, commercial or other furniture pieces or collections
LIGHTING
This award recognises excellence in the design and realisation of indoor or outdoor decorative lighting
ACCESSORIES
This award recognises excellence in the design and realisation of furnishings, homewares, tableware, etc.
TEXTILES
This award recognises excellence in the design and realisation of textile products
Key Dates
- 30 April 2021
— Portal opens for submissions - 31 August 2021
— Submission portal closes - 1–30 September 2021
— Vetting of entries by Design Anthology and shortlisting by judges - 1 October 2021
— Announcement of finalists - 15 October 2021
— Awards ceremony and virtual exhibition of finalists
The Awards ceremony will take place virtually online on 15 October 2021. - 16 October 2021
— Design Anthology Awards Talks
This will take place the day after the awards ceremony, with the Awards judges and finalists, as well as invited design luminaries participating in a programme of virtual discussions about design across the region.
Entry
WRITTEN STATEMENTS
- Please answer each question in no more than 1000 characters, or 2000 characters for ‘People’.
- The submitted material should demonstrate clearly why the project is thought to be worthy of the award in its chosen category and how the design sets the project at an award-winning level.
- Please see The Judging Process for more information on submission criteria.
People
For Architect Award nominations
- How has the nominated person contributed to the evolution of contemporary design or architecture in Asia, Australia and/or New Zealand? Please include at least three examples.
- Please specify necessary photography credits for images submitted
For Interior Designer Award nominations
- How has the nominated person contributed to the evolution of contemporary design or architecture in Asia, Australia and/or New Zealand? Please include at least three examples.
- Please specify necessary photography credits for images submitted
For Industrial Designer Award nominations
- How has the nominated person contributed to the evolution of contemporary design or architecture in Asia, Australia and/or New Zealand? Please include at least three examples.
- Please specify necessary photography credits for images submitted
For Emerging Talent Award nominations
- How has the nominated person contributed to the evolution of contemporary design or architecture in Asia, Australia and/or New Zealand? Please include at least three examples.
- How does this individual or collective display potential for further development and commercial success?
- Please specify necessary photography credits for images submitted
For Female Designer Award nominations:
- How has the nominated person contributed to the evolution of contemporary design or architecture in Asia, Australia and/or New Zealand? Please include at least three examples.
- How does this person stand out from their peers and how do they contribute to their industry as a whole?
- Please specify necessary photography credits for images submitted
For Ambassador Award nominations:
- How has the nominated person contributed to the evolution of contemporary design or architecture in Asia, Australia and/or New Zealand? Please include at least three examples.
- How does this individual (who may work as part of a group) work to raise the profile of design in the region, and / or promote and represent Asian, Australian or New Zealand design abroad?
- Why is their work an outstanding contribution to the industry?
- Please specify necessary photography credits for images submitted
For Vanguard Award nominations:
- How has the nominated person contributed to the evolution of contemporary design or architecture in Asia, Australia and/or New Zealand? Please include at least three examples.
- How does the nominated person display a unique and visionary approach to their work?
- How does their work redefine design in the region?
- Please specify necessary photography credits for images submitted
Places
- Please summarise the client brief, name, location of project and date of completion.
- Please describe the project, including design concept, mention of material strategy, special site constraints or considerations, challenges faced and overcome (budgetary, for example), spatial planning and volume, and any collaborations
- Please explain any environmental considerations, for example, new innovations or technologies used that may be energy saving or incorporate sustainability principles
- How does the project contribute to the evolution of contemporary design or architecture in Asia, Australia or New Zealand?
- Please specify necessary photography credits for images submitted
Product
- Please summarise the product, discussing the brief, purpose of the product (What problem does it solve?), ideation process, design concept, materiality, production process, distribution method and sales platforms
- Are there any energy-saving features, environmental or sustainability considerations (for example, new materials or technologies)
- How does the project contribute to the evolution of contemporary design or architecture in Asia, Australia or New Zealand?
- Please specify necessary photography credits for images submitted
Judging
We have selected a diverse panel of judges based on not only their individual merits and achievements, but on their combination of design disciplines, places of origin and their representation of the broader design community. Their areas of expertise span architecture, interiors, product design, design education and design curatorship. The majority are based in Asia and Australia, with some based in Europe.
The Judges
PEOPLE
What will the judges be looking for?
As well as projects that display a high level of originality and aesthetics, the judges will be looking for designs that prioritise sustainability and a forward-thinking approach, and that are both functional and commercially successful. They will look for projects that show a rigorous approach to design, demonstrating a sensible use of budget while satisfying the client brief.
The submitted material should demonstrate clearly why the project is thought to be worthy of the award in its chosen category and how the design sets the project at an award-winning level. Entrants should be reminded that the judges will make decisions purely on the material submitted.
How does it work?
The judging process is designed to be as transparent and impartial as possible. The judges have no financial interest in the Awards, and cannot judge entrants with whom they have a personal relationship or where there is a genuine or perceived conflict of interest. Entries will be anonymised, and Design Anthology will manage the judging panel and instruct it to act without bias or favour.
The judging process will take place over three stages, with the process for judging the People, Places and Product categories differing slightly from each other.
First, the Design Anthology editorial team will vet all entries for conformance with the criteria. Any entries that do not meet the submission criteria will be disqualified without refund.
The Design Anthology editorial team will then shortlist entries to a maximum total of 20 per award
The shortlist will then be passed to the judging panel, which will grade all shortlisted works in each of their respective categories to determine three finalists in each Award category.
At each stage, all entries will be evaluated according to the judging criteria outlined above.
The judging panel reserves the right to not select a winner from the entries submitted for any of the Awards categories of this competition. The judging panel’s decision is final, and no correspondence will be entered into regarding decisions or processes.
Sponsors
With thanks to our key partners for the 2021 edition. If you’re interested in sponsoring, please reach out to us.
Sponsorship offers the unique opportunity to present your brand as a leader and supporter of the design, creative and cultural spaces in the growing Asia, Australia and New Zealand markets.
Terms & Conditions
These terms and conditions are legally binding. Entrants agree that these terms will be governed by and construed according to the laws of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. These awards are produced by Fifth Black Media Limited trading as Design Anthology, registered address Suite 4, 14/F CMA Building, 64 Connaught Road Central, Hong Kong.
Entry
Entry submissions are accepted from 30 April 2021 until midnight 31 August 2021 (GMT+11). Entries, or partial entries, will not be accepted after this time.
Entries must be submitted digitally via our submission portal. We cannot accept entries via email, post or any other format.
Payment must be made at the time of entry submission. Payment is only accepted online via credit card. We cannot accept payment via cheque, bank transfer, TT, other manual forms of payment or any cryptocurrencies.
Entries that do not comply with the criteria or entry format will be ineligible for nomination, commendation or prizes.
Entries may be withdrawn by the entrant. If an entry is withdrawn before the submission deadline the entrant will be refunded the entry fee less an administrative fee of US$30. If an entry is withdrawn after the submission deadline no refund will be given.
An entry shall be excluded from the Awards if it is received after the advertised closing date (although submissions that have been commenced but not completed by the closing date may be included at the discretion of Design Anthology).
Only completed projects may be entered. Speculative, purely conceptual or unrealised designs are not eligible. Places must be in Asia, Australia or New Zealand and must have been completed between 1 July 2018 and 31 August 2021. Products must have been designed between 1 July 2018 and 31 August 2021 and can be a prototype or in production.
If the same project is entered by more than one designer, architect or studio, Design Anthology reserves the right to disqualify all entries. Design Anthology reserves the right to disqualify an entry if Design Anthology or the judges have any uncertainty about the integrity or accuracy of the entry.
Entries will be judged solely on the information and images (and other supporting documents as listed) provided. Design Anthology reserves the right not to award a winner in any category.
Design Anthology reserves the right to send entrants further correspondence regarding our Awards programme. Entrants can unsubscribe by clicking on ‘unsubscribe’ at the bottom of the emails.
Accuracy of Information
Design Anthology makes every attempt to ensure the accuracy of the information on this website and elsewhere relating to the Awards programme. However, changes are at our absolute discretion, and we cannot accept liability for any use of this content or reliance upon it.
Publicity & Copyright
By entering the Awards, the entrant confirms that for any client projects they have obtained their client’s written approval to enter and approval for any publicity resulting from the Awards. Entrants should note that for residential projects, client names and addresses will not be published.
In the case of companies, the entrant confirms that they are authorised or have obtained authorisation to enter the Awards on behalf of the company, including for any publicity resulting from the Awards.
Design Anthology may at its absolute discretion exhibit or publish any or all of the entries. By entering the Awards, the entrant gives Design Anthology permission to publish, exhibit and promote the content of the submission except as noted above, including by Awards sponsors in relation to their promotion of their involvement in the Awards. The entrant confirms that his or her entry materials do not infringe any copyright, intellectual property rights, confidentiality rights or similar, and agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Design Anthology from any liability relating to confidentiality, intellectual property or similar issues that may be raised by any party.
Finalists may be required to submit further material for exhibition and publication, such as additional photography, drawings and other information. The entrant agrees that Design Anthology has the right to reproduce materials for this purpose without payment of release or licensing fees to any holder of publication rights or copyright.
Design Anthology will endeavour to promote entrants’ and photographers’ names where this information is given.
Design Anthology will not release specific information about project budgets for any Awards category.
Design Anthology reserves the right to cancel or amend the Awards programme at any time at its sole discretion. Design Anthology will not be liable to entrants or any other party for any consequential losses (including but not limited to loss of business, loss of goodwill, loss of revenue, or loss or damage to data or information) arising in connection with the Awards. Design Anthology will not be liable for any failure to meet its obligations with regard to the Awards if it is prevented from doing so by circumstances beyond its reasonable control.
Privacy policy
Information provided by entrants will only be accessed by Design Anthology employees and appointed judges except where necessary by law.
Enquiries
Please direct enquiries to awards@design-anthology.com. We will make every effort to answer all enquiries, but we cannot guarantee a response.
