Seoul Design Award 2026 Final Call: Free Submissions for Sustainable Design

The final call for submissions for the Seoul Design Award 2026 has been announced, with entries due by June 30, 2026. This award, organized by the Seoul Metropolitan Government alongside the Seoul Design Foundation, stands out as the only public design accolade focused solely on promoting sustainable everyday living. Open to individuals, teams, and businesses, submissions are free and accepted across five categories: Product, Visual, Digital/AI, Spatial/System, and Service/Social innovation. The award comprises three key categories: the Main Award for projects launched in the past five years, the Young Designer Award for innovative concepts and prototypes, and the ESG Design Impact Award for corporate initiatives. Evaluation criteria align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, emphasizing Health & Peace, Equal Opportunities, Energy & Environment, and Cities & Communities. Notable past winners include Jaza Energy Hubs (2025 Grand Prize), which established solar charging stations in rural Africa operated by local women; the Emergency Folding Cradle, with over 1,000 units deployed in Ukraine, Türkiye, Syria, and Gaza; the LADIS Lamp Disinfection, which has provided more than 2,500 water purification units in Nigeria, Uganda, and Timor-Leste; and Bark-Code, a tree bark tracking initiative supported by the UK's D&AD Future Impact Fund. Now in its seventh edition, the award is a vital part of Seoul’s identity as a UNESCO Creative City of Design.