HONG KONG, CHINA  - 26 March 2019 - Design is a solution driven mindset that enables innovative, user-centric and sustainable solutions for tackling the myriad of challenges faced by our societies today, while also improving our overall well-being.

Constant and disruptive social, environmental and technological forces are making the world we live in more complex and volatile than ever before.

This is especially true in Asia, whose condensed urban problems and growing international influence are giving rise to a new era of challenges that only human-centred design can solve.

The DFA Design for Asia Awards, launched by Hong Kong Design Centre and funded by Create Hong Kong, is a unique international platform that celebrates Asian design excellence and recognises outstanding designs in Asia, for Asia. The award, covering 4 major design disciplines, has been launched in 2003 to propagate Asian values and perspectives in the sphere of innovation and design globally. The 2019 edition of the Awards is open for global submission starting 1 April.

Award entry details

DFA Design for Asia Awards 2019 covers 4 major design disciplines in 26 categories:

Award types

Category Award

Confer to entry by open submission: Gold, Silver, Bronze & Merit award.

Grand Awards

Gold Award winners of each Category Award and nominated outstanding design projects will be considered for the Grand Awards. Design projects that have made the most extraordinary contributions will be conferred: Grand Awards, Grand Award for Culture, Grand Award for Sustainability, Grand Award for Technology, and Grand Award with Special Mention.

Entry requirements

Design projects, launched in one or more Asian markets* between 1 January 2017 and 31 May 2019, are eligible for Awards submission by the design's owner or client, the brand's owner, designer or design consultancy.

*Asian markets include:

Afghanistan / Bangladesh / Bhutan / Brunei Darussalam / Cambodia / Hong Kong / India / Indonesia / Iran (Islamic Republic of) / Japan / Kazakhstan / Kyrgyzstan / Lao People's Dem. Republic / Macau / Mainland China / Malaysia / Maldives /Mongolia / Myanmar / Nepal / North Korea / Pakistan / Philippines / Singapore / South Korea / Sri Lanka / Taiwan / Tajikistan / Thailand / Timor-Leste / Turkmenistan / Uzbekistan / Vietnam

Judging criteria

A judging panel composed of world-renowned design industry experts and professionals will assess each entry, according to 4 criteria:

(1) Impact in Asia

(2) Overall excellence

(3) Use of technology

(4) Commercial and societal success

Winners' Package**:

• Award Trophy & Certificate (Merit Award winners will receive certificates only);
• Awards Publication:

Each winner will receive a complimentary publication which includes introduction of all winning projects and the project teams behind. The publication will be distributed globally to different industry leaders to enhance the winners' exposure

• Exhibition showcase:

All winning projects will be showcased in the annual DesignInspire exhibition, and selectively in DFA Awards roving exhibitions in Asia

• Event attendance:

Invitation to the DFA Awards Presentation Ceremony and Business of Design Week (BODW) in Dec 2019 to engage in networking with designers and business leaders around the world. Selected winners will also be invited to deliver design thinking at global and regional events, talks and forums to further extend the global reach

• Awards Endorsement Mark:

Authorisation to use the globally recognised Endorsement Mark for self-promotion. (*).