The Seoul Design Foundation said Monday it is accepting entries for the Seoul Design Award 2026 through June 30.
Now in its seventh year, the Seoul Design Award is a public global award focused on sustainable design that seeks solutions to social problems. The award began in 2019 with 75 entries. In 2025, it drew 941 projects from 74 countries, marking 1,100% growth in six years.
This year, the foundation expanded the award program, adding a new designboom Special Prize. The global design media outlet designboom will judge and select three winners. Winners are expected to receive global promotion, including a featured article on designboom’s platform.
The foundation also created an ESG Design Impact Prize to highlight sustainable design practices by companies and institutions. It said the new category aims to identify strong projects and show how design can serve as a practical tool to realize ESG values.
For young designers, the existing Concept Prize has been renamed the Young Designer Prize, with expanded opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students in Korea and abroad. The foundation said it expects the change to help feasible ideas gain international attention.
Entries will be accepted in four categories based on the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals: Health & Peace, Equal Opportunities, Energy & Environment, and Cities & Communities.
Applications will be accepted only in English on the Seoul Design Award website from March 30 through 3 p.m. June 30.
An awards ceremony and an international conference are scheduled for October at DDP (Dongdaemun Design Plaza).
* This article has been translated by AI.
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