The Architect’s Newspaper (AN) is once again launching its highly anticipated Best of Design Awards, now in its 13th edition. This prestigious competition seeks to honor the world’s best design projects—from groundbreaking buildings and innovative infrastructure to inspiring interiors, master plans, landscapes, and unbuilt works.
Submissions are now open, and firms from around the globe are encouraged to enter their completed works or ongoing projects for a chance to be recognized. The submission deadline is September 12, 2025, at midnight ET, but early-bird entries are open until August 1, 2025. The awards aim to celebrate projects that demonstrate a high level of innovation, creative use of technology, sustainability, and—most importantly—good design. Winners will join an elite group of previous awardees, featured in AN’s end-of-year issue, online platforms, and across social media, and will be invited to a celebratory event hosted by this year’s sponsor, HBF.
A Broad Range of Categories for 2025
The 2025 Best of Design Awards features an expanded list of 50 categories, reflecting the diversity of design across various sectors. These categories include Adaptive Reuse, Commercial, Education, Hospitality, Residential, and many more. There are specific sub-categories for both built and unbuilt projects, allowing for recognition across a range of completed and conceptual designs. Some of the notable categories this year include:
Adaptive Reuse: Commercial, Education, Hospitality, Residential
Building Renovation: Commercial, Education, Hospitality, Residential, Civic
Commercial: Hospitality, Office Small (50,000 square feet and under), Office Large (Over 50,000 square feet), Retail, Sports & Entertainment, Cultural
Digital Fabrication and Exhibition Design
Education: Higher Education (Instructional, Recreation & Residential), Kindergarten, Primary & High School
Healthcare, Infrastructure, and Interior Design: including Healthcare, Hotels, Institutional, Residential (New Build and Renovation), Restaurants & Bars, and more
Landscape and Urban Design & Master Plan: including projects in libraries, mixed-use spaces, and residential designs (both multi-unit and single-unit)
Restoration & Preservation, Social Impact, and Student Work
Unbuilt: Commercial, Cultural & Civic, Education, Conceptual, Landscape, Urban Design & Master Plan, Residential (Multi-unit and Single-unit)
In addition to these categories, a prestigious Project of the Year will be chosen from among the winners in each category. This top honor highlights the best of the best, representing the pinnacle of design excellence.
Eligibility and Submission Guidelines
Entries are open to firms globally, with the eligibility criteria requiring completed projects to be finished within two years of the submission deadline or projects that are still unbuilt but initiated within three years. With such flexibility, the program encourages participation from a wide variety of design professionals, offering opportunities for all types of design work to be recognized.
Discounts and Special Offers
For the first time, Best of Design Awards is offering discounts to students, automatically applied during submission if you list your company/job title as “student” or submit Student Work. In addition, emerging firms (those founded within the past five years) are eligible for reduced pricing across all categories. The emerging firms’ discount is available for multiple entries and can be used during the early-bird or regular registration periods by applying the codes EMERGING EARLY for early-bird submissions or EMERGING for regular registration.
Celebrating Innovation and Excellence
The Best of Design Awards stands out for its rigorous evaluation process, with submissions being reviewed by a prestigious international jury of celebrated design experts, whose announcements will be made shortly. Projects that stand out will be featured prominently across AN’s platforms and will have the opportunity to celebrate their work with peers at the annual awards event.
Whether you’re submitting as an individual or representing a firm, the Best of Design Awards offers a powerful platform for showcasing outstanding design work and advancing innovation in architecture, infrastructure, interiors, and beyond.
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