The compe­ti­tion is geared towards Swiss people working in the design industry, compa­nies, insti­tu­tions and manu­fac­turers who work here or abroad. Foreign designers, who work, study or are employed by a Swiss company can also enter.

There will be prizes for prod­ucts, projects, services and concepts from all the design disci­plines which are rele­vant to busi­ness. Research projects and disser­ta­tions can also enter the compe­ti­tion.

Assess­ment criteria

The nomi­na­tion teams and jury regard design as the result of an inte­grated devel­op­ment process, which uses the oppor­tu­ni­ties along the value-added chain and develops added value as a result.

All prod­ucts, projects, research work, services and disser­ta­tions, which repre­sent an inno­v­a­tive solu­tion as a result of design-oriented devel­op­ment and design, are permitted for inclu­sion.

The common binding features for all cate­gories are:

  • Inno­v­a­tive content
  • Added value, benefit and effect
  • Social rele­vance
  • Sustain­ability and ecolog­ical respon­si­bility
  • Market, sector and user compli­ance
  • High-quality work­man­ship
  • Design quality
  • Economic value
  • Prod­ucts
  • Mate­rials
  • Research and devel­op­ment
  • Systemic inno­va­tion, circular struc­tures, infra­struc­tures and processes
  • Circular manu­fac­turing
  • Zero waste solu­tions
  • New circular busi­ness models and services
  • Recy­cling, reuse, redis­tri­b­u­tion, product life exten­sion / repair
  • Refur­bish­ment / reman­u­fac­turing
  • Energy and resource effi­ciency

In addi­tion to the regular compe­ti­tion entries, the experts actively nomi­nate in this award cate­gory.

All stages of the value chain are taken into account: > Extrac­tion and produc­tion of natural resources/materials or their impor­ta­tion > Manufacturing/production of parts and prod­ucts > Supply, whole­sale and retail > Consump­tion and util­i­sa­tion of prod­ucts and services > Return systems, mate­rial and product recy­cling, waste recy­cling and waste manage­ment.

«Circular economy» is omnipresent today and an impor­tant inno­va­tion factor. Under­lining the urgency for action in view of the climate change, the Paris Agree­ment of 2015 made it clear that reducing the consump­tion of resources and mini­mizing the ecolog­ical foot­print was crucial. Coun­tries are following suit with dedi­cated regu­la­tions that will accel­erate the tran­si­tion from a linear to a circular economy. The inte­gra­tion of design as a compre­hen­sive, contex­tu­al­ising work process is of central impor­tance in this tran­si­tion.

With the visionary goal of the circular economy in mind, the Circular Design cate­gory honours inno­v­a­tive achieve­ments that are already circular in them­selves, that can be inte­grated into the value chain as a partial solu­tion, and that benefit and rede­fine it.

Nomi­na­tions can be made for compa­nies, processes, mate­rials, prod­ucts, tech­nolo­gies and systemic inno­va­tions and, of course, prod­ucts. It is a must to show a clear record of the process. What they all have in common is the fulfil­ment of the criteria, inno­va­tion, recog­nis­able circular conti­nuity from research & devel­op­ment to produc­tion to the customer — and obvi­ously back again.

Previous Winners
  • Inno­v­a­tive gastronomy concepts
  • Newly devel­oped food prod­ucts
  • Food styling projects and/or campaigns
  • Food pack­aging

In addi­tion to the regular compe­ti­tion entries, the experts actively nomi­nate in this award cate­gory.

On the one hand, food design stands for the devel­op­ment of new food recipes and dishes that are modi­fied with the help of chem­ical or other processes to suit specific customer needs. On the other hand, food design refers to the presen­ta­tion and prepa­ra­tion of dishes in order to adver­tise gastronomy or food prod­ucts. Further­more, the term stands for inno­v­a­tive gastronomy concepts that manage to inspire guests and tell a story.

The food designers we would like to honour do not only design dishes. They explore new produc­tion tech­niques and convince with the skills of a chef — but they also possess a distinct aesthetic and artistic sensi­bility.

Food designers know how to handle temper­a­tures, colours, textures and shapes. Further­more, they use contem­po­rary commu­ni­ca­tion as a basis for devel­oping new services and prod­ucts based on social trends and customer needs.

Nomi­na­tions are open to (food) designers, chefs, start-ups, restau­ra­teurs, agen­cies, compa­nies, inno­v­a­tive gastronomy and food concepts, produc­tion processes, tech­nolo­gies, systemic inno­va­tions and, of course, bever­ages and food, as well as inno­v­a­tive food pack­aging and campaigns.

  • Beds
  • Lamps, Lighting
  • Outdoor furni­ture
  • Racks and side­boards
  • Cupboards
  • Leisure Chairs
  • Sofas
  • Chairs
  • Modular furni­ture
  • Tables and side tables
  • Etc.

The compe­ti­tion is looking for high-quality, inno­v­a­tive furni­ture design that convinces with its aesthetic design and quality in addi­tion to its well thought-out func­tion­ality. Nomi­nated and awarded projects in the Furni­ture Design cate­gory are char­ac­terised by social and economic added value.

Previous winners
  • Everyday aids and commodi­ties
  • Health, care and social services
  • Housing and inte­rior design concepts for the private, public or insti­tu­tional sector
  • Kitchen, bath­room, furni­ture, lighting
  • Smart home, home tech­nology
  • Shop­ping, working, mobility
  • Tech­nology in the fields of secu­rity, infor­ma­tion and commu­ni­ca­tion
  • Social networking and inclu­sion, travel and culture

In addi­tion to the regular compe­ti­tion entries, the experts actively nomi­nate in this award cate­gory.

Against the back­ground of age-related demo­graphic change with an increasing group of old people defining our society, new demands on the social and inclu­sive society are emerging now and tomorrow. New lifestyles, needs for prod­ucts and services are emerging. Inde­pen­dent and partic­i­pa­tory life in society is the over­ar­ching, sustain­able goal.

In order to include all social groups in terms of func­tion and design, inno­v­a­tive solu­tions are wanted.

Nomi­nated and award-winning projects are convincing because of their barrier-free acces­si­bility and formally high quality stan­dard — regard­less of any possible hand­i­caps or limi­ta­tions of the users.

Previous winners

Sub Cate­gories

  • Inte­rior Design & Inte­rior Archi­tec­ture
  • Private or Public Build­ings
  • Retail, Gastronomy, Hotel, Tourism, Leisure
  • Exhi­bi­tions and Scenog­raphy
  • Exte­rior and Public Spaces
  • Health­care, Well­ness
  • Stage Design
  • Similar Others

In the coming years, Inte­rior design will become increas­ingly impor­tant. Build­ings will have to be converted and adapted to the new require­ments of social and ecolog­ical change.

We are looking for inno­v­a­tive projects, be it from resi­den­tial construc­tion, in the context of conver­sion and interim use, from gastronomy, the hotel industry or retail, well­ness etc. Nomi­nated and awarded projects in the cate­gory Inte­rior Design create a unique atmos­phere and have a direct influ­ence on the users of the space.

Previous winners

Sub Cate­gory Consumer Goods

  • Consumer Goods at large
  • Elec­tronics & Commu­ni­ca­tion
  • Home Appli­ances, Kitchen and Bath
  • Lighting
  • Shoes, Bags
  • Textiles
  • Watches, Jewellery, Acces­sories
  • Similar Others

Sub Cate­gory Invest­ment Goods

  • Invest­ment Goods
  • Machines
  • Mate­rials
  • Medtech and Health­care
  • Micro­elec­tronics
  • Systemic and Tech­nical Goods and Instal­la­tions for the Industry
  • Textiles
  • Tooling
  • Trans­porta­tion and Mobility
  • Gastronomy, Tourism and Hotel Industry
  • Services
  • Similar Others

Having a strong impact on all areas of life and thus being a driver of inno­va­tion, product design is crucial, be it as medical equip­ment, means of trans­port or furni­ture. We are looking for prod­ucts that have an inde­pen­dent and compre­hen­sible design process and produc­tion quality, that take into account the cultural and social needs of the target group and that rely on sustain­able produc­tion methods.

Previous winners

Sub Cate­gories

  • Circular Design
  • Food Design
  • Furni­ture Design
  • Inclu­sive Design
  • Inte­rior Design
  • Product Design
  • Inter­dis­ci­pli­nary Projects

The cate­gory Young Profes­sionals Is intended for special­ists whose qual­i­fi­ca­tion from a design course or design-oriented training is not more than three years ago.

The prize is aimed at talented designers of the younger gener­a­tion:
These include profes­sionals from all design insti­tutes who have completed a course in Design or in a design-related subject within the last three years.

  • Submis­sions may include prod­ucts, projects, concepts and proto­types
    • which have been conceived, designed or produced as orig­inal creations
    • which have been devel­oped as limited editions or commis­sioned works for insti­tutes or galleries.
  • The following are excluded:
    • Commis­sioned works for commer­cial brands

Submis­sions for the compe­ti­tion must, as a minimum require­ment, include a finalised and presentable concept.

Previous winners

The call for entries for Edition 23 is closed.

This is what you get

Already the nomi­na­tion is a distinc­tion and keeps the whole achieve­ment beyond the award cere­mony:

  • Prize money: 5’000.- to 10’000.- per cate­gory (winner only)
  • one chair from Vitra per cate­gory (exclu­sively Winner)
  • Marketing Label (Nomi­nees, Winner)
  • Profes­sional press dossier (Nomi­nees, Winner)
  • Inte­gra­tion in our media work (Nomi­nees, Winner)
  • Publicity on our commu­ni­ca­tion chan­nels (Nomi­nees, Winner)
  • Portrayal with expert justi­fi­ca­tion in our Hall of Fame (Nomi­nees, Winner)
  • Inclu­sion in the digital design guide (Nomi­nees, Winner)
  • Access to the new Design Retreat format (exclu­sively Nomi­nees & Winners of the Young Profes­sionals cate­gory)
  • 2 tickets for an exchange with the experts at the jury party on 1.9.2023 (Nomi­nees, Winner)
  • 2 tickets for the award cere­mony 3.11.2023 (Nomi­nees, Winner)

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200828-Portrait_Andreas_Bechtiger
«Der Design Preis Schweiz ist für mich der national wichtigste Wettbe­werb für Gestalter. Mit der juri­erten Ausze­ich­nung wird die Rele­vanz des Designers und dem Werk gesteigert. Der Preis sensi­bil­isiert ein breites Publikum für gute, zeit­gemässe, inno­v­a­tive und sinnvolle Gestal­tung.» Andreas Bechtiger Indus­triedesigner