A DESIGN AWARD WITH A UNIQUE FOCUS ON COLLABORATIVE EDUCATION
The DBEW Award 2026 is an international design competition guided by the philosophy of Design Beyond East & West (DBEW). Unlike traditional design competitions that solely focus on final output, the DBEW Award focuses on the value of design education and the creative journey, inviting students and educators worldwide to submit works. It aims to present a forward-looking model for design education that supports continuous and sustainable growth. Across three dynamic design tracks – Spatial & Architecture Design, Product & Fashion Design and Communication & Service Design – undergraduate and graduate students in design or those within two years of graduation are encouraged to participate in a joint submission with an educator.
DBEW Exhibition 2025, co-hosted by ADI Design Museum and the Oriental Culture & Design Center, Milan, Italy | all images courtesy of DBEW
DESIGN BEYOND EAST & WEST AT ADI DESIGN MUSEUM
The DBEW philosophy is a vision that integrates the aesthetic and cultural values of Asian design into the global design landscape. This mission has been led by the Oriental Culture and Design Center (OCDC) of Kookmin University in collaboration with the ADI Design Museum who host the DBEW Exhibition every year during Milan Design Week. Through this ongoing presence, DBEW has continuously introduced works that transcend the dichotomy of Eastern and Western design, setting new paradigms that influence global design education and industry.
DBEW Exhibition 2024, co-hosted by ADI Design Museum and the Oriental Culture & Design Center, Milan, Italy
RECOGNIZING CREATIVE LEADERSHIP & THE PROCESS OF MUTUAL LEARNING
The DBEW Award stands as the first award to formally acknowledge the creative leadership of educators. It evaluates and celebrates design outcomes that emerged from design education, recognizing the process as a collaborative journey of mutual learning between educators and students. Critically, it welcomes and celebrates the results of this creative educational journey, rather than focusing primarily on final outputs. To be eligible, submissions must be a joint effort by a student (undergraduate, graduate, or within two years of graduation) and an educator, participating solely in a mentoring role.
DBEW Forum 2023, co-hosted by ADI Design Museum and the Oriental Culture & Design Center, Milan, Italy
The two-stage evaluation process, led by a global jury, seeks designs with originality and novelty, aesthetic quality, and formal refinement. It also prioritizes innovation through integrative and interdisciplinary thinking, along with sustainability and social responsibility. The expert panel features globally recognized names including Paola Antonelli, Senior Curator at MoMA, leading sustainability voice John Thackara, and prominent architect Daniel Libeskind among others.
The submission period runs from January 1 to March 15, 2026, with a total prize fund of $25,000. The Award ceremony and forum will be held during Milan Design Week on April 21, 2026, at the ADI Design Museum. Winning works will then be featured in a follow-up exhibition in Seoul in October 2026 at DDP, coinciding with Seoul Design Week.
DBEW Award 2026 is calling for submissions
project info:
name: DBEW AWARD 2026
submission period: January 1 – March 15, 2026
submission deadline: March 15, 2026
total prize fund: $25,000
award ceremony: April 21, 2026, during Milan Design Week, at the ADI Design Museum
exhibition: October 2026 at DDP, Seoul
submission link: dbewaward.com
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