National Design Awards

National Design Awards
Awarded forAmerican design excellence
CountryUnited States
Presented byCooper-Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
Established2000
WebsiteNational Design Awards

The American National Design Awards, founded in 2000, are various awards funded and bestowed by the Cooper-Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum.

There are seven official design categories, and three additional awards when applicable. Any supplemental awards deemed appropriate may be awarded at the discretion of the acting jury or institution.

History

Origins

In 2000, the awards and associated programs were introduced as an official project of the White House Millennium Council. In 2025, the award program celebrated its twenty-fifth year.

Jury

The 2023 National Design Awards jury, chaired by Dung Ngo, editor in chief, August Journal, also included Tiffany Chu, chief of staff to the mayor, City of Boston; Carla Fernández Tena, creative director, Carla Fernández; Noah Schwarz, director of product design, Herman Miller; and Sara Zewde, principal and assistant professor of practice, Studio Zewde and Harvard University.

In 2025, the selection committee was helmed by Smithsonian Design Museum director Maria Nicanor and Maurice Cox, chair of the 2025 National Design Awards jury.

The 2026 jury was chaired by Aric Chen, director of the Zaha Hadid Foundation, and also included Liz Danzico, vice president of design at Microsoft AI; Patricia Moore, president of MooreDesign Associates; Henk Ovink, executive director of the Global Commission on the Economics of Water; Valerie Steele, director and chief curator of the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology; and Thomas Woltz, senior principal of Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects.

Awards

The ten official design categories include:

The three additional awards categories are:

Past supplemental categories have included:

In 2006, the People's Design Award was created with the intent to provide the general public with the chance to nominate and vote for their favorite design. Individuals can nominate and vote for their favorite designers via the official website. The award was last given in 2010.

Candidate selection criteria

Individual candidates must be citizens or long-term residents of the United States and have been practicing design for at least 7 years. For any corporation or institution, it must have its headquarters in the United States. The honorees are selected upon a body of realized work, not for any one specific project.

Potential candidates are proposed by an official Nominating Committee and are invited to submit materials for a jury's review. Submissions consist of resumes, portfolios, publications by and about the candidates, and professional-quality audio-visual samples.[citation needed]

The award recipients come from a range of design disciplines, including architecture, landscape architecture, fashion, communications, media, interiors, digital, and production design.

Objectives

With its public programs, including ones skewed toward students, the National Design Awards are meant to highlight how design impacts daily life and "aim to increase national awareness about the impact of design in everyday life."

According to the Smithsonian, the awardees "are recognized for design innovation and impact in improving the world."

The program highlights a range of design disciplines, including architecture, landscape architecture, fashion, communications, media, interiors, digital, production design, and in 2025 for climate action design.

For Maria Nicanor, director of the Smithsonian Museum, the award series is about how design "touches all aspects of our lives every single day—from the buildings we live, learn and work in, to the physical and digital systems that deliver our basic services, the clothes we wear, the spaces we gather in or the creativity and beauty that help us understand ourselves as a nation—and yet design's undeniable influence can go unseen."

The National Design Awards program include a ceremony and gala.

According to Cooper Hewitt, the program also "connects the public with award winners through free virtual talks, workshops, resources, and more."

Recipients

Frank Gehry, Lifetime Achievement winner in 2000, architect of Disney Concert Hall.
Paul MacCready, Product Design winner in 2000, AeroVironment Chairman showing a cross section of the AeroVironment/NASA Helios Prototype wing spar.
Peter Eisenman, Architecture Design winner in 2001, architect for "Cidade da Cultura" in Spain.
IDEO, Product Design winner in 2001.
Tom Ford (left), Fashion Design winner in 2003 with actress Julianne Moore.
Eva Zeisel, Lifetime Achievement winner in 2005.
Year Award Winner Finalists Ref
2000 Lifetime Achievement Frank Gehry
2000 Corporate Achievement Apple Computer
2000 Communications Design Ralph Appelbaum
2000 Landscape Architecture Lawrence Halprin
2000 Product Design Paul MacCready
2000 American Original John Hejduk and Morris Lapidus
2001 Lifetime Achievement Robert Wilson
2001 Corporate Achievement Tupperware
2001 Architecture Design Peter Eisenman
2001 Communications Design John Maeda
2001 Landscape Architecture Julie Bargmann of D.I.R.T. Studio
2001 Product Design David M. Kelley & IDEO
2001 Design Patron Stanley Marcus
2002 Lifetime Achievement Dan Kiley
2002 Corporate Achievement Whirlpool Corporation
2002 Architecture Design Steven Holl
2002 Communications Design Lucille Tenazas
2002 Landscape Architecture James Carpenter
2002 Product Design Niels Diffrient
2002 Design Patron Andre Balazs
2002 American Original Geoffrey Beene
2003 Lifetime Achievement I.M. Pei
2003 Corporate Achievement Target Corporation
2003 Architecture Design Billie Tsien and Tod Williams
2003 Communications Design Robert Greenberg
2003 Landscape Architecture Michael Van Valkenburgh
2003 Fashion Design Tom Ford
2003 Product Design Herman Miller
2003 Design Patron Gordon Segal
2004 Lifetime Achievement Milton Glaser
2004 Corporate Achievement Aveda Corporation
2004 Architecture Design Rick Joy and Polshek Partnership
2004 Communications Design @radical.media
2004 Landscape Architecture William A. McDonough and Parrtners
2004 Fashion Design Yeohlee Teng
2004 Product Design Yves Béhar
2004 Design Patron Amanda M. Burden
2005 Lifetime Achievement Eva Zeisel
2005 Corporate Achievement Patagonia
2005 Architecture Design Diller Scofidio + Renfro Tom Kundig, Antoine Predock
2005 Communications Design Stefan Sagmeister 2x4, Paula Scher
2005 Landscape Architecture Ned Kahn Kathryn Gustafson, Peter Walker and Partners
2005 Fashion Design Toledo Studio Maria Cornejo, Project Alabama
2005 Product Design Burt Rutan Boym Partners, Bill Stumpf
2005 Design Patron Richard M. Daley, Mayor of Chicago
2005 Design Mind Katherine McCoy and Michael McCoy
2005 Interior Design Richard Gluckman Michael Gabellini, Hugh Hardy
2005 Special Jury Commendation Sergio Palleroni
2006 Lifetime Achievement Paolo Soleri
2006 Corporate Achievement Nike, Inc.
2006 Architecture Design Thom Mayne Stanley Saitowitz, Bernard Tschumi
2006 Communications Design 2x4 Jake Barton, Chip Kidd
2006 Landscape Architecture Martha Schwartz Andrea Cochran, Ken Smith
2006 Fashion Design Maria Cornejo Thom Browne, Peter Som
2006 Product Design Bill Stumpf Antenna Design, Jonathan Ive
2006 Design Patron Craig Robins n/a
2006 People's Choice The Katrina Cottage by Marianne Cusato n/a
2006 Design Mind Paola Antonelli n/a
2006 Interior Design Michael Gabellini Annabelle Selldorf, Tsao & McKown Architects
2006 Special Jury Commendation Syd Mead n/a
2007 Lifetime Achievement Antoine Predock
2007 Corporate Achievement Adobe Systems
2007 Architecture Design Office dA – Monica Ponce de Leon / Nader Tehrani
2007 Communications Design Chip Kidd
2007 Landscape Architecture PWP Landscape Architecture
2007 Fashion Design Rick Owens
2007 Product Design Jonathan Ive
2007 Design Patron Maharam
2007 People's Choice TOMS Shoes by Blake Mycoskie
2007 Design Mind Denise Scott Brown and Robert Venturi
2007 Interior Design Lewis.Tsurumaki.Lewis
2007 Special Jury Commendation Frank Ching
2008 Lifetime Achievement Charles Harrison
2008 Corporate Achievement Google, Inc.
2008 Architecture Design Tom Kundig
2008 Communications Design Scott Stowell
2008 Landscape Architecture OLIN
2008 Fashion Design Ralph Rucci
2008 Product Design Antenna Design
2008 Design Patron Architecture for Humanity
2008 People's Choice Stuart Karten Design (for the Zon hearing aid)
2008 Design Mind Michael Bierut
2008 Interior Design Rockwell Group
2008 Design Commendation Janna Bullock
2009 Lifetime Achievement Bill Moggridge
2009 Corporate Achievement Walker Art Center
2009 Architecture Design SHoP Architects
2009 Communications Design The New York Times Graphics Department
2009 Landscape Architecture Hood Design
2009 Fashion Design Francisco Costa for Calvin Klein Collection
2009 Product Design Boym Partners
2009 Design Patron Reynold Levy
2009 People's Choice Trek Lime Bike
2009 Design Mind Amory B. Lovins
2009 Interior Design Tsao & McKown Architects
2009 Interaction design Perceptive Pixel, Inc.
2010 Lifetime Achievement Jane Thompson
2010 Corporate Achievement U.S. Green Building Council
2010 Architecture Design KieranTimberlake
2010 Communications Design Stephen Doyle
2010 Landscape Architecture James Corner Field Operations
2010 Fashion Design Rodarte
2010 Product Design Smart Design
2010 People's Choice The Braille Alphabet Bracelet by Leslie Ligon
2010 Design Mind Ralph Caplan
2010 Interior Design William Sofield
2010 Interaction design Lisa Strausfeld
2011 Lifetime Achievement Matthew Carter
2011 Corporate Achievement Knoll
2011 Architecture Design Architecture Research Office [Wikidata]
2011 Communications Design Rick Valicenti
2011 Landscape Architecture Gustafson Guthrie Nichol
2011 Fashion Design J. Mendel
2011 Product Design Continuum
2011 Design Mind Steven Heller
2011 Interior Design Shelton, Mindel & Associates
2011 Interaction design Ben Fry
2012 Lifetime Achievement Richard Saul Wurman
2012 Corporate Achievement Design that Matters
2012 Architecture Design Mack Scogin Merrill Elam Architects
2012 Communication Design Rebeca Méndez
2012 Landscape Architecture Stoss Landscape Urbanism
2012 Fashion Design Thom Browne
2012 Product Design Scott Wilson
2012 Design Mind Janine Benyus
2012 Design Patron Red Burns
2012 Interior Design Clive Wilkinson Architects
2012 Interaction Design Tim Huff
2013 Lifetime Achievement James Wines
2013 Design Mind Michael Sorkin
2013 Corporate & Institutional Achievement TED
2013 Architecture Design Studio Gang Architects
2013 Communication Design Paula Scher
2013 Fashion Design Behnaz Sarafpour
2013 Interaction Design Local Projects
2013 Interior Design Aidlin Darling Design
2013 Landscape Architecture Margie Ruddick
2013 Product Design NewDealDesign
2014 Lifetime Achievement Ivan Chermayeff and Tom Geismar
2014 Corporate Achievement Etsy
2014 Architecture Design Brooks + Scarpa
2014 Communication Design Office
2014 Landscape Architecture Andrea Cochran Landscape Architecture
2014 Fashion Design Narciso Rodriguez
2014 Product Design LUNAR
2014 Design Mind Witold Rybczynski
2014 Interior Design Roman and Williams Buildings and Interiors
2014 Interaction Design Aaron Koblin
2015 Lifetime Achievement Michael Graves
2015 Director's Award Jack Lenor Larsen
2015 Design Mind Rosanne Haggerty
2015 Corporate & Institutional Achievement Heath Ceramics
2015 Architecture Design MOS Architectures
2015 Communication Design Project Projects (Prem Krishnamurthy, Adam Michaels)
2015 Fashion Design threeASFOUR
2015 Interaction Design John Underkoffler
2015 Landscape Architecture Coen + Partners
2015 Interior Design Commune
2015 Product Design Stephen Burks
2016 Lifetime Achievement Moshe Safdie
2016 Director's Award Make It Right
2016 Design Mind Bruce Mau
2016 Corporate & Institutional Achievement The Center for Urban Pedagogy
2016 Architecture Design Marlon Blackwell Architects
2016 Communication Design Geoff McFetridge
2016 Fashion Design Opening Ceremony
2016 Interaction Design Tellart
2016 Landscape Architecture Hargreaves Associates
2016 Interior Design Studio O+A
2016 Product Design Ammunition
2017 Lifetime Achievement Hartmut Esslinger
2017 Director's Award Susan S. Szenasy
2017 Design Mind Craig L. Wilkins
2017 Corporate & Institutional Achievement Design Trust for Public Space
2017 Architecture Design MASS Design Group
2017 Communication Design Jennifer Morla
2017 Fashion Design Slow and Steady Wins the Race
2017 Interaction Design Stamen Design
2017 Landscape Architecture Surfacedesign
2017 Interior Design Deborah Berke Partners
2017 Product Design Joe Doucet
2018 Lifetime Achievement Gail Anderson
2018 Director's Award Darren Walker
2018 Design Mind Anne Whiston Spirn
2018 Corporate & Institutional Achievement Design for America
2018 Architecture Design WEISS/MANFREDI
2018 Communication Design Civilization (Design)
2018 Fashion Design Christina Kim
2018 Interaction Design Neri Oxman
2018 Interior Design Oppenheim Architecture + Design
2018 Landscape Architecture Mikyoung Kim Design
2018 Product Design Blu Dot
2019 Lifetime Achievement Susan Kare
2019 Design Mind Patricia Moore
2019 Corporate & Institutional Achievement MIT D-Lab
2019 Architecture Design Thomas Phifer
2019 Communication Design Tobias Frere-Jones
2019 Fashion Design Derek Lam
2019 Interaction Design Ivan Poupyrev
2019 Interior Design IwamotoScott Architecture
2019 Landscape Architecture SCAPE Landscape Architecture
2019 Product Design Tinker Hatfield
2019 Emerging Designer Open Style Lab
2020 Design Visionary Kickstarter
2020 Climate Action Sponge Park
2020 Emerging Designer Studio One Eighty Nine
2020 Architecture Snøhetta
2020 Communication Design Scott Dadich
2020 Digital Design Design I/O
2020 Fashion Design TELFAR
2020 Landscape Architecture OJB Landscape Architecture
2020 Product Design Catapult Design
2021 Design Visionary Cheryl D. Miller
2021 Climate Action InVert Self-Shading Window by Doris Sung
2021 Architecture and Interior Design Ross Barney Architects
2021 Communication Design Imaginary Forces
2021 Fashion Design Becca McCharen-Tran
2021 Digital Design Behnaz Farahi
2021 Landscape Architecture Studio-MLA
2021 Product Design BioLite
2021 Emerging Designer Colloqate Design
2022 Design Visionary Nader Tehrani
2022 Climate Action WEDEW by David Hertz
2022 Emerging Designer Emily Adams Bode
2022 Architecture / Interior Design Rural Studio
2022 Communication Design Giorgia Lupi
2022 Digital Design Felecia Davis
2022 Fashion Design Willy Chavarria
2022 Landscape Architecture Kounkuey Design Initiative
2022 Product Design CW&T (Che-Wei Wang and Taylor Levy)
2023 Design Visionary Seymour Chwast
2023 Climate Action Biocement Tiles by Biomason
2023 Architecture nARCHITECTS
2023 Interior Design The Archers
2023 Communication Design Arem Duplessis
2023 Fashion Design Naeem Khan
2023 Digital Design Clement Mok
2023 Landscape Architecture Kongjian Yu
2023 Product Design Atlason
2023 Emerging Designer Beatriz Lozano
2025 Design Visionary Kim Hastreiter
2025 Climate Action ilumiNACIÓN by Resilient Power Puerto Rico
2025 Emerging Designer Nu Goteh
2025 Architecture Michael Maltzan Architecture
2025 Interior Design Little Wing Lee
2025 Communication Design Matt Willey
2025 Digital Design Emerging Objects
2025 Fashion Design Melitta Baumeister
2025 Landscape Architecture TERREMOTO
2025 Product Design Jules Sherman [d]
2026 Design Visionary Robert Earl Paige
2026 Climate Action Estudio Teddy Cruz + Fonna Forman
2026 Emerging Designer Mattaforma
2026 Architecture Frida Escobedo Studio
2026 Communication Design Thought Matter
2026 Digital Design Laura Kurgan
2026 Fashion Design Josh Tafoya
2026 Interior Design Charlap Hyman & Herrero
2026 Landscape Architecture Ten Eyck Landscape Architects
2026 Product Design Berea College Student Craft

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Feitelberg, Rosemary (2025-01-28). "Melitta Baumeister, Kim Hastreiter and Others Win National Design Awards". WWD. Retrieved 2025-12-06.
  2. ↑ "Architecture for Humanity Selected as Design Patron Award Winner in Cooper-Hewitt's Ninth Annual National Design Awards". Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved 26 April 2025.
  3. 1 2 "Cooper Hewitt Celebrates 25 Years of the National Design Awards and Announces 2025 Winners". Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved 26 April 2025.
  4. ↑ Staff, Words: Interior Design. "Cooper Hewitt Unveils 2023 National Design Awards Winners". Interior Design. Retrieved 2025-12-06.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Roche, Daniel Jonas (2025-01-29). "Cooper Hewitt names 2025 National Design Awards winners". The Architect's Newspaper. Retrieved 2025-12-06.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "Cooper Hewitt Announces 2026 National Design Award Winners". Cooper Hewitt. Retrieved 2026-03-08.
  7. ↑ "National Design Awards | Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum". 2014-05-16. Retrieved 2025-12-05.
  8. ↑ "People's Design Award". Archived from the original on 2008-10-05. Retrieved 2008-10-01.
  9. ↑ "Selection Process | Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum". 2014-05-17. Retrieved 2025-11-28.
  10. 1 2 Feitelberg, Rosemary (2025-04-04). "National Design Award Winners Discuss DOGE Cuts, Tariffs and Visas at Annual Gala". WWD. Retrieved 2025-12-06.
  11. ↑ "2021 National Design Awards | Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum". 2021-08-30. Retrieved 2025-12-06.
  12. ↑ "2000 National Design Award Winners | Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum". cooperhewitt.org. 8 October 2019. Retrieved 26 April 2025.
  13. ↑ "2001 National Design Award Winners | Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum". cooperhewitt.org. 8 October 2019. Retrieved 26 April 2025.
  14. ↑ "2002 National Design Award Winners | Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum". cooperhewitt.org. 8 October 2019. Retrieved 26 April 2025.
  15. ↑ "2003 National Design Award Winners | Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum". cooperhewitt.org. 8 October 2019. Retrieved 26 April 2025.
  16. ↑ "2004 National Design Award Winners | Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum". cooperhewitt.org. 8 October 2019. Retrieved 26 April 2025.
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum Announces Winners and Finalists of the Sixth Annual National Design Awards". Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum. Sep 15, 2005. Archived from the original on 2013-03-28.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "Smithsonian's Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum Announces Winners of the Seventh Annual National Design Awards" (PDF). Cooper-Hewitt. June 5, 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-09-25. Retrieved 2009-10-25.
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "Smithsonian's Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum Announces Winners of the Eighth Annual National Design Awards" (PDF). Cooper-Hewitt. May 15, 2007. Retrieved 2009-10-25.[permanent dead link]
  20. ↑ OZLER, Levent (19 May 2007). "Winners of the Eighth Annual National Design Awards". Dexigner. Retrieved 2010-01-02.
  21. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "2008 NATIONAL DESIGN AWARD WINNERS". Cooper-Hewitt. May 10, 2008. Retrieved 2022-10-09.
  22. ↑ Olin Partnership Archived 2013-03-28 at the Wayback Machine, the 2008 Award page
  23. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum Celebrates Winners and Finalists of the 10th Annual National Design Awards" (PDF). Cooper-Hewitt. September 21, 2009. Retrieved 2009-10-25.[permanent dead link]
  24. ↑ VILADAS, PILAR (April 30, 2009). "Scorecard: The National Design Awards". The New York Times. Retrieved 2010-01-02.
  25. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum Celebrates Winners and Finalists of the 11th Annual National Design Awards" (PDF). Cooper-Hewitt. June 17, 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-23. Retrieved 2010-08-22.
  26. ↑ The Braille Alphabet Jewelry Archived 2018-06-03 at the Wayback Machine on blogspot.com
  27. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum Announces Winners and Finalists of the 12th Annual National Design Awards" (PDF). Cooper-Hewitt. May 26, 2011. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2011-08-12. Retrieved 2011-05-26.
  28. ↑ "Honoring a Designer Who Gave Computers Their Fonts". The New York Times. May 26, 2011. Retrieved 2011-05-26.
  29. ↑ Curtis, Colleen (September 13, 2011). "First Lady Michelle Obama's Message to Teens: Work Hard and Believe in Yourself". whitehouse.gov. Archived from the original on 2017-01-27 – via National Archives.
  30. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Curtis, Colleen (July 16, 2012). "First Lady Michelle Obama Honors Design Innovators at the White House". whitehouse.gov. Archived from the original on 2017-02-09 – via National Archives.
  31. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum Announces Winners and Finalists of the 14th Annual National Design Awards" (PDF). Cooper-Hewitt. May 9, 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2013-05-21.
  32. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum Announces Winners of the 15th Annual National Design Awards". The Cooper-Hewitt Design Museum. May 1, 2014. Archived from the original on 2014-05-25.
  33. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum Announces Winners of the 16th Annual National Design Awards". The Cooper-Hewitt Design Museum. May 15, 2015. Archived from the original on 2015-09-05.
  34. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum Announces Winners of the 17th Annual National Design Awards". The Cooper-Hewitt Design Museum. May 5, 2016.
  35. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum 2017 Winners". The Cooper-Hewitt Design Museum. May 5, 2017.
  36. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum Announces Winners of the 18th Annual National Design Awards". The Cooper-Hewitt Design Museum. 2018.
  37. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum Announces Winners of the 20th Annual National Design Awards". The Cooper-Hewitt Design Museum. 2019.
  38. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Hill, John (2 October 2020). "2020 National Design Awards Winners –". World-Architects.
  39. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Cooper Hewitt Announces Winners of the 2021 National Design Awards and National Design Month Programming". Smithsonian. 2021-09-01.
  40. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Cooper Hewitt Announces 2022 National Design Award Winners". Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved 2022-09-09.
  41. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Cooper Hewitt Winners of the 2023 National Design Awards". Smithsonian.
  42. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Cooper Hewitt Celebrates 25 Years of the National Design Awards and Announces 2025 Winners". Cooper Hewitt. Retrieved 2025-01-28.