The awards
The ICONIC AWARDS provide a stage for the most groundbreaking projects of the year. They unlock networking and business opportunities, offering visibility to you and your projects.
Registration
The registration for the ICONIC AWARDS 2025 has started!
Announcement
Detailed information on participation and the competition can be found in our application documents. The deadline for registration is 16 May.
Novelties
Bringing together the entire value chain of the construction and design industry on one platform is the declared goal of the ICONIC AWARDS 2025. Expect new categories, as well as expanded networking and business opportunities.
4 March 2025
Call for applications 2025
28 March 2025
Early Bird deadline
16 May 2025
Deadline for online registration
28 May & 3 June 2025
Jury session
End of August 2025
Announcement of the winners
7 October 2025
Awards ceremony 2025
Submit your project now!
Create an account
Register in our online database »My Design Council« by using the button above (»Register here«). Log in with your access data or register as a new user.
Registration
For the online registration of your submission you will need a short description in English and German and at least one image. After that, complete your registration bindingly.
Upload
Complete your digital submission by 16 May and upload the presentation with photos, drawings and other illustrative materials for the jury meeting. This will take place on 28 May 2025.
Benefits
INTERNATIONAL VISIBILITY
The ICONIC AWARDS ensure you get the industry's international attention - because only ground-breaking excellence is rewarded.
EXPAND YOUR REACH
Benefit from high-profile communication via the German Design Council’s channels and become part of the design community.
ACHIEVE GENUINE RECOGNITION
Your projects will be evaluated by renowned experts and gain attention in the international architecture scene.
CELEBRATE YOUR SUCCESS
Enjoy well-deserved recognition at the awards ceremony – a key highlight in the industry calendar. Connect with key decision-makers in the world of architecture.
AWARDED TOGETHER
The ICONIC AWARDS now bring together all disciplines of the industry – from manufacturers to architects, interior designers, planners, clients, and project developers.
FOSTER EXCHANGE & KNOWLEDGE-SHARING
Make the most of networking opportunities at the ICONIC AWARDS ceremony to establish valuable connections and share ideas with industry experts.
Awards ceremony
The ICONIC AWARDS ceremony is the highlight of the calendar for architects, interior designers and manufacturers in the furniture industry. A day filled with inspiration, exchange, and knowledge-sharing.
The ceremony of the ICONIC AWARDS 2025 will take place on the 7th of October at BMW Welt Munich with expert talks and matchmaking events. Best-of-Best projects will receive an exclusive appearance in the speaker programme.
Source: German Design Council / Photos: Jens Hartmann
Categories
Architecture
From urban concepts and green space planning, cultural buildings and educational institutions, hotels and restaurants to residential buildings, workplaces and hospitals. New constructions, revitalizations, and conversions of all kinds.
more
Retail and Commercial
Branded spaces, shops, concept stores, showrooms, department stores, shopping centres, outlets, etc.
Hospitality
Hotels, boarding houses, serviced apartments, spas and wellness resorts, bars, cafés, restaurants, pop-up bars, kiosk etc.
Residential
Prefab buildings, detached homes, care homes etc.
Healthcare
Nursing facilities, jospitals, medical facilities, rehabilitation facilities, care facilities, hospices etc.
Corporate
Company buildings, office buildings, factories, warehouses etc.
Public
Stadiums, admin buildings, sports facilities, train or bus stations, toilet blocks etc.
Culture
Museums, concert halls, theatres, opera houses, sacral buildings, temples, religious sites, monuments etc.
Eduction
Education buildings, schools, day-care centres, sports facilities etc.
Event and Exhibition
Exhibitions, special settings, trade fair stands, pop-up stores, events, light installations, pavilions, temporary installations etc.
Urban Planning
Villages, regions, urban branding, urban/district and neighbourhood developement, mixed-use-building complexes, ensemble etc.
Special
Mobile architectures, indeterminate typologies, installations, new building types, facade design and constructions etc.
Interior
From exceptional retail concepts, restaurants, bars, and hotel facilities to the design of living spaces, offices, care facilities, and hospitals.
more
Retail and Commercial
Branded spaces, shops, concept stores, showrooms, department stores, shopping centres, outlets, etc.
Residential
Prefab buildings, detached homes, care homes, etc.
Corporate
Company buildings, office buildings, business premises, factories, warehouses etc.
Workplace
Office space, NewWork concepts etc.
Public
Schools, day-care centres, hospitals, stadiums, admin buildings, sports facilities, railway stations, bus stations etc.
Culture
Museums, concert halls, theatres, opera houses, sacral buildings, temples, religious sites, monuments etc.
Education
Education buildings, schools, day-care centres, sports facilities etc.
Hospitality
Hotels, boarding houses, serviced apartments, spa and wellness resorts, member clubs, gastronomy, bars, cafés, restaurants, etc.
Healthcare
Nursing facilities, hospitals, medical facilities, rehabilitation facilites, care facilities, hospices etc.
Special
Pop-up concepts, new or undefindes typologies, installations, lighting design and lighting concepts etc.
Communication
Outstanding holistic communication – at trade show booths, in advertising campaigns, or corporate designs for architectural firms, word-image brands for real estate projects, and urban concepts.
more
B2B Communication
Trade fair stands, ad campaigns, ads, flyers, brochures, catalogues, outdoor advertising, websites, image films, architectural photography, books etc.
B2C Communication
Trade fair stands, book publications, ad campaigns, ads, brochures, flyers, outdoor advertising, websites, image films, architectural photography, catalogues, etc.
Corporate Design
Branding, websites, letterhead stationery, business cards, flyers, posters, banners, signs, flags, etc.
Signposting System
Guidance systems for cities, public institutions, office and business premises, shopping centres, detached homes, etc.
Special
Free concepts for architecture and interior design, not realised brand and corporate design from architecture and interior etc.
Product
From fixed building products to innovations in building equipment and furnishings: including facades, doors, lighting, sanitary and kitchen equipment and furniture.
more
Facade
Paint, insulation, plaster, windows, doors, balconies, materials, fittings, railings etc.
Wall, Floor and Ceiling
Tiles, wallpaper, plaster, carpets, parquet, materials, floor laminates, ceiling elements, stairs, floor coverings, wall coverings etc.
Energy Solutions
Solar thermal energy, photovoltaics, materials, biomass, solar energy systems etc.
Sanitation and Wellness
Sanitary objects, fittings, bathtubs, shower enclosures, shower trays, bathroom furniture, ceramics, materials, swimming pools, saunas, water treatment etc..
Building Facility
Lifts, escalators, stairs, doors, windows, radiators, materials, switches and control panels, house and door signage, handles home automation, letterboxes, fittings etc.
Office and Workplace
Office furniture, furniture systems, acoustic solutions, technical equipment for the workplace etc.
Kitchen and Household
Kitchen taps, kitchen sinks, large electrical appliances, kitchen furniture etc.
Lighting
Lighting systems, outdoor luminaires, decorative luminaires, technical luminaires, work lights etc.
Material, Textile and Surface
Materials and textiles, surfaces, decorative fabrics, furniture fabrics etc.
Furniture
Cabinet and shelving systems, seating, tables, beds etc.
Outdoor
Garden furniture, equipment for winter gardens, pavilions etc.
Special
New product typologies etc.
Concept
Visionary ideas and (yet) unrealized concepts in the fields of city and architectural design, as well as interior design.
more
Urban Planning and Landscape
Plazas, streets, renovation, conversion, villages, regions, urban branding, urban/district and neighbourhood developement, mixed-use building complexes, ensemble, open space planning, garden and landscape architecture etc.
Visionary & Uncompleted Architecture
Concepts and unrealised designs for the design of: public buildings, cultural buildings, company buildings, office buildings, commercial buildings, stores, factories, warehouses, living spaces, pre-fabricated buildings, residential buildings, dormitories, concepts for temporary buildings etc.
Special
Free designs, building designs (Metaverse) etc.
Innovative Material
The projects are characterised by the use of innovative materials that shape the design of architecture, interiors and products. The focus is on sustainability, energy efficiency and functionality.
Circular Design
This category recognises particularly innovative solutions that bring the current goals of the circular economy into practice and serve as a model for circular strategies
Want to learn more about the categories? Simply download our call for entries here.
Announcement 2025Registration and service fees 2025
Registration fees
details
Registration fees
EUR 350 plus VAT
per submission (incl. digital date preparation)
EUR 300 plus VAT
Earl bird rate per submission until 28 March 2025 (incl. digital date preparation)
In exceptional cases, digital datas (films, websites, apps, etc.) can be submitted in the »Communications« category.
Service fees
The following costs are compulsive after being awarded »Selection«, »Winner« or »Best of Best«:
»Winner«
details
Service fees »Winner«
1.900 EUR plus VAT
The award contains:
- – use of the »Winner«-label for your communications
- – two personalised winner documents
- – access to our exclusive marketing services
- – entry in the catalogue, one specimen copy of the catalogue per entrant
- – presentation of the prize-winning project/product in the ICONIC Directory
- – comprehensive public relations communications and social media coverage in relation to the competition
- – attendance at the awards ceremony, optional professional photograph of winners with document. Following the ceremony, all »Winner« projects will be presented to the guests through a digital presentation on screen.
»Best of Best«
Details
Serviceg fees »Best of Best«
2,500 EUR plus VAT
The award contains:
- – use of the »Best of Best«-label for your communications
- – two personalised winner documents, one in a high-quality frame
- – access to our exclusive marketing services
- – entry in the catalogue, one specimen copy of the catalogue per entrant
- – presentation of the prize-winning project/product in the ICONIC Directory
- – Exclusive public relations communications and social media coverage in relation to the competition
- – attendance at the awards ceremony, on-stage presentation of prize sculpture and personalised document, with professional photograph taken.
Grant programme
The German Design Council offers all small companies and start-ups the opportunity to obtain an exemption from the possible winner's fees via a request for support.
details
Our grant programme
The German Design Council offers all small companies and start-ups the opportunity to obtain an exemption from the possible winner's fees for the »Winner« and »Best of Best« awards via a request for support.
The prerequisite for support is an annual turnover of up to EUR 50,000 in the last two years. Funds will be released after a thorough review of the firm’s financial situation.
The application must be filed no later than 11 April 2025 (the date of receipt by the German Design Council is what counts in this regard).
Fill out the application for our grant programme.
Detailed information can be found in our announcement documents 2025.
Jury members 2025
Bram Aerts
Architect and partner, ATAMA
more
Bram Aerts is Architect and partner of ATAMA, which was founded in 2011 by Bram Aerts and Carolien Pasman and was known as TRANS until 2023. After graduating from the KU Leuven, he gained professional experience in Brussels and Antwerp. Bram Aerts is a dedicated lecturer at the Faculty of Architecture KU Leuven Sint-Lucas Ghent and formerly at the University of Antwerp and the Rotterdam Academy of Architecture. He lectures internationally and works as an author. Since 2021 Bram Aerts is member of the Quality Chamber of the city of Ghent. In this capacity, he advises clients and designers on the quality of projects that are realised in Ghent.
Luis Bellera
Partner and Design Director, b720 Arquitectos
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Luis Bellera is an architect with a degree in Architecture from the E.T.S.A.B. - Polytechnic University of Catalonia (2015). Since 2018 he has led the competition team of b720 Arquitectos, resulting in winning projects such as the conception of the Chamartin Station, La Sagrera Station, the headquarter of the Catalan Medical Emergency System, the Forum Hotel, the Polaris North building and the Germina Foundation. Since 2023 he has been a partner in the firm and is design director. He sees architecture as a tool to redefining the urban landscapes of the future and improving people's lives. He is also well experienced in team management, cost and resource management, sustainability and prefabrication.
Felizia Berchtold
Director TUTTO BENE
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Felizia Berchtold is the co-founder of Tutto Bene, an interior, architecture, and design studio based in London and Milan. Established in 2023 with Oskar Kohnen, the practice embraces the principles of the Gesamtkunstwerk, creating environments that merge historical references with contemporary minimalism, precision with emotion. Felizia’s background spans product design and interior architecture, shaping a multidisciplinary approach that defines the studio’s ethos. She holds a BA in Product Design from HFBK Hamburg and an MA in Textile Design from the Royal College of Art in London. Founded on a partnership of curious minds, Tutto Bene builds spatial narratives through meticulous research. Guided by a philosophy of romantic simplicity, Felizia and Oskar create distinctive interiors for living, hospitality, and commercial spaces.
Jonas Bjerre-Poulson
Founding partner, Norm Architects
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Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen is a founding partner of Norm Architects with over a decade of experience as an architect, designer, art director and photographer. Jonas shares his passion for phenomenology - the philosophical study of human experience - and striking spaces, objects and images with clients ranging from established design brands to international magazines and private homeowners. Educated at both the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts and Copenhagen Business School, Jonas combines business-oriented and strategic thinking with the conceptual thoughts and visions that bring creative projects to life. I have a strong calling to create thoughtful projects that make a difference and stand out in an understated, refined way,' he says of his work, which has won awards including the Red Dot, IF Design Award, Design Plus Award and Good Design Award.
ELENA BOERMAN
Research Associate/Sustainable Building at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
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Elena Boerman is a doctoral student and research associate in teaching, research and innovation at the Chair of Sustainable Building at the Faculty of Architecture at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. She studied architecture at KIT and completed her master's degree there in 2021. During her studies, she worked in architectural offices in Hamburg and Heidelberg. Together with Sandra Böhm, she is responsible for the further development and scientific orientation of the KIT Materials Library. As part of her work at the chair, she contributes to publications and other publications and is involved in design courses and seminars for architecture students.
Stefan Diez
Founder DIEZ OFFICE
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Stefan Diez is a Munich-based industrial designer who develops products for the circular economy. Since founding DIEZ OFFICE in 2002, he has led innovative projects in the fields of furniture, lighting and architecture. The studio combines technical expertise, creative experimentation and a strong awareness of sustainability. Stefan follows a design approach that is anchored in his 10 Circular Design Guidelines to design products in an environmentally and socially responsible way. Throughout his career, Stefan has created numerous award-winning products and developed long-term collaborations with internationally renowned manufacturers such as HAY, Vibia, Magis, Herman Miller, e15, Midgard, Thonet, Rosenthal and others. In addition to his design work, Stefan has been involved in education since 2008. Since 2018, he has been head of the industrial design programme at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna, having previously taught at the Hochschule für Gestaltung in Karlsruhe, Lund University and the Kunsthochschule Kassel.
Gong Dong
Founder/Design Principal, Vector Architects
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Gong Dong founded Vector Architects in 2008. He was elected as the Foreign Member of French Academy of Architecture in 2019. He has been teaching design studios at Tsinghua University and Central Academy of Fine Arts. Gong Dong's practice has earned international recognition by his representative works, including Seashore Library, Seashore Chapel, Yangshuo Sugarhouse, Renovation of the Captain’s House, Pingshan Art Museum, Haibing Center at Nankai University, Jingyang Camphor Court, and Liyuan Foreign Language Primary School. He has been invited to various major exhibitions, including the first Chinese architecture exhibition at MoMA New York; La Biennale di Venezia (2018, 2025), and have won international awards such as the ”RIBA International Awards for Excellence”(2021) and has been nominated as “100+ Best Architecture Firms” selected by Domus (2019). Gong Dong has been invited as a guest speaker and critic by academic and professional institutions including Tsinghua University, the Technical University of Madrid, University College London and Cambridge University, the Berlage Institute of TU Delft and Accademia di architettura di Mendrisio of USI.
EFRAT FRIEDLAND
Industrial Designer, Founder materialscout
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Trained industrial designer with a great passion for materials, Efrat is the founder of materialscout, a Munich-based consultancy that helps market-leading companies generate value through creative, competitive and sustainable implementation of materials and technologies. Focusing on consumer tendencies, materials sourcing, processing, implementation, emotional attachment and end usage with a circular approach, materialscout connects the materials industry with the creative industry. Efrat is also the co-founder of Positive Plastics, a toolbox and platform for designers and engineers, introducing them to commercially available polymers with a lower environmental impact.
Tina Kortmann
Associate Director, UNStudio
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Tina Kortmann is Associate Director / Senior Architect at UNStudio in Amsterdam and leads a cross-location team with employees in the Netherlands and Frankfurt. The team focuses on projects in Germany. Since 2017, these have included FOUR Frankfurt, that is currently under construction, various interior projects, and the high-rises buildings Belsenpark and NION. The projects are among UNStudio's key projects on the German market and cover a wide range of typologies. Tina was born in Düsseldorf in 1978 and studied architecture at RWTH Aachen University and in Copenhagen. Before joining UNStudio Amsterdam in 2010, she worked in internationally recognized offices in Copenhagen, Paris, Aachen and Tokyo.
Jeanette Kunsmann
Chefredakteurin, Detail
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Jeanette Kunsmann, author and architecture journalist, is editor-in-chief of Detail. Her topics are architecture and building culture, design and art, city and society. From 2013 to 2016, she was editor-in-chief of the daily BauNetz news and the weekly magazine Baunetzwoche. She then developed the cross-media magazine DEAR with Stephan Burkoff on behalf of Heinze GmbH, which she managed as deputy editor-in-chief from 2017 to 2019. Publications include ARCH+, AW Architektur & Wohnen, Baumeister, Domus, FAZ, FAS Reise, Häuser, IDEAT, Jovis, Mitte/Rand, Ruby Press, Stylepark, uncube magazine; co-founder of the publishing house Mitte/Rand; architecture diploma under Dieter Eckert at the Technical University of Berlin. She lives and works in Berlin and Munich.
Annabelle von Reutern
Architect, Founder of TOMAS
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Annabelle von Reutern is an architect, speaker and expert in circular building. Von Reutern is a member of Architects for Future, an advisory board member of the Association for Building in Existing Contexts and an associate member of the Association of German Architects (BDA). In 2024, she and two colleagues founded the socially responsible architecture company TOMAS - Transformation of Material and Space.
Carsten Schmidt
Associate Partner, Topotek 1
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Carsten Schmidt completed his Bachelor's degree in Political Science and Chinese Studies, as well as a Bachelor's degree in Communication at the University of Tübingen in 2015. Shortly thereafter, he graduated from Cornell University with a Master of Landscape Architecture and a Master of City and Regional Planning. After collaborating with Cornell University on an initiative for climate-adaptive design to support local communities along the Hudson River, he joined Topotek 1. There, he quickly progressed from landscape architect to senior architect and became a project manager. Today, he is responsible for a range of local and international projects, spanning from feasibility studies to large-scale urban developments. Carsten has been a partner at Topotek 1 since 2021 and oversees projects in the MENA region.
Wei Wu
Executive Partner at gmp
Shanghai
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After completing his studies in Chongqing, China, Wu Wei worked as an architect in Lanzhou and Shanghai from 1992 to 1994. In 1995 he started further architectural studies at ETH Zurich, where he finished with a Master’s Degree in Architecture (Diplom) in 2000 under Prof. Mario Campi. After working for the Zurich practice Skyline Architecture, Wu joined gmp · Architects von Gerkan, Marg and Partners in 2001, where he initially started as Head Representative of the offices in Beijing and Shanghai. In 2004 he became an Associate Partner, in 2009 Partner for China, in 2019 Partner and Executive Partner in 2021.
FAQ
HOW MANY PARTICIPANTS ATTENDED LAST YEAR?
In total, there were over 800 entries from 37 countries at the ICONIC AWARDS last year.
IN WHICH CATEGORIES CAN I SUBMIT MY PROJECT?
There are five main categories: Architecture. Interior Design. Product. Concept. Communications. Further information can be found here.
WHICH AWARDS ARE PRESENTED?
"Winner": This award is presented to outstanding projects of the year that impress the jury with their quality and innovation.
"Best of Best": This special honour is strictly limited and is only awarded to projects that are characterised by exceptional excellence. The jury uses it to recognise pioneering top performance.
WHERE CAN I REGISTER FOR THE AWARDS?
Registration is via My Design Council.
WHO IS ADMITTED TO THE AWARDS?
All companies and studios whose projects fit into the categories.
CAN I REGISTER A PROJECT THAT HAS ALREADY WON ANOTHER GERMAN DESIGN COUNCIL AWARD?
Yes.
IS THERE A LIMITED NUMBER OF PROJECTS I CAN ENTER FOR THE AWARDS?
No.
HOW OLD CAN THE SUBMITTED PROJECT BE?
The project may not be older than 5 years at the time of the jury meeting.
WHAT ARE THE DATES AND DEADLINES?
All dates and deadlines can be downloaded here.
WHAT ARE THE COSTS AND FEES?
A registration fee will be charged for each registered project. Depending on the award, additional fees may apply. Information on the costs of the ICONIC AWARDS can be found in the fact sheet.
CAN I BE EXEMPTED FROM THE FEES?
The German Design Council offers all small businesses and start-ups the opportunity to be exempted from the possible winning fees by means of a funding application. Details can be found in our application documents.