Sponsored content by Good Design Australia
For more than six decades, Good Design Australia has celebrated the power of design to shape innovation, industry, and everyday life. Its flagship program, the Australian Good Design Awards, recognises projects that show how thoughtful design can enhance products, services, systems, and communities.
With entries now open for the 2026 awards, designers, innovators, and forward-thinking businesses across the country are invited to showcase their work under this year’s theme: “Design that Leads.” The organisation said the theme highlights how purposeful design can drive industry change, tackle complex challenges, and deliver measurable social, environmental, and commercial impact.
“Design leadership isn’t about size, scale, or budget,” said Rachel Wye, managing director of Good Design Australia. “It’s about clarity of purpose and the courage to act. Each year, the projects we celebrate show how design can influence behaviour, spark innovation, strengthen communities, and create real value.”
A platform for design-led innovation
Good Design Australia describes the Australian Good Design Awards as the nation’s highest level of independent design recognition, spanning categories including product design, architecture, engineering, digital innovation, service design, strategy and social impact.
According to the organisation, the awards aim to showcase work that not only demonstrates design excellence but also contributes to solving real-world challenges across industries and communities.
Wye said the diversity of projects recognised each year reflects the growing influence of design across the broader economy.
“Australian design continues to set benchmarks globally,” she said. “What unites award-winning work is impact — the ability to influence systems, improve experiences and respond responsibly to the challenges of our time.”
What past winners say
Previous winners note that the program is distinguished by its focus on the wider influence of design on both industry and society.
Tom Loefler, CEO of Hullbot and joint recipient of the 2025 Australian Good Design Award of the Year, said the awards place a strong emphasis on purpose.
“What sets the Australian Good Design Awards apart is their genuine focus on purpose and impact — it’s not just about aesthetics or innovation in isolation, it’s about how design improves lives, industries, and the planet,” Loefler said.
Other winners highlight the program’s credibility across the design and business communities.
“The Australian Good Design Awards carry serious industry credibility — they are respected by peers, collaborators and partners we deeply admire, which makes this recognition especially meaningful,” said Soren Luckins of Buro North, whose team received the 2025 Best in Class award for Sydney Metro Central Station – Customer Centred Design.
Memduh Guney of ResMed Limited, a 2025 Gold Award recipient, said the awards acknowledge the complexity behind many modern design projects.
“It is clear that Good Design Australia understands the realities of developing products that must balance human needs, technical constraints, and regulatory responsibility,” Guney said.
From a business perspective, recognition can also support brand credibility, according to Patryc Lampasi of Harbour.
“Having the ‘Good Design Winner’ title across our email signatures, website and collateral has been invaluable — it’s a shorthand for quality and a trusted endorsement within the industry,” Lampasi said.
Celebrating diverse design solutions
Good Design Australia points to the diversity of recent winners as evidence of the wide influence of design. In 2025, the program’s top honour — the Australian Good Design Award of the Year — was awarded to two projects: Deadly Democracy, a platform designed to support First Nations young leaders engaging in Australia’s democratic process, and Hullbot, a robotic hull-cleaning system for boats.
According to the organisation, projects such as these demonstrate how design can address both social and technological challenges while delivering practical outcomes.
Key dates for the 2026 awards
Good Design Australia has confirmed the following key dates for this year’s program:
- Early bird entry deadline: 20 March 2026
- Final entries close: 24 April 2026
- Awards ceremony: 9 October 2026, Sydney
For full information on categories, judging standards, deadlines, fees, and the benefits for winners, visit the Australian Good Design Awards website.
This article contains information provided by Good Design Australia and is intended for general use only. It does not take into account your personal, professional, or business circumstances.
