Design talent rarely gets the spotlight it deserves. That is why the Design Skill Awards are worth watching. For 2026, Facade Today is proud to join as media partner and highlight the façades, projects, and teams that push design skills further.
The Design Skill Awards celebrate designers and studios who turn strong concepts into real, buildable work. The awards focus on skill, craft, and smart use of tools, not just glossy images.
Many shortlisted projects show how envelopes handle daylight, thermal comfort, structure, and urban presence at the same time. The 2026 edition continues that line, putting extra attention on performance, clarity of concept, and execution quality.
Designers from all over the world can submit built or unbuilt work. The programme welcomes both emerging practices and established studios. It is an open stage, but with clear standards.
The Design Skill Awards cover several design disciplines. Architecture sits at the centre, with a strong overlap into interior, product, and digital work. Within architecture, façades often play a key role in jury decisions.
Key dates
Timing matters if you want to take part. For the 2026 edition, the Design Skill Awards run on a clear schedule.
Early Bird Registration: till 30th April 2026
Advance Registration: till 29th May 2026
Standard Registration: till 1st July 2026
Extended Registration: till 7th August 2026
Late Registration: till 9th September 2026
Submission Deadline: 13th September 2026
Winners announcement and showcase: 9th October 2026
How to register
Registration is straightforward. First, you create an account on the official Design Skill Awards website. Then you choose your category and fill in the project details. You upload drawings, images, and a short text that explains the design story.
Finally, you confirm your submission and pay the entry fee. After that, you can still update some materials until the deadline. The organisers provide a clear step‑by‑step guide, so the process stays smooth even for first‑time entrants.
Grand jury – Design Skill Awards 2026
The jury is a big part of the Design Skill Awards identity. Each edition brings together architects, designers, researchers, and critics with strong track records. They look for projects that combine clarity, innovation, and responsibility.
For 2026, you can expect a diverse panel again, with voices from practice and academia. Their role is not only to pick winners but also to identify trends and raise the quality bar. That usually means a closer look at constructability, climate response, and material choices, not only form.
- Madina Kassymbekova & Yekaterina Pupchenok – Co-Founders, Vertex studio, Kazakhstan (architects specializing in conceptual and spatial design)
- Zi Zhuo – Architectural Designer, NAC Architecture, USA (award-winning designer with MUSE, A’Design, and New York Design Awards)
- Yefan Liu – Co-Founder & Product Designer, LITE READY LLC, USA (Red Dot, IDA Gold, and DNA Paris Design Award winner)
- Jose Armando Roman – Associate Project Designer, HKS, USA (focus on innovation and sustainability)
- Johana Mendoza – Architectural Designer, Olson Kundig, Ecuador (recognized in Inspireli Awards and Drawing of the Year)
- Ilana Seleznev – Founder, Studio RDD, Israel (A’Design and MUSE Design Awards winner)
- Xiwei Shen – Assistant Professor, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, USA (landscape architect with ASLA and IDA awards)
- Dichen Ding – Senior Architect, Andrea Steele Architecture, USA (AIA and SARA award winner)
Conclusion
The Design Skill Awards keep things simple: clear categories, transparent dates, and a strong jury. Yet they still leave plenty of room for bold ideas and experimental work. If you have a project you truly believe in, this is a great moment to share it with a wider audience and benchmark your practice against peers from around the world.
As the Editor of FacadeToday.com, I merge my passion for Design, Architecture and Technologies with three decade of experience collaborating with entrepreneurs across many industries. My career has centered on fostering innovation, scaling business opportunities, and bridging gaps between technical experts, business developers, and creative visionaries. I thrive at the intersection of sustainable solutions, material advancements, and smart technologies, curating insights on themes like energy-efficient facades, smart tech, and advanced manufacturing. With a commitment to lifelong learning, I aim to empower architects and facade engineers by translating innovations into actionable knowledge, driving the industry forward through purposeful connectivity and cutting-edge practices.
