The Dezeen Awards 2026: Celebrating the best in design
The Dezeen Awards 2026 are coming to London's Royal Opera House this November. Discover this year's standout shortlisted projects and how TDC PR helped bring Trimble SketchUp on board as a headline sponsor for a new three-year partnership.
Some of the world’s leading architects, designers and creative thinkers are gathering in London this November, and we’re pleased to be part of the conversation.
On 16 November, the Royal Opera House will host the Dezeen Awards 2026 party, bringing the international design community together to recognise the projects, studios and ideas setting the agenda across the sector.
From progressive architecture to industrial design and interior spaces, the awards offer a snapshot of the work shaping how we live, work and interact.
Bringing partners together
Four years ago, we began working with Trimble SketchUp to build their profile and cultivate deeper connections with leading architecture and design practices.
Fast forward to 2026, and we helped bring Trimble on board as a headline partner for this year’s Dezeen Awards—connecting two entities that share a long-term commitment to digital craft, innovation and design culture.
Crucially, this is more than a single sponsorship. The 2026 awards mark the beginning of a three-year strategic partnership, designed to champion the global design community and support industry dialogue over the long haul.
Alongside this, TDC PR client Morrama is represented on this year’s judging panel, with founder and creative director Jo Barnard lending her perspective to the design categories.
Shortlist Highlights
What makes the Dezeen Awards compelling year after year is the depth and focus of the work on display.
The shortlist provides a clear view into where the discipline is heading, from adaptive reuse and low-carbon building to product design that quietly resolves complex everyday problems.
A few shortlisted projects particularly caught our attention this year:
The Jellicoe by Universal Design Studio
What should the contemporary workplace actually deliver? Universal Design Studio’s shortlisted project, The Jellicoe, offers a clear response. Designed around the concept of ‘Worlds within a World’, this London workspace moves away from the one-size-fits-all floorplate, creating distinct spatial environments for both collective collaboration and quiet focus. It is a thoughtful example of how spatial strategy can respond directly to shifting working habits.
Avira Health Smart Feeding Pump by Blond
Applied well, industrial design solves critical human problems. Blond’s shortlisted Smart Feeding Pump for Avira Health is a case in point. Combining precise engineering with an approachable, human-centred aesthetic, the device reimagines medical technology to make daily administration more intuitive, discreet and comfortable. It is a strong example of applying consumer-grade design thinking to healthcare environments where subtle details matter most.
Yoto Mini by Heirloom
Designed by Heirloom, this screen-free audio player gives children the autonomy to explore audiobooks, music and activities independently, without the friction or algorithmic pull of digital screens. With tactile physical cards, refined drop protection and child-first ergonomics, it illustrates how thoughtful hardware design can make technology feel tangible and human.
Read our previous analysis on the next generation of kids’ technology here.
Lucia by Preen
Adaptive hospitality design requires a clear narrative point of view. Designed by Preen, Lucia transforms a former fast-food site in Los Angeles into a vibrant Afro-Caribbean dining space. Balancing the theatrical presence of mid-century hospitality with warm regional materiality, the project demonstrates how interior architecture can establish an immersive identity from the ground up.
Light House by Studioninedots
What happens when a practice is given free rein to rethink domestic space? In Amsterdam, Studioninedots answered with Light House: a family home structured as a sequence of stacked, interconnected volumes. Set within an urban district focused on architectural experimentation and circularity, the house uses open sightlines and varied ceiling heights to foster shared family life while responding intelligently to its site.
Looking ahead to 16 November
The awards night is always an opportunity to step away from our desks, catch up with clients and peers, and reflect on the past year in design.
For our team, it is also a milestone: seeing ten months of collaboration come to fruition, and marking four years of strategic work alongside Trimble SketchUp as they step into this three-year headline role.
We look forward to seeing who takes home the honours, reconnecting with colleagues from across the network, and marking another significant year for the industry.
