NOMINATE NOW FOR SPECIAL ACCOLADES
- Published on: 14 April 2025
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CALL FOR NOMINATIONS: 2025 SPECIAL ACCOLADES
The Australian Good Design Awards Special Accolades, were established to recognise achievements beyond the main design disciplines. These accolades honour exceptional projects, people and practices that are sparking positive change.
This is your chance to be part of the next wave of design excellence. Submit your entry or nomination via the online portal before Friday 2nd May to be considered for a Special Accolade and other internationally-recognised Awards.
Keep reading to find important details on each accolade and inspiration from the 2024 Winners, and don’t forget to check out the specific evaluation criteria on our website!
AUSTRALIAN DESIGN PRIZE
The Australian Design Prize recognises an individual designer who has made or is making a significant contribution to Australian design. It celebrates visionaries who leave a lasting impact on design practices and the broader design community.
2024 Winners: Vince Frost & Professor Livio Bonollo AM
Vince Frost, renowned designer, author and host of Design Your Life, was recognised for his lifelong commitment to using design as a force for good. We sat down with Vince Frost to explore his remarkable career.
He told us, “I think design has got us into the messiness of this world. A lot of bad things in this world are through design. You know, anything that’s not nature has been designed. I also believe that design is helping us solve the real problems of the world for the better. So, I think design is incredibly powerful and has so much potential. I really wish that each and every one of us is utilising its potential for good.”
Design Your Life by Vince Frost. Image: Vince Frost
The late Professor Livio Bonollo AM was also honoured for his pioneering influence in industrial design education and practice. His impact extended beyond academia and Bonollo’s legacy continues to shape the design community.
Product Design: A Course in First Principles by Elivio Bonollo. Image: supplied
AUSTRALIAN GOOD DESIGN TEAM OF THE YEAR AWARD
Awarded to a design team whose collective work embodies the principles of design excellence, this accolade encourages organisations to cultivate a design-led culture. Winners in this category have demonstrated how design can be integrated across all levels of an organisation, helping to set new industry standards and create impactful design solutions.
2024 Winner: Cobalt Design
The Cobalt design team. Image: Cobalt
Cobalt’s founders have created a space where failure is transformed into learning, students grow into mentors and respect is afforded to all.
“At the executive level, our job is to create space for our team to be their best,” Steve Martinuzzo, Co-founder of Cobalt shared.
INDIGENOUS DESIGN AWARD
In recognition of Australia’s First Nations designers, the Indigenous Design Award honours projects that showcase the unique contributions of Indigenous design practices.
Proudly presented by RMIT, the Award welcomes nominations of Indigenous individuals as well as projects where at least one member of the design team identifies as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.
2024 Winners:
Blaklash – Queensland Health First Nations Design Framework
The Blaklash team behind the Framework – Winner of the 2024 Indigenous Design Award Image: Blaklash
This framework ensures healthcare infrastructure is culturally safe and co-designed with First Nations communities.
“If you involve people in the conversation, you can be sure not to repeat past mistakes,” said Tahlia Steadman, Principal at Blaklash
mili mili – Signal Fire
Winner of the 2024 Australian Good Design Award Indigenous Design Award | Team. Image: mili mili
This project honours Indigenous storytelling through landscape, and public art.
“This project was about connection – to land, community, and history. The headland itself was the true feature, and we worked to weave its stories into every element of the design,” said mili mili Creative Director, Nicole Monks.
ROBERT PATAKI AWARD FOR HEALTHCARE DESIGN
The Robert Pataki Award for Healthcare Design encourages the next generation of designers and innovators to create conceptual design solutions aimed at improving the quality of life for people living with a disability, those in aged care environments and individuals working within the healthcare system.
Named in honour of Robert Pataki, OAM, recipient of the 2022 Australian Design Prize, the Award promotes the importance of embedding design-led innovation into all areas of Australia’s healthcare system. Aiming to foster a culture that leverages the power of design to create meaningful change for the most vulnerable members of society.
2024 Winner: ARIA – Augmented Reality in Audio
The intricate details of ARIA. Image: Aria Research
This wearable device converts visual data into 3D sound, enhancing accessibility for visually impaired individuals.
“As a recipient of the Award, I would be pushing for other designers to be thinking about solving big but practical problems, and getting to the nitty-gritty of what the end user really, really wants and needs,” said Robert Yearsley CEO and Co-Founder of ARIA Research.
WOMEN IN DESIGN AWARD
The Women in Design Award addresses the gender imbalance in design leadership by celebrating the contributions of female designers who have made remarkable impacts on the Australian design industry.
The Award aims to encourage a more diverse and equal representation within leadership roles and the design industry in general – supporting the next generation of women in design.
2024 Winner: Dr. Caroline Butler-Bowdon
Dr Caroline Butler-Bowdon. Image: supplied
A leader in cultural experience design, Dr. Butler-Bowdon now serves as the State Librarian of NSW.
“Good design is about how something makes you feel. Does it uplift you? Does it bring you joy? Does it bring you comfort? Does it function well, and therefore make your life easier? That’s where good design in cities can make a massive, massive difference, ” Dr Butler-Bowdon shared.
AUSTRALIAN GOOD DESIGN AWARD FOR SUSTAINABILITY
Since 2007, the Australian Good Design Award for Sustainability has recognised projects that embody excellence in design through sustainability and circular economy principles. This accolade rewards design that cares for our people and planet.
2024 Winner: Onvol – VolDrive
The award-winning VolDrive by Onvol. Image: Onvol
VolDrive harnesses kinetic energy to power sensors using an environmentally and economically sustainable method, making wind energy even cleaner.
In our interview with Clinton Hopkins, CEO of Onvol, we received valuable insights into the sustainability considerations behind the design.
“… Our product is part of the circular economy… It’s made of metals, aluminium and steel and copper, and it has a life of about 40 years. It’s the heart of the product so we can just refurbish it and give it four times its lifespan.
We’ve also tried as much as possible to source recycled materials. Then, we have a supply chain where the customer hands back the product to us whenever there’s an issue and we just refurbish the unit and send it back out,” said Clinton Hopkins.
MICHAEL BRYCE PATRON’S AWARD
Named in honour of Michael J.S. Bryce AM AE KStJ, the Michael Bryce Patron’s Award is presented to the best Australian-designed product, service or project with the potential to ignite positive change on economic, social, cultural and environmental levels. This Award pays tribute to Michael Bryce’s lifelong dedication to the Australian design community and the significant contribution he made to Good Design Australia.
2024 Winner: Clean Grow Lick Block by Sea Forest & Olsson’s
Sea Forest CEO, Sam Elson, with Clean Grow. Image: Clean Grow
This innovative product helps reduce methane emissions from livestock by up to 98% using SeaFeed™ derived from native seaweed.
“Everyone’s input was critical in ensuring the best outcome and we’re stoked to be recognised with this Award. It’s testament to the hard work and contributions that everyone made,” said Dr. Louise Edwards, Head of Product Development & Regulatory Affairs, Sea Forest.
POWERHOUSE DESIGN AWARD
The Powerhouse Design Award is given to a project that has potential to make a significant improvement to the quality of health, wellbeing or the environment. The Award champions the important role of design in harnessing the challenges of science and technology to enhance our lives.
2024 Winner: Kosmosuit® Kernel360™ – Metakosmos
A Kosmosuit®Kernel360™ by Metakosmos. Image: Metakosmos
The software captures real-time biometric data to improve astronaut training and safety. Backed by Moon to Mars and NSW MVP Grants, Kernel360™ is a leap forward in human spaceflight.
AUTOMOTIVE DESIGN AWARDS
The Automotive Design Awards celebrate outstanding design within the Automotive and Transport Category, recognising excellence in both automotive design and styling. This category considers factors such as functionality, durability, and security while also celebrating aesthetic design.
2024 Winners:
Best Exterior: Polestar 3 – A reimagined electric SUV with cutting-edge aerodynamics.
Polestar 3 – Winner of the 2024 Good Design Automotive Design Award (Best Exterior Design) Image: Polestar
“I think [Polestar 3] will have a big impact… I mean, now designers have a big responsibility. It’s not just about creating a beautiful object that can take you from point A to point B. We also have to be very conscious of the decisions we’re making,” shared Senior Exterior Designer, Nahum Escobedo.
Best Interior: Volvo EX30 – A compact SUV blending Scandinavian aesthetics with sustainability.
Volvo EX30 – Winner of the 2024 Automotive Design Award (Best Interior Design). Image: Volvo
Volvo’s Senior Manager of Design, Color and Material, Rekha Meena, spoke about the sustainable elements of the vehicle.
“If it’s from the recycled world, the feel and look should be honest, not trying to hide it. We are proud to achieve 17% recycled/natural content, 17% recycled steel, and 25% recycled aluminium for the EX30.”
WHO WILL CLAIM THESE TOP HONOURS FOR 2025?
Submissions for the 2025 Australian Good Design Awards are closing soon. Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of Australia’s leading design recognition program. Submit your entry before Friday 2nd May via the Good Design Entry Portal.
