Design Skill Awards 2025: A Diversity of Global Design Excellence

Above: Platinum Winner 2025 - Meadow House by Mark English AIA (Copyright: Joe Fletcher, USA)

At the third edition of the Design Skill Awards (DSA), 90 diverse projects from 31 countries were honoured for their innovative and pioneering ideas along with their drive to challenge conventions and redefine excellence in the creative industry.

Spanning architecture, interiors, product design, digital media and experimental work, the full selection of winners demonstrates not only the global nature of the competition, but also the evolution of contemporary design across scales and disciplines.

The following is a snapshot of the DSA 2025 winners and projects. To explore more on this prestigious accolade, including the complete list of winners and projects, visit https://designskill.org/.

Platinum Winner 2025: Meadow House by Mark English AIA (Mark English Architects)

Categories: Architecture – Best Residential Architecture; Architecture – Sustainable & Eco-friendly Architecture

Nestled within the Santa Lucia Preserve in Carmel Valley, California, this residence is designed to accommodate various living needs, from large business gatherings to extended family stays. Merging Californian and Korean architectural sensibilities through fluid indoor-outdoor spaces, deep terraces as well as thoughtfully considered natural lighting, it adheres to strict conservation guidelines that require it to remain virtually undetectable within the vast, inherently beautiful landscape.

Platinum Winner 2025: Carlo-Mierendorff-Schule Griesheim by Markus Neuber, Barbara Neuber (ALN | Architekturbüro Leinhäupl + Neuber GmbH)

Categories: Architecture – Best Educational & Institutional Architecture; Interior – Best Educational & Institutional Interior Design

The Carlo-Mierendorff School in Griesheim, Frankfurt is designed to provide a sustainable learning environment. An integration of the renovated heritage-listed 1965 complex and the new building, the school features light-filled learning clusters, a central foyer with flexible communal spaces, and sustainable construction that meets Passive House standards.

Platinum Winner 2025: New Line by Katsiaryna Kuniawskaja (PrivateHouse)

Category: Architecture – Best Urban Design & Master Planning

A commission by a leading Kazakh developer, this concept design transforms a prime yet underdeveloped area in the heart of Almaty, Kazakhstan into a vibrant and inclusive urban environment. Combining human-centred design, mixed-use activation and integrated mobility systems, it sets a new standard for sustainable urban regeneration in the city by ensuring the coexistence of architecture, landscape and community engagement.

Platinum Winner 2025: Valelaca Rokataki (Prismatic Parasol) by Marcus Carter, Michael Kokora, Miranda Lee (OBJECT TERRITORIES)

Categories: Architecture – Best Small-Scale Architecture; Architecture – Innovative Building Materials & Techniques; Architecture – Sustainable & Eco-friendly Architecture

More than a solar installation, Valelaca Rokataki is conceived as a new cultural landmark for Marou Village on Naviti Island, Fiji. Weaving together renewable energy, water management and civic space into an integrated, resilient and cohesive infrastructure, it is designed to benefit the local community’s socio-economic well-being.

Gold Winner 2025: Windcatcher's Living Canvas by Wei-Ling Hsu (Yuan Yang Interior Design Co., Ltd.)

Category: Interior – Custom & Unique Interior Design

Soft furnishings are prevalent across the public spaces in this project, from the lobby to the lounge areas, through the connecting corridors and into the multi-purpose meeting rooms and children’s playroom. Guided by the principle of harmonising form and function while blending art with everyday life, the design utilises an eclectic mix of colours and contrasting materials, alongside furniture and decorative accents to create inviting, stimulating environments.

Bronze Winner 2025: Casa M by Jorge Prata, Eduardo Soares (Silverline)

Category: Architecture – Best Living-Space Architecture

Rooted in a contemporary design approach, this residence utilises natural materials and solutions to enhance the integration of indoor and outdoor spaces. Its overall composition brings together exposed concrete, wood and stone in a balance of robustness and refinement. Throughout, the design prioritises functionality, comfort and harmony with the natural topography of the site.

About Design Skill Awards

Introduced in 2023 by Design Skill Magazine, the Design Skill Awards aims to honour, celebrate, and promote exceptional design talent from around the world. It offers a platform where every nuance of creativity can be appreciated and rewarded for its excellence.

Open to everyone from established design firms to aspiring solo innovators, the initiative is committed to setting the gold standard in various creative fields, including Digital Design, Graphic Artistry, Animation, User Experience, and Multimedia Creation.

Follow the Design Skill on Instagram and Facebook to find out more:

https://www.instagram.com/designskill_org/

https://www.facebook.com/design.skill.org/