The Monocle Minute
On Design

From handsome Nordic furniture and exhibitions of Middle Eastern makers to pared-back train refits and outstanding new aquatic centres (pictured), the following 50 projects, people and places are the big winners of the annual Monocle Design Awards.

The fifth annual Monocle Design Awards have landed. This year’s prizes once again recognise outstanding achievements in fields ranging from architecture and furniture design to graphic communication, as well as community-building initiatives.

Assembled by our global team of editors and correspondents, with winners from 27 countries on six continents, they provide what Monocle sees as benchmarks for design excellence worldwide. Whether it’s a well-thought-out typeface or a masterplan for a city, considered design, across a spectrum of disciplines, can improve our lives. Our winning projects put people first. They are dedicated to improving environmental standards and our social wellbeing, and seek to elevate the everyday.

I’m going to keep it short and sweet this week because the work of our award-winners should do the talking. Below, you’ll find the full list – but do pick up a copy of the May issue, which is on newsstands tomorrow, to delve into the work of these outstanding designers and creatives.

Nic Monisse is Monocle’s design editor. Find the complete Monocle Design Awards in our May issue, which hits newsstands tomorrow.

1. Best first-class cabin
La Première by Air France
Air France’s new La Première cabin is a first-class solution to travel. Taking off this spring, the elegant suite is 25 per cent larger than before and includes distinct zones for dining, work and relaxation.

2. Best train fit-out
TGV InOui by Nendo & Arep, France

3. Best public space
Pier 22 by Mostlikely Architecture, Austria

4. Best project evolution
Rita Lee Park by Ecomimesis, Brazil

5. Best playground
Yirran muru playspace, Australia

6. Most playful design
Aço collection by Home, Portugal
“I don’t think about products but rather what they can do to the spaces that they inhabit,” says Gonçalo Prudêncio, founder of Portuguese design firm Ghome. Case in point: Aço, which exudes playfulness through bold shapes and colours.

7. Best for versatility
Studie chair by Fermob, France

8. Best modernisation
Astep Model 262, Denmark

9. Best lamp
Bellhop Glass T by Barber Osgerby for Flos, Italy

10. Best armchair
Flair O’Maxi by B&B Italia, Italy

11. Best portable light
Snowman15 Portable by ILKW, South Korea

12. Most democratic design
Mofalla Easy chair by Ikea, Sweden

13. Best retail addition
Alaïa’s London café and bookshop
French brand Alaïa’s London flagship sets a retail benchmark with its new top-floor café and bookshop. It’s a thoughtful integration of hospitality and culture that enhances the visitor and customer experience.

14. Best bar
Bar Vitrine by Frama, Denmark

15. Best hospitality fit-out
Finlandia Hall by Fyra, Finland

16. Best retail display
Tojiro Knife Gallery, Japan

17. Best exhibition design
Gallery of the Kings, Museo Egizio, Italy

18. Best artistic installation
‘On Weaving’ Pavilion, Saudi Arabia

19. Best camera
Sigma BF, Japan
Renowned lens maker Sigma has created a new camera of austere beauty, technical excellence and user-friendly design. It embodies a return to photography’s essence, prioritising the lens as the true star.

20. Best hi-fi
RA03 by Rudy Audio, Denmark

21. Best glassware
Fit by Aldo Bakker for J Hill’s Standard, Ireland

22. Best for coffee
Linea Micra by La Marzocco, Italy

23. Best barbecue
Phil by Ethimo, Italy

24. Best cutlery
Concorde by Christofle, France

25. Best gadget
TP-7 field recorder by Teenage Engineering, Sweden

26. Best branding
27/4 by Yorgo & Co, France
Good branding can unite a space. Yorgo Tloupas’s work for 27/4 ties together three drinking-and-dining floors with bespoke signage and typography.

27. Best bookshop
Good Company Bookshop, Portugal

28. Best imprint
Park Books, Switzerland

29. Best retail installation
‘Je t’aime comme un chien’ by Le Bon Marché, France

30. Best for contemplation
Raj Sabhagruh, India
Looking for an example of how architecture can shape our moods and feelings? The Raj Sabhagruh meditation complex by Serie Architects is an exercise in finding a balance between restraint and the monumental. Its ascending levels culminate in a silent, prismatic meditation hall to foster introspection and a lasting sense of calm.

31. Best renovation
Lunetta by Acme, Australia

32. Best new hotel
Stadthotel Kleiner Löwe, Austria

33. Best for seniors
Little Tokyo Towers by Owiu, USA

34. Best sports facility
Gerland Aquatic Sports Centre, France

35. Best civic building
Siège du Conseil de la Concurrence, Morocco

36. Best emergency facility
Jirčany Fire Station by SOA Architekti, Czechia

37. Best design partnership
Holder Objects, Chile & Germany
Founded by Chilean duo Trinidad Davanzo and Camilo Palma, Holder Objects champions innovative and archival furniture that was designed or made in Latin America. Davanzo and Palma put the spotlight on artisanal precision and unique, culturally rich pieces.

38. Civic, commercial and cultural architect of the year
Jeanne Gang, USA

39. Lifetime achievement
Marva Griffin, Italy

40. Residential architect of the year
Manuel Cervantes, Mexico

41. Curator to watch
Zanele Kumalo, South Africa

42. Graduate to watch
Changhwi Kim, South Korea

43. Emerging designer
Minjae Kim, South Korea & USA

44. Best community initiative
Casa Ria by David Chipperfield Architects, Spain

45. Best incubator
UAE Designer Exhibition

46. Best in production
Kasthall, Sweden
Kasthall has long excelled in the production of high-quality rugs, thanks to its centuries-old Kinna factory, where artisans blend tradition with innovation. The brand’s control of its manufacturing process ensures ethical, sustainable practices and creates enduring, high-quality rugs.

47. Best bedframe
MC-1 by ReFramed, Denmark

48. Best in the kitchen
Expressive Series oven by Gaggenau, Germany

49. Best material innovation
Sungai Design, Indonesia

50. Best storage solution
Util, Portugal

Harry Thaler has crafted the trophy for the Monocle Design Awards since its debut in 2021 and opted to use plywood as the primary material for this year’s award. It’s a selection that reflects human ingenuity, with material made by laminating several layers of timber veneer to make a product that is lighter than solid wood. The trophy, which can be also used as a paperweight, is a testament to the thoughtful design that is celebrated by these awards.