If this object did not exist in the world, would we feel its absence?

Kookmin University (President Jeong Seung Ryul) is co-hosting the international design award ‘DBEW Award 2026’ with Italy's world-renowned industrial design association ADI (ASSOCIAZIONE DESIGN INDUSTRIALE, Director Andrea Cancellato). For this purpose, world-renowned designer Paola Antonelli has been appointed as the jury chair. Paola Antonelli, the Senior Curator of Architecture and Design and Head of Research and Development at MoMA, is an Italian curator and architect recognized for expanding the definition of design by breaking down the boundaries between East and West and integrating technology and human interaction into everyday life. 

True to the meaning implied by the name DBEW, ‘Design Beyond East and West,’ this Award begins by questioning the universal values and new roles design should pursue today, transcending the geographical and cultural distinctions of East and West.

Judging will be conducted in two rounds by a jury composed of globally recognized experts in design, architecture, and curation. The jury includes Chair Paola Antonelli, alongside John Thackara, who has led discourse on design sustainability; Stefano Giovannoni, who opened new horizons in industrial design through a design language that reads market trends; Korea's leading architectural master Cho Byung-soo; and Lou Yongqi, President of ShanghaiTech University in China, among other authorities from various countries. Additionally, the event partners with the Cumulus Association (the global design and art university network), the Korea Federation of Design Associations (KFDA), and media partners including Design Boom, Domus Magazine, and Design House. 
Chair of the Jury Paola Antonelli is known for emphasizing that design is “the act of building bridges.” Design is always deeply rooted in a specific place and cultural context, yet simultaneously connects different worlds through very simple and abstract principles.

Paola Antonelli states, “The structure where professors and students collaborate on projects and submissions is a differentiated, meaningful attempt not seen in existing awards,” adding, “The mutual process of teaching and learning between mentor and student maximizes educational achievement.”
 

Reflecting this purpose, the DBEW Award differs from conventional design awards by not solely focusing on finished products. Its most distinctive feature is highlighting designs born from creative educational processes and recognizing the mutual process of teaching and learning as a valuable achievement. As an international university student design award, it aims to discover talent equipped with a sustainable future society, cultural balance and diversity, a spirit of creative experimentation, and global design leadership, while also formally recognizing the leadership of educators. It is set to present a new direction for design education. The call for entries, which began last January, has garnered a high response, with hundreds of submissions from over 30 countries continuing to arrive.

Entries will be comprehensively evaluated based on originality, innovation, thematic relevance, aesthetic quality, sustainability and social responsibility, and expressiveness. The award ceremony is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at the ADI Design Museum during Milan Design Week.

△Chair of the Jury Paola Antonelli and President Jeong Seung Ryul receiving the letter of appointment

The true value of contemporary design, transcending East and West, aligns with Paola Antonelli's philosophy of broadening design's concept by integrating cutting-edge technology and human interaction into everyday life. Paola Antonelli states, “A truly ‘global’ or ‘international’ design that encompasses all cultures is difficult to achieve. Instead, there exists an essential principle that resonates with designers worldwide: the act itself of mobilizing all available means to achieve a specific purpose.” Ultimately, she emphasizes that the core of design lies in how elegantly, persuasively, and sustainably it can realize ‘better making for all’ and leave distinct value and meaning in the world. 

In this context, the ‘sustainability’ pursued by the DBEW Award aligns with Paola Antonelli's vision of “design that leads all members of society to a better state.” It moves beyond narrow discussions about the eco-friendliness of materials, advocating instead for an integrated discourse that solves community problems and organically connects people.

President Jeong Seung Ryul of Kookmin University stated that the DBEW Award will be an event emphasizing the significance of education that cultivates human thinking and collaborative capabilities in the AI era. He emphasized that in an era of rapidly evolving technology, universities must be places that design processes for questioning, discussion, and collaborative creation, rather than merely teaching skills. President Chung stressed his hope that the DBEW Award will become a platform where educators and students worldwide share a common sense of purpose, aligning with Kookmin University's educational philosophy of building a boundary-free educational ecosystem that transcends departments, majors, borders, and cultures. 

The DBEW Award is open to all design-related undergraduate and graduate students, or emerging designers within two years of graduation. It is conducted as a joint submission by students and educators. Educators participate in a mentoring role, and the work must be a result produced within the last two years. The competition categories are: Spatial/Architectural Design, Product/Fashion Design, and Visual/Communication/Service Design (covering AI, Digital Media, Branding, Services, etc.).

Submissions will be accepted until March 15, 2026, with final results announced ten days later on March 25. The total prize fund is $25,000. The award ceremony and forum will be held at the ADI Design Museum during Milan Design Week on April 21, 2026. Detailed information about the DBEW Award can be found on the official website (dbewAward.com) and Instagram (@dbew.Award).