Rome Design Awards names Season 1 winners and opens Season 2

The 2026 Rome Design Awards has announced its Season 1 winners, highlighting design work across architecture, interiors, product, furniture, lighting and packaging from more than 20 countries. The competition also opened Season 2 submissions, with early bird entries due July 16 and final entries due Oct. 29. Why it matters: - The Rome Design Awards is positioning itself as a global benchmark for design quality across multiple disciplines. - The Season 1 winners reflect work that the program says combines creativity, execution and practical impact. - Season 2 is now open, giving designers, studios and brands a new runway to compete for international recognition. What happened: - The 2026 Rome Design Awards announced its Season 1 winners on June 12, 2026. - The International Awards Associate organized the competition. - The awards drew entries from more than 20 countries. - The program recognized work in architecture, interior design, product design, furniture, lighting, packaging and related disciplines. - The competition said its judging focused on design thinking, technical execution and purposeful innovation. The details: - Interior Design of the Year went to Horizon Vessel by Minimal Studio in Spain. - Architectural Design of the Year went to Governors Island: Self-Sustaining Micro Ecological Island by Siyu Gao in the United States. - Packaging Design of the Year went to BACCHUS’ TRIUMPH：Collector’s 2026 by Xu Zhou of ChangZhou University in China. - Featured winners included Studio Lovato, Mimar Architecture + Engineering, Minsk Watch Plant, HZS Design Holding Company Limited & CDG International Design Ltd., Designs By Arman, GLAMOROUS co.,ltd., Licht Kunst Licht AG, Nobel LA and dwp. - The complete list of winners is available here . - Entries were reviewed by an international panel of design professionals through a blind judging process. - Submissions were scored on creativity, functionality, execution, innovation and relevance to the discipline. - The Rome Design Awards describes the winners as work that meets a consistent professional standard. Between the lines: - The award is broadening its role beyond a trophy list by framing itself as a cross-discipline credibility marker for the design industry. - The mix of independent designers, studios and established brands suggests the competition is trying to claim relevance across the full spectrum of design practice. - A blind judging process and published criteria are meant to reinforce trust in the results. What’s next: - Season 2 submissions are open now. - The early bird deadline is July 16. - Entries will be accepted until Oct. 29. - Final results are scheduled to be announced on Dec. 11. - More details are available here . The bottom line: - The Rome Design Awards has turned its Season 1 results into a global call for Season 2, signaling a push to build momentum, visibility and industry standing.