FAQ

The German Design Council – Germany’s authority on design since 1953. As a foundation, it brings together leading minds from business and design. The ICONIC AWARDS are its leading platform for architecture, interior design and product.

Since 2013. The award recognises projects that combine design quality with a clear position and a sense of responsibility.

Yes. The ICONIC AWARDS are organised by the German Design Council and judged by an international jury, free from commercial influence.

In 2026, over 800 entries were submitted from 45 countries.

An independent, international jury of experts from architecture, landscape planning, interior and product design, circular design and research. Its composition and size vary from year to year. 

The German Design Council appoints the jury. The criteria are professional excellence, international experience and an interdisciplinary perspective.

The jury convenes on May & June and assesses all entries against set criteria: design quality, overall concept, function, context and sustainability. For the additional categories Circular Design and Innovative Material, a questionnaire is also taken into account in the assessment.

Anyone involved in shaping the built environment: architects, interior designers, designers, specialist planners and engineers, agencies and design studios, property developers and project developers, as well as manufacturers from the furnishing industry, materials, building technology, fittings and sanitation.

Yes. The ICONIC AWARDS are international in scope. The location of your company is irrelevant.

The project must not be older than five years at the time of the jury session. One exception is the Concept category, in which designs that have not been realised and visionary ideas are expressly permitted.

Yes. There is no limit to the number of submissions. If several projects are awarded, service fees apply for each distinction separately.

Yes. Series and related products can be submitted as a single entry.

Yes. Projects that have already won other awards are eligible.

The ICONIC AWARDS 2026 comprise five main categories and 50 subcategories. Each project is registered in one main category. You can also enter it in one of the additional categories Circular Design or Innovative Material. Entry in an additional category alone is not possible. To place a project in several main categories, submit it more than once.

The ICONIC AWARDS team is happy to advise you: iconicawards[at]gdc.de

Registration is via the submission portal MyDesignCouncil: submit.german-design-council.de

Project name and project description in German and English (factual, max. 650 characters), website, date of completion or market launch, details of the designer, architect or agency, details of the manufacturer, developer or client, discipline and category, invoicing address, up to five images and a presentation in English. Allow around 15 minutes for the online registration.

An explanation of the concept, photographs, plans, sketches and details, as well as information on materials and context. Videos are also accepted. The more clearly the project is placed in its context, the better the jury can assess it. For conversion projects, before-and-after images are welcome.

Up to five representative images, with credit details provided. Renderings are not accepted for realised projects; they are admissible only in the Concept category.

Project descriptions in German and English. The jury presentation must be in English, as the jury is international.

In the Architecture category, name the clients and project developers – not only the executing architecture practice. This makes all parties involved in the project visible.

Once your submission is finalised, changes are no longer possible. If urgent corrections are required, please contact iconicawards[at]gdc.de.

Yes. The material is used solely for the jury assessment and is not published.

Call for entries: February 202726. Last call: May 2027. 

The jury convenes in May and June. We inform the winners in June. The Online Showroom goes live in August.

The submission fee is EUR 350 plus VAT. The early-bird rate of EUR 300 plus VAT applies until End of March 2027. Service fees of EUR 2,450–2,900 per award apply only to winning entries. If the project also receives an award in the additional category, a further service fee of  EUR 2,450–2,900 per award will apply. If the project is not accepted following the internal review, no fees will be charged.

Winner: EUR 2,450 plus VAT. Best of Best: EUR 2,900 plus VAT. An award comprises a label, certificates, a catalogue entry, an online presence, a communications package and an invitation to the awards ceremony.

The fees fund the services around the distinction: label, certificates, award sculpture, entry in the annual publication, permanent presence in the online showroom, press relations, social media clips and access to the ICONIC AWARDS network.

Yes. Small businesses, freelancers and startups can apply for a waiver of the winner-related service fees. The prerequisite is an annual turnover below EUR 100,000 in each of the past two years. Application deadline: April 2027.

By default, this is the billing address provided during registration. If the client or another company is to cover the invoice, this can be arranged by sending an email to iconicawards[at]gdc.de.

You will receive the invoice for the entry fee around two weeks after confirmation of admission. The invoice for the service fee follows once the jury results are announced. All invoices are sent by email.

A registration may be cancelled within 14 days of confirmation by contacting iconicawards[at]gdc.de. Once this period has expired, cancellation is no longer possible. The award itself cannot be declined.

No. However, some products are only available while stocks last.

In the relevant email and in the downloads section of the website. We will resend it on request.

Yes. The invoice includes a payment link for credit card payments. Alternatively, payments can be made by bank transfer or PayPal.

By weight and destination country. We calculate them individually.

Contact iconicawards[at]gdc.de so that we can correct the error across all systems, including the online gallery. You can request new certificates via the order form. Fees may apply.

Both are made from 80 % recycled acrylic. They show the award label and the year but are not personalised. Bespoke versions are available on request.