About the awards
Established by the Victorian Government in 1996, the Victorian Premier’s Design Awards are an opportunity to highlight and celebrate local design capability.
Established by the Victorian Government in 1996, the Victorian Premier’s Design Awards are an opportunity to highlight and celebrate local design capability.
People directly employed in design-related roles
Annual revenue generated
In design-related exports
The Awards provide an opportunity for businesses and the community to better understand the role of design in creating functional, safe and efficient, products, services and spaces. They also showcase the depth of design talent in Victoria and the capability and capacity of the Victorian design industry.
Bound by three principles, the Awards seek to:
For more than 25 years, the Victorian Premier’s Design Awards have recognised and promoted the talent of our best designers right here in Victoria.
Victorians have worked hard to cement our reputation as world-class innovators. We know great design can inspire new ideas, enhance the way we grow as a community, and transform people’s lives.
Entire industries in Victoria are build on good design, IT, architecture, engineering, science, electronics, fashion - and even healthcare.
Good design changes our lives for the better. It makes our buildings and public spaces better places to live, work or play in. It influences what we wear, how we get about in the world, the choices we make - and so much more.
And behind every great design is a smart, capable and talented designer.
That’s why, for more than 25 years, the Victorian Premier’s Design Awards have recognised and promoted the talent of our best designers right here in Victoria.
Our standing as a global design powerhouse is only possible because of the imagination, capability and ambition of those who work in our design sector.
To our inspirational educations, researchers and highly skilled workforce: thank you for everything that you do. I can’t wait to see what you’ll create next.
Enjoy the highlights of the 2021 Victorian Premier's Design Awards evening including interviews with the winners.
Design has an impact on productivity and business outcomes and plays an important role in helping shape a better environment and society.
According to analysis by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and others, businesses that use design are more innovative, productive, profitable, grow faster and export more than their competitors. Research by the UK Design Council found that for every £1 a business invests in design, it can expect over £20 in increased revenues, over £4 in increased net operating profit, and over £5 in increased exports.
Entries that demonstrate and exceed all four criteria for Design Process + Design Excellence + Design Innovation + Design Impact will be considered for the highest design accolade in Victoria – the coveted Victorian Premier’s Design Award of the Year. This accolade is awarded to only one project that, in the opinion of the Jury, establishes a new benchmark for design excellence and showcases Victoria’s design and creative culture.
Entries that demonstrate the criteria for Design Excellence + Design Innovation + Design Impact will be considered for a Victorian Premier’s Design Award Best in Category accolade – limited to eight (8) accolades.
Entries that demonstrate the criteria for Design Excellence + Design Innovation (or other attributes deemed worthy of note by the jury) will be considered for a Victorian Premier’s Design Award Highly Commended accolade – there is no limit to the number of Highly Commended accolades presented each year.
Entries that demonstrate the criterion of Design Excellence will be considered for the Victorian Premier’s Design Award Finalist accolade – there is no limit to the number of Finalists presented each year. If in the opinion of the Jury, a project fails to meet this criterion and does not satisfy the basic criteria for good design, it will not proceed for further evaluation.
Entries are accepted under the following categories.
Entries in the Victorian Premier's Design Awards are judged by an eminent jury of national and international design, architecture and business experts, representing the diverse range of design disciplines showcased by the awards.
View the Awards Jury
The Awards are free to enter for eligible Victorian designers, architects and businesses. To be eligible, designers and architects must be based in Victoria and the majority of the design work on a project must have been done in Victoria.
Learn more about the guidelines and process
The Victorian Premier’s Design Awards are administered by Good Design Australia on behalf of the Premier of Victoria.
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