The International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA)® 2023, have once again illuminated the global design landscape with the 43rd annual program. This prestigious event recognized outstanding design achievements from around the world, showcasing creativity, innovation, and excellence. The IDEA 2023 Ceremony & Gala, held at the New York City Marriott Marquis on August 23, was a vibrant celebration that honored the remarkable work of designers across a range of categories.
With an impressive legacy of success, IDEA 2023 marked a standout year, garnering significant participation with over 2,000 entries submitted from 32 countries. The competition’s esteemed jury of design experts evaluated each submission using five fundamental criteria: Design Innovation, Benefit to the User, Benefit to the Client, Benefit to Society, and Appropriate Aesthetics. This rigorous judging process ensured that only the most exceptional designs were honored, reaffirming IDEA’s position as the gold standard for design excellence.
The top accolades of IDEA 2023 were announced during the ceremony, shining a spotlight on innovative projects:
- Best in Show and Jury Chair Award: Polyformer, designed by Reiten Cheng, a student of ArtCenter College of Design.
- Curator’s Choice Award: Arable Mark 3, designed by Fred Bould, IDSA, Anson Cheung, IDSA, and Teddy Luong of Bould Design for Arable.
- People’s Choice Award: Verily Retinal Camera, designed by Jonathan Grossman, Jeremy Emken, Ethan Glassman, and Christopher Ioffreda for Verily.
The IDEA 2023 Jury, under the leadership of Shujan Bertrand, Founder of Aplat and the new Director of the Industrial Design Program at the California College of Art in San Francisco, comprised 43 distinguished design leaders from renowned companies including Google, Samsung, Smart Design, Microsoft, and more.
One of the highlights of this year’s program was Polyformer, a standout student project winning both the Best in Show and the Jury Chair Award. Bertrand chose Cheng’s entry for her Jury Chair’s Choice, commending his open-source approach and innovative contributions to the concept. “Polyformer serves as an example for designers and communities to strive for a more circular economy. He is using waste as a resource,” she commented. Cheng’s comprehensive IDEA submission impressed Bertrand, who stated, “We judged the story that this designer was telling.”
IDEA maintains its valued partnership with The Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, MI, which graciously hosts the annual in-person jury deliberations featuring the museum’s Chief Curator, Marc Greuther. Each year, IDEA Winners are exclusively invited to join the museum’s Permanent Collection. Additionally, IDEA and The Henry Ford are advancing environmental stewardship by implementing sustainable practices in program operations, aiming to reduce carbon emissions and enhance environmental responsibility.
To explore the incredible winning designs and learn more about the IDEA program, visit idsa.org/awards-recognitions/idea/.
For media inquiries, please contact Maya Bayram at [email protected].