The world's most prestigious architects and designers from over 45 countries came together in London to celebrate the Dezeen Awards 2025, with the event announcing this year's winners at a spectacular party held in partnership with luxury automotive brand Bentley. The star-studded celebration brought together more than 500 industry professionals from across the globe, including representatives from South Korea, India, Australia, Japan, China, and the United States.
The festivities took place at Exhibition White City, a stunning Grade II-listed Victorian engine house located in west London, which provided a historic backdrop for the contemporary design celebration. The event featured a vibrant circus theme that transformed the venue into an immersive entertainment experience, complete with towering stilt-walkers and skilled jugglers who paraded among the guests to kick off the evening's entertainment.
Guests were welcomed with an elegant champagne reception provided by drinks partner Perrier-Jouët, while London-based caterer Kerb delivered an array of street food and beverages throughout the evening. Adding to the diverse drink offerings, design-led startup and drinks partner Windup served a sophisticated non-alcoholic sparkling tea alternative, catering to all preferences at the international gathering.
Former Scissor Sisters frontwoman Ana Matronic served as the evening's charismatic host, introducing the proceedings before the highly anticipated winner announcements. The award presentations were led by Dezeen's co-CEOs Benedict Hobson and Wai Sin Li, along with editorial director Max Fraser and awards and events director Claire Barrett, who took the stage to reveal the year's most outstanding achievements in architecture and design.
The award ceremony began with the announcement of sustainability categories, highlighting the industry's commitment to environmental responsibility. The sustainability project of the year was awarded to Hydro's innovative aluminum alloy, recognizing its contribution to sustainable materials in design. The design project of the year honor went to AtMa's exceptional seating collection, showcasing excellence in contemporary furniture design.
In the interiors categories, which were sponsored by Gaggenau, Framery, and Marazzi, the interiors project of the year award was presented to Symbolplus for their own Tokyo office, demonstrating outstanding interior design innovation. The architecture categories, sponsored by Programa, Equitone, Gozney, and Viriato, saw the architecture project of the year award go to Herzog & de Meuron's groundbreaking children's hospital project.
The evening's most prestigious recognition, the six Designers of the Year awards, were presented by the event hosts alongside deputy editor Cajsa Carlson, design and interiors reporter Jane Englefield, and editor-at-large Amy Frearson. Each winner received a graphics tablet courtesy of XP-Pen, acknowledging their exceptional contributions to the design world.
The ceremony reached its pinnacle with the presentation of the Bentley Lighthouse Award, introduced by Dezeen Awards judge and Bentley's head of lifestyle design, Ben Saltmer. This year's recipient was industrial designer Jo Barnard, whose work was praised by the master jury for her top-down approach to driving sustainable change and her unwavering commitment to accessibility. The jury particularly commended Barnard's ability to bring complex topics such as circularity into mainstream conversation.
Reflecting on the partnership's success, Saltmer commented, "As we celebrate the third year of our partnership with Dezeen Awards, it's inspiring to see how this platform continues to champion bold ideas and exceptional talent. Last week's celebration brought together a global community that truly shares our belief in design's power to shape a better future. It's a privilege to support a community that continues to raise the bar year after year."
All winners, including notable recipient Andu Masebo, received hand-crafted trophies made by Paper Factor, along with certificates and specially designed Dezeen Awards bags created in collaboration with specialist paper company GF Smith. The winning and highly commended studios were recognized for their outstanding contributions to their respective fields.
Following the formal presentations, guests continued celebrating well into the night as Ana Matronic returned to the stage for the evening's headline performance. The entertainment was set against a spectacular show design created by Hingston Studio, featuring giant illuminated LED globes, colorful themed cotton candy and popcorn stations, and distinctive rose and pinot noir sofas provided by furniture partner King Living.
The complete list of Dezeen Awards 2025 winners was published on the Dezeen website, with each winner featured on a dedicated page on the awards website. The seventh edition of this prestigious annual awards program continues to serve as the ultimate recognition for architects and designers worldwide, supporting Bentley's broader mission to inspire and champion design excellence while showcasing innovations that create a more sustainable world.
Looking ahead, the next edition of Dezeen Awards is scheduled to open in February 2026, with industry professionals encouraged to sign up for the Dezeen Awards newsletter to receive the latest updates and announcements about future opportunities.
