Bath and Wellness
Bathroom and sanitary ware, bathroom fittings, sanitary technology, bathroom furniture and fixtures, bathroom accessories, saunas, solariums, whirlpools, body care products, other
Buildings and Elements
Building equipment, windows, doors, stairs, banisters and handrails, house and building automation, house and door labelling, security and access systems, surveillance cameras and systems, smoke detection systems, walls/ floors/ceilings, acoustic solutions, door and window fittings, switches and switch systems, mailboxes, garages, gates, escalators, lifts, controls for products in this category, other
Kitchen
Kitchens, kitchen furniture, kitchen fittings, electrical appliances, accessories, cooking equipment, ovenware, other
Tabletop
Dishes, cutlery, accessories and decorations, other
Household
Household appliances, large electric appliances, household items, air and water filtering units, humidifiers, waste systems, other
Design Classics and Re-editions
Design Classics, Re-editions and Redesigns
Furniture
Living, sleeping and seating furniture, children's and special furniture, other
Lifestyle and Fashion
Fashion, bags, suitcases, travel gear, head coverings, glasses and sunglasses, other
Home Textiles and Home Accessories
Home textiles, upholstery fabrics and leathers, decorative fabrics, wallpapers, wall and home decorations, home accessories, other
Gardening and Outdoor Living
Garden furniture, gardening tools and products as well as equipment, garden accessories, sunscreens, furnishings for conservatories, grills and barbecues, other
Sports, Outdoor Activities and Leisure
Sports equipment and products, sportswear, tents, backpacks, binoculars, flashlights and forehead flashlights, night vision devices, outdoor clothing, outdoor and trekking equipment, games, hobby and craft supplies, recreation equipment and products, fitness equipment and products, musical instruments, products for animals, other
Baby and Child Care
Products for babies and children, baby and child care products, baby and children’s toys, play equipment, baby carriages, schoolbags and accessories, other
Luxury Goods
Luxury accessories, jewellery, watches, other
Computer and Communication
Computers, notebooks, tablets, network and conference technology, storage media, NAS, server systems, printers, copiers, scanners, smartphones, telephones and telephone systems, charging stations, recording and playback equipment, peripheral devices and accessories for Computers and communication devices, cameras and equipment, other
Entertainment
Consumer electronics, microphones, headphones, loudspeakers, audio equipment, amplifiers, televisions, recording and playback equipment, beamers, sound systems, event technology, stagecraft, sound engineering, lasers and effects, multiroom systems, docking stations, video game consoles, e-readers, cameras and equipment, other
Human-Machine-Interface
Interface design and controls as an integral part of a product, other
Material and Surfaces
Materials and raw materials, material innovations, surfaces, innovative textiles (technical and ornamental), otherBuilding and Elements Building equipment, windows, doors, stairs, banisters and handrails, house and building automation, house and door labelling, security and access systems, surveillance cameras and systems, smoke detection systems, walls/floors/ceilings, acoustic solutions, door and window fittings, switches and switch systems, mailboxes, garages, gates, escalators, lifts, controls for products in this category, other
Energy
Energy technology, heating systems, radiators, ovens of all kinds, air conditioning systems, ventilation systems, solar energy installations, furnaces and boilers, other
Industry
Machines and facilities, components, control technology, materials handling technology, robotics, safety technology, timing systems, logistics systems, machines, semi-finished products, work and protective clothing, industrial packaging, other
Workshop and Tools
Tools, workshop equipment, measurement and testing technology, special products, other
Medical, Rehabilitation and Health Care
Medical equipment, medical technology, medical and orthopaedic assistive devices, optics and optical equipment, laboratory technology, practice and hospital furnishings, laboratory furniture, assisted technology and assisted living, other
Lighting
Residential and workplace lighting, recessed and exterior lighting, lighting systems, lamps, special lighting, street lighting, lighting technology, other
Office Furniture
Office furniture and office furniture systems, conference furniture, partitions, acoustic elements, furniture and space solutions for special rooms, other
Stationery
Writing and plotting instruments, office accessories and equipment, filing and classification systems, presentation systems, papers, hobby and craft supplies, other
Retail
Sales and product display systems, cash register systems, terminals, displays, return systems, other
Conceptional Transportation
Passenger and commercial vehicles, motor homes, caravans, trailers, agricultural vehicles, aeroplanes and aircraft, helicopters, water and hybrid vehicles, railed vehicles, motorcycles and rollers, vehicles for local public transportation, special vehicles, other
Aviation, Maritime and Railway
Aeroplanes and aircraft, helicopters, water and hybrid vehicles, railed vehicles, vehicles for local public transportation, vehicle components, vehicle interiors and furnishings, navigation systems, other
Automotive Parts and Accessories
Automotive equipment, vehicle components, vehicle interiors and furnishings, navigation systems, other
Motorcycles
Motorcycles and rollers, automotive equipment, vehicle components, vehicle interiors and furnishings, navigation systems, other
Passenger Vehicles
Passenger and commercial vehicles, motor homes, caravans, trailers, agricultural vehicles, special vehicles, automotive equipment, vehicle components, vehicle interiors and furnishings, navigation systems, other
Public Design
Urban and street furniture, kiosks, advertising columns, displays and advertising media, shelters, stops and stations, park furniture, waste and lighting systems, other
Utility Vehicles
Agricultural vehicles, special vehicles, automotive equipment (luggage racks etc.), vehicle components, vehicle interiors and furnishings, navigation systems, other
Bicycles and E-Bikes
Mountain bikes, racing bikes, crossbikes, urban and E-Bikes, pedelecs, children’s bikes, trekking bikes, special bikes, other
Service Design
Non-visible performance processes, which can be visualized and experienced through a special design creativity.
Start-up *NEW*
Innovative and future-oriented projects with
growth potential.
For the first time, start-ups and their projects will
be evaluated and awarded in a separate category
under the aspects of innovation, growth and scalability.
Award-winners in the category will receive their
own label "German Design Award - Start-up 2021"
as well as other benefits that support them in their
press work, network building and
acquisition.
Start-ups that are not older than 4 years are
permitted to participate. The date of foundation is
valid until February 2017 at the earliest.
The above-mentioned aspects should be clearly
indicated in the submission. Original projects,
digital projects, prototypes or presentation charts
can be submitted.
Additional category »Universal Design«
In addition to the categories listed, all projects can be submitted to the award in a superordinate
»Universal Design« category. All projects are addressed, which are characterised by the following points:
- Barrier-free usability
As many people as possible should be able to use the product, no matter what skills they have. - Flexible usage
Consideration of individual preferences of the users (for example of right and left-handers). - Intuitive operation
A product should be easy and intuitive to operate according to the abilities of the user (e.g., ability to
speak, comprehension or age). - Risk minimisation in the application
- Demand
The effort required for operation or handling should be adequate. - Use and access
Ingredients should be designed so that they are equally usable by every user
Additional category »Eco Design« *NEW*
In addition to the categories listed, all projects can be submitted to the award in a superordinate
»Eco Design« category. All projects are addressed, which are characterised by the following points:
- Production and Manufacturing
The manufacture of the product should be innovative and save resources. - Longevity
The product should be designed for use over a long period of time. - Raw materials
The choice of raw materials should be environmentally friendly and conserve resources. - Transport routes
Transport routes should be kept as minimal as possible, paying attention to the regional
manufacturing. - Recycling/Upcycling
The product’s design should show consideration for re-use or re-purposing. - Usage concepts
The product should be intuitive and easy to use and furthermore generate an innovative use concept.
