The President’s Design Award (P*DA) is Singapore’s highest recognition for designers and design projects that have been able to generate a positive impact not only nationally, but also on the international community. Created with the aim of celebrating excellence capable of redefining industry standards, since 2017 the Award has taken place every two years and has focused on the impact of design in a broad sense, underlining its role as a driver of innovation, inclusion and social transformation.
The award is divided into two main categories. On the one hand, the Designer of the Year, intended for professionals who, thanks to a career studded with high-level work, have left a tangible mark on their discipline. On the other hand, Design of the Year, which celebrates projects capable of transforming work experiences, improving the quality of life, strengthening community culture and identity, or even pushing the boundaries of research and technical innovation.
At the heart of the initiative are two key institutions in Singapore: the DesignSingapore Council, which promotes design as a lever for economic and cultural growth, and the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), an urban planning agency that works to make the city more livable and attractive.
Together, these realities embody the vision of a Singapore that defines itself as an “innovation-driven economy” and a “loveable city by design”.
A distinctive aspect of the P*DA is the composition of its jury, which in 2025 includes names of international importance. The Design Panel is led by Dr Hossein Rezai, Global Design Director of Ramboll and winner of the award in 2016. At his side, professionals such as Kotchakorn Voraakhom, a Thai landscape architect and pioneer in urban resilience, and Dr Patricia Moore, an American designer recognized for her research on inclusivity. Rounding out the team are figures such as Voon Wong (Viewport Studio), Kelley Cheng (The Press Room), Welby Altidor, former Chief Creative of NEON, and other experts in sustainability, technology and visual arts.
Alongside the Design Panel operates the Architecture Panel, chaired by Ar. Chan so Khian , founder of SCDA Architects, joined by academics and practitioners such as Dr Jeffrey Hou of the National University of Singapore, Ar. Tan Kok Hiang of Forum Architects and Peter Murray, co-founder of New London Architecture.
This plurality of perspectives guarantees a careful evaluation not only of the aesthetic value, but also of the cultural, social and environmental impact of the candidate projects.
The President’s Design Award is therefore not just an award, but a real manifesto: it affirms that design and architecture have the power to improve people’s lives, to reinterpret the link with the city and to strengthen the social fabric. Looking ahead to the 2025 edition, the attention of the jury and the institutions involved suggests that future choices will reward not only beauty and innovation, but also the courage to imagine a more inclusive and sustainable future.
INFO/PHOTO COURTESY: DesignSingapore Council
