The global design community recently turned its gaze to London for the announcement of the Dezeen Awards 2025 Designers of the Year, an annual accolade that celebrates the most impactful established and emerging talent across architecture, interiors, and product design. This year’s recipients represent a vibrant spectrum of innovation, from monumental cultural projects that challenge conventional form to intimate interior spaces that weave together historical reverence and contemporary flair. The collective work of the six honorees—split across architecture, interior, and product design—underscores a pivotal shift toward human-centric, sustainable, and socially conscious creation. These studios and individuals are not merely shaping physical forms, but are actively defining the aesthetic and ethical parameters of design for the new decade, promising a future built on bold vision and deep environmental responsibility. The winners’ roster is a powerful testament to the diversity and dynamism thriving within the profession today.
Architects of Vision: MAD
Taking the prestigious title of Architect of the Year is MAD, the globally recognised practice founded by principal partner Ma Yansong. Operating from major hubs including Beijing, Los Angeles, and Rome, MAD’s work consistently transcends traditional architectural boundaries, encompassing interiors, product design, and art installations. The studio’s enduring philosophy centres on fostering a harmonious balance between humanity and the natural world, resulting in spaces that are not only physically compelling but which actively support well-being and prompt imagination. Their designs are often characterised by fluid, organic forms that appear to rise from the landscape, challenging the rigid geometry that has long dominated urban design.
The studio has enjoyed an exceptionally high-profile twelve months, marked by the completion and unveiling of several transformative projects. Most notable among these is the Fenix Museum of Migration in Rotterdam, Netherlands, a work lauded by judges for pushing the boundaries of adaptive reuse. Additionally, the near-complete exterior of the highly ambitious Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles has cemented their position, with its striking, cloud-like form set to become a cultural landmark upon its opening. The judges were unequivocal in their praise, noting that this already prolific studio’s recent achievements and commitment to climate-friendly exploration have elevated it to a well-deserved superstar status, with all eyes fixed on the monumental projects slated for their 2026 calendar.
The Earthen Future: Earthscape Studi
Securing the award for Emerging Architect of the Year, Earthscape Studio, based in Tamil Nadu, is rapidly becoming a beacon for sustainable, regenerative design. Since its founding in 2022 by Petchimuthu Kennedy, the practice has championed ‘earthen architecture,’ driven by a deep commitment to fostering a tangible connection between occupants and the environment. Their work is a compelling fusion of nature-friendly design principles, informed by experimental construction techniques and a dedicated use of local, natural materials.
The studio’s burgeoning portfolio already showcases a series of remarkable residential projects that deftly combine responsible material use with truly daring form-making. This includes a vaulted residence in Kerala constructed from locally-produced bricks and recycled components, and a unique farmhouse featuring a dramatic, sculptural shell coated in mud plaster. The panel of judges highlighted Earthscape Studio’s critical relevance in a world increasingly preoccupied with climate change, seeing their ethos as a blueprint for an architecture that can reconnect humanity with nature. They lauded the studio’s success in finding exciting new applications for age-old local materials and craft traditions, signalling a path forward for truly sustainable design.
Masters of Blend: Dimore Studio
The title of Interior Designer of the Year went to the Milan-based powerhouse, Dimore Studio, led by founders Britt Moran and Emiliano Salci. Known for their evocative and deeply layered approach, the studio specialises in transforming residential, retail, and hospitality spaces into immersive, atmospheric environments. The foundation of their distinct ouvré lies in a heavy influence from diverse historical periods, which they expertly blend with contemporary design elements and custom pieces.
This blend results in interiors that feel simultaneously vintage and futuristic, comfortable yet undeniably high-concept. Recent work that drew significant acclaim includes a luxurious Saint-Tropez apartment and their work on the interior of the La Dolce Vita Orient Express, the latter of which was also shortlisted in a separate interiors category. The judges found it impossible to overlook the studio’s meteoric rise, noting its remarkable ability to seamlessly straddle the fields of interior design, collectible design, exhibitions, and product creation. While Dimore Studio has established a highly recognisable visual identity, the panel praised the fact that every new project offers something novel and unexpected, celebrating the past while confidently looking toward the future of luxury and spatial design.
A Kyiv Light: Mirzoyan
In the category of Emerging Interior Designer of the Year, the award was given to Mirzoyan, the eponymous Kyiv, Ukraine-based studio founded by Nastia Mirzoyan. Operating against a backdrop of geopolitical turmoil, Mirzoyan has emerged as a truly leading light, focused on creating spaces that are both playful and highly functional. Her diverse design portfolio spans the residential sector, innovative restaurants, and retail spaces, including a distinctive sex shop design.
The studio’s recent projects are characterised by an acute awareness of context, combined with a playfulness that challenges traditional expectations. Notable works include the renovation of a Stalinist-era apartment in Kyiv’s historic centre and a cocktail bar featuring bespoke plywood-panelled walls and a vivid green latticed ceiling. The judges were particularly impressed by Mirzoyan’s resilience and her ability to create unique, welcoming, and exciting environments in challenging circumstances. They praised her comprehensive talent, which extends from designing bespoke furniture to executing clever and engaging surface design, confirming her as a major new voice poised to influence the global interiors landscape.
The Unconventional Curator: Studio Toogood
Studio Toogood, helmed by the highly influential British designer Faye Toogood, was crowned Designer of the Year. Toogood’s career is defined by its multidisciplinary nature, allowing her to move fluidly between furniture, interiors, homeware, and clothing. Originally trained as an artist, she spent time as an editor and stylist before launching her studio in 2008, an unusual trajectory that has imbued her work with a unique, curatorial sensibility.
Her pieces have been acquired for the permanent collections of prestigious institutions such as the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Vitra Design Museum, and she has created acclaimed interiors for major fashion houses, including Mulberry and Selfridges. The judges highlighted her “incredible burst of energy over the past 18 months,” which has resulted in some of the most influential work of her career. This period has seen her embrace her identity as a woman and channel it into an impressive series of projects, including the recent showcasing of a soft, squishy furniture collection at the London Design Festival. Underlying all her innovative and unconventional creations, the judges concluded, is a clear and unwavering dedication to the inherent beauty of craft.
Simplicity as Social Driver: Andu Masebo
Rounding out the list of honorees is London-based product and furniture designer Andu Masebo, who was named Emerging Designer of the Year. Masebo’s aesthetic is driven by a focus on simplicity and efficiency, but his practice is rooted in a belief that design should be more than just form—it should be a social driver. He aims to demystify the process of creation by focusing on the storytelling embedded in the making of objects, thereby making design more accessible and relatable to diverse audiences.
Since his impactful arrival onto the design scene in 2023, Masebo has proven his versatility. Key projects include a collection of highly adaptable modular tables with matching stools created for AHEC’s No.1 Common project, which was exhibited at 3 Days of Design. He also co-curated Dwellings, a successful exhibition of contemporary birdhouses at the South London Gallery, demonstrating his commitment to broader community engagement through design. The judges were particularly impressed with his understanding of design’s power beyond aesthetics, tipping his star to rise to even greater heights in 2026, with several exciting new projects already anticipated.
