Chicago, Illinois
Now in its 71st year, Good Design® is the world’s most prestigious, recognized, and oldest Design Awards program organized annually by The Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design in cooperation with the European Centre for Architecture, Art, Design and Urban Studies and Metropolitan Arts Press, Ltd.
Good Design covers new consumer products, graphics, and packaging designed and manufactured in Europe, Asia, Africa, and North and South America.
The trademarked, historic awards program was founded in Chicago in 1950 by architects: Eero Saarinen, Charles, and Ray Eames, and Edgar Kaufmann, Jr. and is continued now for 71 years.
In 1950, a jury convened for the first time to assess the best designs of the day.
And now, 71 years later, Good Design has been officially synonymous with the leading and best contemporary design produced around the world.
For seven decades, hundreds of thousands of leading winning designers, manufacturers, and global companies print the Good Design logo for awarded products on their packaging, marketing information, advertising, websites, corporate information, posters, billboards, and branding to the widest international consumer audience.
Good Design is the most sought-after international seal of outstanding design quality.
From sky drones and new autonomous cars to everyday objects, entries for design and innovation, sustainability, creativity, branding, ecologically responsible design, human factors, materials, technology, graphic arts, packaging, and universal design are submitted annually.
“From the Spoon to the City” as the Italian architect Ernesto Rogers so profoundly declared.
For 2021, over 1,100 new products and graphic designs were selected and awarded from over 49 countries for new electronics, transportation, medical equipment, protective equipment, energy systems, robotics and bionics, building products/materials, furniture, textiles, industrial, environments, hardware, bath and accessories, kitchen/appliances, floor and wallcovering, tabletop, household products, personal, office products, transportation, children’s products, sports and recreation, lighting, tools, and graphics, branding, and packaging from Europe, Asia, Australia, and the Americas.
“Good Design is one of the most powerful forces in our lives,” states Christian Narkiewicz-Laine, architecture critic and the Museum’s chief curator of Good Design.
In 2021, several thousand designers and visionary companies from over 55 countries entered the competition.
The international jury comprised of experienced experts from different disciplines selected this year’s best designs.
The adjudication process lasted several days and was based on the original Good Design program essential criteria written in 1950: The jurors reviewed the entries in order to assess not just the aesthetic merit of each entry, as well as materials selected, the level of craftsmanship, the surface structure, ergonomics, innovation, sustainability, and functionality.
After intensive evaluation, the jury selected the best designed products and graphics based on the design quality of the products and graphics true to the historic motto “In search of Good Design.”
Only the best of the best designs received an award.
The 71st Good Design Jury included: Martin Ballendat, Design Ballendat; William de Boer, UN Studio; Dick van Gameren, Mecanoo Architecten; Massimo Iosa Ghini, Iosa Ghini Associates; Alexander Lamis, Architect, and Designer; Claudio Silvestrin, Claudio Silvestrin Architects; Michael Sohn, Alstom; Robert Woolston, DCA International; and Woody Yao, Zaha Hadid Architects.
The best new 2021 car and transportation designs went to Alstom, BRP, Micro Mobility Systems AG., Rad Power Bikes LLC., Sea Ray Boats Co., Ferrari SpA., Max Bögl Bauservice GmbH & Co. KG., Karma Automotive LLC., Kia Motors America, Federal Tires, Vestel Electronics Corp., Tire & Technology Co., Ltd., Apollo Tyres Ltd., Lotus Cars Limited, Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, NIO GmbH., Elroy Air, Pininfarina SpA., SBRS GmbH, Biomega, TMH, Yvolve Sports, TAUR Technologies, Hyundai Motor Group, Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co., Ltd., Damon Motors, Adient Aerospace LLC., PHOENIX CONTACT E-Mobility GmbH., and Cooper Tire.
Awarded corporations represent some of the world’s most visionary manufacturers and private companies: A-Light • ACCO Brands USA, LLC. • Adient Aerospace LLC. • Alessi SpA • Allseating • Alstom • AM PM Europe GmbH • Andreas Stihl AG & Co., KG. • Armstrong Flooring, Inc. • Apollo Tyres Ltd. • Assa Abloy Group • Atos Medical AB • B. Braun Melsungen AG • Bell Canada • Bene GmbH • Bertazzoni SpA • Bizzy Robotics, Inc. • Blackmagic Design Pty. Ltd. • Blue Ocean Robotics • BlueStar • BOTTA design • Breville Pty Limited • Brizo Kitchen & Bath Company • BRP Inc. • Brown Jordan • Busch-Jaeger Elektro GmbH • Carnegie Fabrics • Centrica plc. • CL Yachts • Cooper Tire • Cornerstone EV Charging Service Limited • Cuisinart Corporation • Damon Motors • Dark at Night NV • Davis Furniture • Dell Technologies Inc. • Delta Faucet Company • Delta Light NV • DePuy Synthes • Dürr Dental SE • Eczacıbaşı Building Products • eggersmann küchen GmbH & Co. KG • Elica SpA • Eureka Lighting • Ferrari SpA • FilzFelt/Spinneybeck • Fitbit, Inc. • Franke Coffee Systems • GlaxoSmithKline PLC. • Google LLC. • Grohe AG • Federal Tires • Hankook Tire & Technology Co., Ltd. • Harman International • hawo GmbH • Helen of Troy • Helly Hansen • Hestan Culinary • HP Inc. • Hydro Flask • Hyster Company • Hyundai Elevator • Hyundai Motor Company • igus GmbH • Interface, Inc. • Intuitive Surgical, Inc. • iRobot Corporation • Johnson & Johnson Company • Kallista • Karma Automotive LLC. • Karndean • Designflooring • Keilhauer Ltd. • Kia Motors America • Kleemann GmbH • Kohler • Kohler France Sanijura • Kohler Mira Ltd. • Landscape Forms • Lenovo Inc. • Les Ateliers Louis Moinet SA. • Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc. • LG Electronics • Life Fitness, LLC. • LIXIL Americas • Lotus Cars Limited • Lutron Electronics Co., Inc. • LZF S.L. • MAN Truck & Bus SE • mawa design Licht- und Wohnideen GmbH • Max Bögl Bauservice GmbH & Co. KG • Micro Mobility Systems AG • Midmark Corporation • Mitsubishi Motors Corporation • Motorola Solutions, Inc. • Mohawk Group • Natuzzi SpA • Netgear, Inc. • Nienkämper • Newell Brands • Nightingale Corpx • NIO GmbH • Nomos Glashütte S/A • Okamura Corporation • Olimpia Splendid SpA • Omnicell, Inc. • Õssur • OXO International, Ltd.• Peloton Interactive, Inc. • PepsiCo. • Philips • PHOENIX CONTACT E-Mobility GmbH • Polder Products, LLC. • Procter & Gamble Service GmbH • Pyramid Computer GmbH • Rabbit Air • Rado Watch Co., Ltd. • Rad Power Bikes LLC. • Razer Inc. • Rheem Manufacturing Company, Inc. • Roche Diagnostics International Ltd. • Samsung Research America • Sanofi Aventis • Deutschland GmbH • Schneider Electric North America • Seagate Technology LLC. • Simes SpA • Shure Incorporated • Signify • SitOnIt Seating • Sodastream International Ltd. • Sonneman-A Way of Light, LLC. • Standard Chartered • Staples • SteelSeries North America • Suunto Oy • Smeg SpA • TATA Motors Pvt Ltd. • TAUR Technologies • Technogym SpA • Tennant Company • The Coca-Cola Company • The Cookware Company • The HON Company • TMH • Tonon & c. SpA • Tp-Link USA Corporation • Trerè Innovation srl. • Tupperware General Services N.V. • Vestel Electronics • Vestel Beyaz Eşya San. ve Tic.AŞ. • Viasit Buerositzmoebel GmbH • Viking Range, LLC., • VitrA Karo Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S • Vodom S.L.U. • Vodafone Group • Vodafone Smart Tech • Wallbox Chargers • Wever & Ducré bv • Yale Materials Handling Corporation • YBell Fitness • Yvolve Sports • Zebra Technologies Corporation • Zephyr Ventilation • Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co., Ltd. • ZinBoats • Ztractor Inc. • Zinus Inc.
For 2021, awarded architects, designers, and industrial design firms include the trail-blazing “Who’s Who” in international design: 2050. Lab • 2ND West GmbH • 3st kommunikation GmbH • ACCO Brands Internal Design Team • Admind Branding & Communications • Alessandro Mendini • Alstom Advanced Creative Design • Anima Design SL. • Arik Levy • Aron Han • Aruliden • Ashcraft Design • Atelier Borella • Atelier du Nord • Bally Design • Bianchettiarchitettura SA • Blackmagic Industrial Design Team • Bluemap Design • BMW Designworks • Boltgroup • Brandis Industrial Design • Braun Design Team • BOTTA design • BRP Design & Innovation Team • Carl Gustav Magnusson Design • Carl Öjerstam • Christian Keller • Christian Lacroix • Claudio Silvestrin • Centrsvet • Coca-Cola Design • Daniel Germani Designs • DCA Design International Ltd. • Dean Chapman • deepdesign • Dell Experience Innovation Group • Design Partners • Design Tech • Destudio Eltner • Devlin Design • DF-ID, LLC. • Dialogform GmbH • Dikini • Dirk Wynants • DOMANI Architectural Co., Ltd. • Driusso Associati Architects • Eis GmbH Inhouse Design • EOOS • Ercoli+Garlandini • Essential Design • Estúdio Ronald Sasson • Eugeni Quitllet • Fabrizio Crisà • Fahrenheit Design • Favaretto & Partners srl. • Feiz Design Studio • Fiorenzo Dorigo • Fitbit User Experience Team • fi’zi:k • FLUID Design GmbH • fuseproject • Font Design Group • Framery Design Team • Flavio Manzoni • Foley Designs • Form Designs Australia Pty Ltd. • Formstudio • Frank Etc. AB • Freshlink Product Development, LLC. • Generationdesign GmbH • Genesis Design Center • Gibillero Design • Guialmi Design Team • Harald Guggenbichler • Held+Team • Henrik Bønnelycke • Hermann August Weizenegger • Hop Design • HP Design • HP Global Experience Design Group • Huemen Design • Huge Design LLC. • Hyundai Design Center • Hyundai Design Innovation Group • Icona Design Group Turin • IDM Tech • IDpartners • IMMORTAL • Ippolito Fleitz Group GmbH • Jader Almeida • James Kwon • Janice Feldman • Jaybird Design Team • jehs+laub • Jim Hannon-Tan • Joaquim Portela Arquitetos • Jonathan Prestwich • Jordi Hans Design • Joshua Eby • Jozeph Forakis • JWdesign • Joaquim Portela Arquitetos • Kinneir Dufort • Kris Lin International Design • LDA • Lippincott • Lissoni & Partners • Loft LLC. • Logan Steinfeld • Logitech Design Team AP + Europe • Loll Designs • Lorenzo Palmeri Studio • Kaleidoscope Innovation and Product Design • Karim Rashid • Karma Design Staff • Kauppi & Kauppi design studio • Kia Design • Kohler Mira Design Team • Koop Industrial Design • Kris Tomasson • LastObject • Lenovo Experience Design Group • Les Ateliers Louis Moinet SA • LMGPR • LIXIL Global Design Americas • Luke Siow • Luigi Trenti • Marco Goffi Design • Mario Ferrarini Studio • Mario Ruiz • Mary-Ann Williams • Matteo Ragni Design Studio • Matteo Thun • Maya Romanoff Product Design/Graphics Team • Maytoni • Melting Experience GmbH • Michael Graves Architecture & Design • Michele De Lucchi • Miguel Arruda Arquitectos • Minarc • Minhyun Choi • Mitsubishi Motors Design • Motiv • muehlhausmoers corporate communications gmbh • Mueller Architecture • Natasha Shtapauk • Native • Newell Brands Design • Nico Ueberholz • Nilo Gioacchini Design • No Picnic AB • Normand Couture • ONG&ONG • Ottenwaelder und Ottenwaelder • OXXID GmbH • Radius Innovation & Development • P9 Design • Paolo Benevelli Design • PDR • Pearson Lloyd • PepsiCo Design & Innovation • Peter Solomon • Petr Novague • Phoenix Tapware Design Team • Robbe & Berking • Polder Products, LLC. • Rainer Mutsch • Richard Frinier • Prieler & Diemer GbR • Pininfarina SpA • Philips Experience Design Team • RadiceOrlandini Design Studio • Ramón Esteve • Raffaello Galiotto • Rafael Simoes • Ralph Appelbaum Associates • Ridzert OÜ • Robert A.M. Stern Architects • Robert Sonneman • Rottet Studio • Rusell Carr • ruwido austria gmbh • Shimoda Design Group • Signify Design Team • Smart Design • Solspiration bv. • Sotiris Lazou • Staples Design • Stefan Rosén • Stephan Gahlow • Studio Ettore Sottsass • StudioFAR • Studio Volpi srl. • Suunto Design Team • Synowaytion GmbH • Tactile • Taga Innovations • Tangerine Limited • Tapio Anttila • Tamooz C.S. Ltd. • Tej Chauhan • Teka Design Team • Tescoma s.r.o. • The Fuel • Thos. Moser Product Development • Tino Soelberg • Tripod Design Co., Ltd. • Tupperware Worldwide Product Innovation Team • Umberto Palermo • UpDesign Studio • Valentina Bertazzoni • Vestel IDTeam • Vestel UX/UI Design Group • VitrA Design Team • Volume Inc., • Whipsaw, Inc. • Whynot Design • Ximo Roca Diseño • Yongwook Seong • YUJ Designs Pvt Ltd. • Zanzotti Industrial Design • ZINUS Design Department.
“Good Design defines the way we approach designing objects and places across the globe – keeping consumers’ needs central to the mission and aspirations of designers and manufacturers to ‘Shape Living for a Better Future’,” states Narkiewicz-Laine.
“This philosophy recognizes and values the impact design has in people’s lives, understanding that design is not just about the object created, but also about the experience and how it makes us feel, think, and learn.”
“Good Design celebrates the game changers, the innovators, the visionaries, and the pioneers and rewards the brilliant minds who believe our world can be a better place through design.”
