2019 National Design Awards Winners

The 20th annual awards that "bring national recognition to the ways in which design enriches everyday life" are given out to individuals or firms in the categories of Lifetime Achievement, Design Mind, Corporate & Institutional Achievement, Architecture Design, Communication Design, Fashion Design, Interaction Design, Interior Design, Landscape Architecture, Product Design, and the very first Emerging Designer.

​All of the awards were selected by an eight-person jury* "after reviewing award submissions resulting from nominations solicited from design experts and enthusiasts," per the Cooper Hewitt. The Director's Award, selected by Cooper Hewitt director Caroline Baumann, will be announced at a later date.

Baumann said of the winners in a statement: "[The] achievements of this year’s class underscore not just the incredible prowess of American design today, but advance our understanding of the power of design to change the world. ... [The] 2019 winners join an impressive group of honorees who have made an indelible impact on society."

Previous architecture-related honorees include WEISS/MANFREDI, Oppenheim Architecture + Design, and Mikyoung Kim Design in 2018; MASS Design Group, Deborah Berke Partners, and Surfacedesign in 2017; Moshe Safdie, Marlon Blackwell Architects, Studio O+A, and Hargreaves Associates in 2016; and Michael Graves, MOS Architects, Coen + Partners, and Commune in 2015.

This year's winners will receive their awards at the National Design Awards Gala on October 17, 2019, an event coinciding with National Design Week, "a series of free education programs based on the vision and work of the National Design Award honorees" taking place October 12-19, 2019.

Winners are listed below, but visit the Cooper Hewitt website for more information on the honorees and to view galleries of their work.

• Lifetime Achievement: Susan Kare, "a pioneering graphic designer based in San Francisco."
• Design Mind: Patricia Moore, "an internationally renowned designer, gerontologist and leading authority on consumer lifespan behaviors."
• Corporate & Institutional Achievement: MIT D-Lab, "a global leader in participatory design, empowering thousands to address the daily challenges of poverty through design and social entrepreneurship."

• Architecture Design: Thomas Phifer, who "founded his New York studio in 1997."
• Communication Design: Tobias Frere-Jones, "one of the world’s leading typeface designers, creating some of the most widely used typefaces."
• Fashion Design: Derek Lam, "a leading designer of relaxed yet elevated American sportswear."
• Interaction Design: Ivan Poupyrev, "an award-winning scientist, designer and technical leader."

• Interior Design: IwamotoScott Architecture, "a San Francisco-based architecture and design firm founded by Lisa Iwamoto and Craig Scott in 2000."
• Landscape Architecture: SCAPE Landscape Architecture, "a design-driven landscape architecture and urban design studio based in New York and New Orleans."
• Product Design: Tinker Hatfield, who "has been designing some of Nike’s most popular athletic shoes" for nearly four decades.
• Emerging Designer: Open Style Lab, "a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating functional wearable solutions for people of all abilities without compromising on style."

• Brad Cloepfil, principal, Allied Works Architecture
• Whitney Delgado, vice president of design and strategic partnerships, Shinola
• David Hocker, president and founding partner, Hocker Design Group
• Joichi Ito, director, MIT Media Lab
• Marlene Liriano, managing director/principal, IA Interior Architects
• Giorgia Lupi, partner, Pentagram
• Mary Ping, founder, Slow and Steady Wins the Race
• Scott Stowell, founder, Open