Design can make things beautiful. But at this year’s Good Design Award Philippines, organizers made it clear that beauty means more than aesthetics.
At the 2026 Good Design Award Philippines held at the Likhang Filipino Exhibition Halls in Pasay City, designers were recognized not only for innovation, functionality, and aesthetics, but for something uniquely Filipino: malasakit—the compassionate care that places people at the heart of every design decision. From 311 entries submitted nationwide, only the works that demonstrated both design excellence and meaningful social impact emerged as this year’s winners.
“For the Design Center and the Good Design Award Philippines, our ambition is to promote a more human-centered approach to design,” said Maria Rita O. Matute, Executive Director of the Design Center of the Philippines.
“We hope that through those being awarded today, as well as our past awardees, people will see not only the character reflected in their designs and execution, but more importantly, in their design processes.”
She emphasized that design today extends far beyond products and visual communication.
“We are part of a global movement that seeks to shift the conversation and context of design from products and communication to systems, services, and strategic solutions, and to mobilize designers in the Philippines to make their presence felt far beyond our borders.”
According to Matute, design has become one of society’s most important tools for solving complex challenges.
“Design supports capability and problem-solving in the 21st century. Design enables effective innovation and creates products, services, technologies, and even governance that can change the world.”
She added that “Design is also a driver of growth, exports, and jobs in a highly skilled and productive economy. Design is a driver of prosperity. Design is a driver of innovation.”
The evening’s highest honor, the Malasakit Award, was presented to Banwag by Studio Impossible Project under the Place Making category. The permanent bamboo structure was designed as a shared gathering space for Muslim, Christian, and Lumad communities in Maguindanao—demonstrating how architecture can become an instrument for peace and dialogue.
Accepting the award, Rick Atieza of Studio Impossible Project reflected on the project’s deeper purpose.
“One of our commissions was to design and build a structure that would symbolize peace between the Moros, the Christians, and the Lumad.”
He explained that Banwag is as much an engineering achievement as it is a social one.
“Today, Banwag stands nine and a half meters tall. It is 15 meters in diameter and engineered to withstand winds of up to 275 kilometers per hour. It has no internal supports—it’s made entirely of bamboo bracing. As far as we know, it is the world’s first digitally fabricated bamboo structure.”
More importantly, he said, the project represents what design can accomplish when communities build together.
“For us, Banwag stands as a beacon of the possibilities of building peace. It shows what we can do with technology and how we can continue pushing it forward.”
The event also highlighted the broader role of design in national development.
Speaking on behalf of the Department of Trade and Industry, Assistant Secretary Al Modesto M. Valenciano reminded designers that their work carries responsibilities beyond aesthetics.
“As we honor the best of good design, remember that your work represents more than design excellence. It represents our national understanding that design is a way of life, a driver of competitiveness and innovation, and a means of improving the lives of Filipinos.”
Among the Gold Award recipients was Ding! Zine para sa Bading, created by students of CIIT College of Arts and Technology under the Image Making category. The publication was recognized for documenting the evolution of Filipino drag culture, celebrating queer identity, and creating safe spaces through editorial storytelling.
Special recognitions were likewise presented during the ceremony. The Green Award went to the Mamanwa Community Center for demonstrating how sustainable architecture can serve everyday community needs. The White Citation recognized KADLIT, a disaster-ready firestarter made from rice bran developed by Bohol Island State University, while the newly introduced Blue Citation honored the Quezon City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office’s iRISE UP, a disaster preparedness system that uses localized forecasts, real-time data, and early warning information to help communities respond before disasters strike.
As the event concluded, one message stood above the awards themselves: the future of Philippine design is not measured only by how innovative or visually striking it is, but by how deeply it improves lives. In celebrating designs rooted in malasakit, the Good Design Award Philippines reaffirmed that the country’s most meaningful creations are those that place people first.
Good Design Award Philippines 2026 Winners
Malasakit Award
• Banwag — Studio Impossible Project (Place Making)
Gold Awards
• Banwag — Studio Impossible Project (Place Making)
• Ding! Zine para sa Bading — CIIT College of Arts and Technology (Image Making)
Special Awards
• Green Award: Mamanwa Community Center
• White Citation: KADLIT (Kindling Aid for Disaster-Linked Ignition Tool)
• Blue Citation: iRISE UP – Quezon City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office
Red Awardees
Image Making
• QC Stories: The City We Call Home
• Forgotten
• Nexus: A Filipino Architecture as a Network in Constant Remaking
• Haring Ibon Playing Cards
• Pista ng Kapuluan: Archipelago Festival and Biennale
• Salumpuwit: Chairs in Filipino Life
• Request sa Radyo
Object Making
• Ihawi
• Make-a: Pusô DIY Kit
• Kai’a Outdoor Hanging Lamp
• Champion Detergent Table Clothes
• Celestina Rugs
• Curio
Place Making
• &Matcha Three Yards
• Pasig River Urban Development
• Mamanwa Community Center
• Alhibe: A Regenerative Placemaking Anchored by Bamboo Architecture
• Comuna
• Urban Forestry Institute Diliman
• Atok Barnhouse
Systems and Service Design
• Zero Waste Textile Circular Solution
• Oyloop
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