Dezeen Magazine

Seven trophies created by architects and designers

Trophies are getting more imaginative in design, as awards programmes increasingly ask leading architects and designers to create them. Here are seven that duly commend success, including a Brit Award by Zaha Hadid and the Atelier NL-designed Dezeen Awards.


Seven trophy designs: Brit Awards 2017 trophy by Zaha Hadid

Brit Awards 2017 trophy by Zaha Hadid

The Brit Awards became one of the first awards ceremonies to employ a high-profile designer to create its trophy, when it commissioned the late Zaha Hadid in late 2016.

Hadid created curved, white Britannia figures to be handed out the winning musicians. There were five different versions of the form, intended to "represent diversity" by being "different yet connected".

Find out more about Zaha Hadid's trophy design ›


Seven trophy designs: Brit Awards 2018 trophy by Anish Kapoor

Brit Awards 2018 trophy by Anish Kapoor

After Hadid, London-based artist Anish Kapoor was next up to design the Brits. His design comprised a transparent red perspex block with the Britannia figure – the female personification of Britain – forming its hollow centre.

The trophy was intended to challenge perspectives, through its reversal of positive and negative form.

Find out more about Anish Kapoor's trophy design ›


Seven trophy designs: Brit Awards 2019 trophy by David Adjaye

Brit Awards 2019 trophy by David Adjaye

David Adjaye was this week announced as the third designer commissioned by Jason Iley – Brits chairman and CEO of Sony Music – for the Brit Awards.

The architect swapped the traditional hourglass figure of Britannia for a form with more "unique" proportions. Cast in solid glass, each trophy is finished with a translucent, frosty effect.

Find out more about David Adjaye's trophy design ›


Seven trophy designs: Dezeen Awards 2018 trophy by Atelier NL

Dezeen Awards 2018 trophy by Atelier NL

Dutch design studio Atelier NL created each of the 33 winners' trophies for the first Dezeen Awards ceremony.

These sustainable trophies are made using London clay – the material used to make the traditional yellow bricks that are a defining characteristic of buildings across the UK capital. The design of based on the shape of a brick, but takes the shape of a letter "d" for Dezeen.

Find out more about Atelier NL's trophy design ›


Seven trophy designs: Fashion Awards 2016 trophy by Marc Newson

Fashion Awards 2016 trophy by Marc Newson

Like the Brit Awards, the UK's Fashion Awards also starting working with high-profile designers at the end of 2016.

Industrial designer Marc Newson was commissioned by the British Fashion Council and Swarovski to create trophies for each of the 15 category winners. Crafted from Swarovski crystal, each hexagonal trophy was based on crystal clusters and rock structures.

Find out more about Marc Newson's trophy design ›


Seven trophy designs: Fashion Awards 2017 trophy by John Pawson

Fashion Awards 2017 trophy by John Pawson

British architect John Pawson was the name behind the Fashion Awards trophy in 2017.

His design was for a series of cylindrical blocks of Swarovski crystal, with primary coloured "threads" running through the middle. The aim was to reduce the design to "its simplest possible form", while adding a flash of colour to add a distinctive edge.

Find out more about John Pawson's trophy design ›


Seven trophy designs: Fashion Awards 2018 trophy by David Adjaye

Fashion Awards 2018 trophy by David Adjaye

Not only is David Adjaye creating the Brit Awards for 2019, he also designed the trophy for this year's Fashion Awards.

Like his predecessors, the architect's design is for a Swarovski crystal trophy, comprising a six-sided column with triangular facets that taper upward to form "beautiful and unexpected refractions".

Find out more about David Adjaye's trophy design ›