Fifteen leading architects and designers met last week to decide the winners of Dezeen Awards 2026, in partnership with Trimble, which will be revealed at the Dezeen Awards 2026 party in November.

The master jury took place at the One Hundred Shoreditch hotel in London and included architects Ma Yansong and Daniel Libeskind as well as interior designers Wendy Saunders and Jaime Hayon.

Designers Martin Lotti and Jo Barnard, as well as architects Dominique Petit-Frère and Aziza Chaouni also joined to determine the 49 winning projects, ahead of next week's shortlist announcements between 21-23 September.

Winners announced at the Royal Opera House

All this year's winners will be announced at the Dezeen Awards 2026 party which takes place at the Royal Opera House in London on 16 November.

Guests at the party will be the first to find out who has won the prestigious project of the year awards across architecture, interiors and design. Tickets are available to purchase here.

Also unveiled at the ceremony will be the six winners of this year's Designers of the Year, who have each been shortlisted and selected by Dezeen's editorial team.

The Designers of the Year awards recognise the best emerging and established talent whose innovative work has made a notable impact on the industry across architecture, interiors and design.

"Designers thinking more critically about context"

The master jury discussed 392 shortlisted entries selected from over 4,300 projects in 91 countries around the globe.

Architectural designer John Cummins joined the architecture master jury panel which comprised architects Yansong, Libeskind, Chaouni and Petit-Frère.

Speaking to Dezeen, Petit-Frère observed how "this year's projects reflect a generation of designers thinking more critically about context, materiality, technology, and the social impact of what they create".

Hayon and Saunders were joined on the interiors master jury panel by Benni Allan, Julien Sebban and Bangalore-based Smita Thomas.

Thomas was also struck by the depth of this year's entries, which she saw as imbued with a sense of purpose rather than being solely aesthetic exercises.

"There were a number of projects that felt more like statements of intent than displays of style," she said.

"It charged me to see design beginning to shapeshift toward strengthening human connection in a time when we need it most," Thomas continued.

Parisian designer Sebban noted the "presence of so many young and emerging studios experimenting with new materials and new ways of thinking".

"The next generation is asking better questions, not just creating better answers"

Lotti and Barnard were alongside Michael Anastassiades, Min Chen and Alexie Sommer to decide the winners of the design categories.

Lotti, chief design officer at sportswear brand Nike, remarked that "the strongest projects weren't simply beautiful – they were purposeful, distinct and challenging the status quo".

"What struck me most was the range of thinking behind it. I came away feeling that the next generation is asking better questions, not just creating better answers," he continued.

Following the day of judging, an exclusive drinks reception and dinner took place in the One Hundred Room at One Hundred Shoreditch, where the master jury was joined by fellow 2026 judges Zandra Rhodes and Miminat Shodeinde.

Designers Paul Cocksedge, Ron Arad and Sebastian Cox also joined to celebrate the day's conclusion.

Following the shortlist announcements next week, the Dezeen Awards 2026 public vote will open and readers will be asked to vote for their favourite shortlisted projects. We will announce the public vote winners on Dezeen and across our social media channels ahead of the Dezeen Awards party on 16 November.

Tickets for the Dezeen Awards 2026 party are on sale. The occasion is an opportunity to celebrate with fellow nominees and VIPs, connect with others from around the world and reward your team for their hard work.

Studios that have been shortlisted for this year's Dezeen Awards will be eligible to purchase discounted tickets for £249. These tickets will be released on 21 September, alongside the shortlist announcements.

Subscribe to the Dezeen Awards newsletter to keep up to date with the latest announcements on the party.

The photography is by Mark Cocksedge unless stated.

Dezeen Awards 2026 in partnership with Trimble

Dezeen Awards is the ultimate accolade for architects and designers worldwide. The ninth edition of the annual awards is in partnership with global technology company Trimble. Through connected hardware and software solutions, Trimble helps designers to transform the way they shape spaces and buildings as well as drive productivity in the process. Trimble's collaboration with Dezeen Awards demonstrates its ongoing commitment to inspiring and supporting creative excellence across the globe.