CATEGORIES
Office < 20,000 sq ft
Awarded to a space primarily dedicated to work including offices, studios and coworking spaces that is less than 20,000 sq ft.
Office > 20,000 sq ft
Awarded to a space primarily dedicated to work including offices, studios and coworking spaces that is greater than 20,000 sq ft.
Restaurant
Awarded to an interior space which people visit to eat and drink including restaurants and cafés
Nightlife
Awarded to any interior space dedicated primarily to drinking and socialising including bars, clubs, and event spaces
Fit-out — Commercial
Awarded to the best completed fit-out of an interior design space across commercial spaces.
Fit-out — Residential
Awarded to the best completed fit-out of an interior design space across residential spaces.
Residential – Apartment
Awarded to the best interior design of an apartment, loft, duplex, or penthouse. Includes holiday homes or hotel apartments.
Residential – Villa
Awarded to the best interior design of a villa or mansion. Includes holiday homes or hotel villas.
Hotel
Celebrating the best in hospitality design inclusive of all public and private areas for hotels and resorts across the MENA region.
Retail
Awarded to a commercial interior space that is open to public use, including spaces for education, shopping, pop-ups, art galleries as well as cultural and entertainment activities.
Health + Wellness
Awarded to an interior space dedicated to health and well-being including healthcare centres, hospitals, spas, gyms, yoga and meditation studios and salons.
Best Use of Art
Awarded to a firm or consultancy that focuses on the best use of art in all forms across projects in both residential and commercial spaces. The art should enhance the interiors and tie into the overall design story of the space.
Design of the year: Interior design
Jury selects the best interior design project from amongst the winning projects across the Interior Design categories
Emerging interior designer of the year
Rewards the work of young interior designers who are below 30 years of age. The nominees must have shown a significant impact on the projects they worked on; this should be reflected in their submission.
Residential
Awarded to buildings dedicated to living including apartment buildings and villas within both urban and non-urban settings
Commercial
Awarded to buildings dedicated to work or services including corporate offices, coworking centres and company headquarters
Public building
Awarded to any building that serves the public or is used by the community including schools, university buildings, hospitals, infrastructure projects and masterplans, airports, community centres and government buildings as well as shopping malls and banks
Hotel
Awarded to any building within the hospitality sector, from large-scale resorts to boutique hotels and guest houses
Cultural building
Awarded to any project dedicated to culture or cultural activities including cultural centres, museums, art galleries, religious spaces, theatres, opera houses, and concert halls
Design of the year: Architecture
Jury selects the best interior design project from amongst the winning projects across the Architecture categories
Product design
Awarded for a groundbreaking product design that blends creativity, functionality, and aesthetic brilliance.
Outdoor space
Awarded to any project located outdoors from outdoor dining, installations and public space projects to gardens and beaches.
Project of the future – Small Scale
Awarded to any innovative interior or architectural project that is under construction or nearing construction phase below 100,000 sqft.
Project of the future – Large Scale
Awarded to any innovative interior or architectural project that is under construction or nearing construction phase above 100,000 sqft.
Installations and Pop-Ups
Awarded to a firm or designer that has conceptualised and brought to life a temporary pop-up or installation. The winning project should ideally demonstrate strong community engagement, contribute meaningfully to its intended purpose, offer an immersive experience, and incorporate innovative materials. This pop-up can be in any public space, including but not limited to trade fairs, streets, malls, or hotel lobbies.
People’s Choice Award: Residential
Ahead of the identity Design Awards gala event, the People’s Choice Award allows guests to vote for their favourite residential project among the shortlisted projects.
People’s Choice Award: Commercial
Ahead of the identity Design Awards gala event, the People’s Choice Award allows guests to vote for their favourite commercial project among the shortlisted projects across selected categories.
