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identity Design Awards 2025 – The Categories

Here's a breakdown of the 21 categories we have for this year's identity Design Awards.

identity Design Awards 2025 categories

Here’s a breakdown of the 21 categories across architecture, interior design and general design. Our submissions are now open, you can nominate your favourite projects here.

Submission checklist and criteria can be accessed here.

There are 3 main categories:

Interior Design

Office

Awarded to a space primarily dedicated to work including offices, studios and coworking spaces.

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

Awarded to the best completed fit-out of an interior design space across all sectors

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

Commercial

Awarded to an interior space that is open to public use, including spaces for education, shopping 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

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

The identity Design of the Year Awards 2023 rewards the work of young interior designers who are below 30 years of age. The nominees must have worked on projects which improve and perfect the quality of design as demonstrated by their submission

Submit your interior design projects here.

Architecture

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

Submit your architecture projects here.

General

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

Awarded to any innovative interior or architectural project that is under construction or nearing construction phase

People’s choice award

Ahead of the identity Design Awards gala event, the People’s Choice Award allows guests to vote for their favourite project among the shortlisted projects across all categories

Submit your projects here.

Visit our awards website here.

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