Recognising the Best of Australian Design

The AGDA Design Awards recognises and documents the best work in Australia across a diverse range of disciplines every year.

These awards play a vital role to further the discussion and stimulate the creative progress of our industry. They highlight every generation of talent, from students at colleges and universities through to the long-established leaders of our profession.

The awards give our industry a chance to gather together once a year and celebrate all that is good in the creative world. This year the celebrations were held in Adelaide – the first time since 2008.

On Saturday, November 19, the top winners of the AGDA Design Awards were revealed to Australia’s creative community. The presentation was held at the iconic Queen’s Theatre, which had been transformed by The Social Creative (the team behind the Royal Croquet Club and Alpine Winter Village). AGDA SA seized the opportunity to present some of South Australia’s amazing food and drink to our interstate peers. Featuring food by the brilliant Adelaide chef Andrè Ursini, paired with some of South Australia’s best wine, beer and spirits.

The event was an unforgettable sensory experience — guests stepped out of the hot afternoon sun to be swept into a smoky haze, surrounded by the smell of fresh earth from the dirt floors, felled timber and a brooding soundscape by Adelaide artist Oisima.

From more than 1200 entries (and 300 finalists), the evening saw 70 Distinctions, 20 Judges Choice, and 9 Pinnacles awarded.

South Australia dominated the packaging category with local studios claiming 16 finalists. Adelaide design powerhouse Voice swept the category and received three Distinctions, one Pinnacle, and two Judges Choice awards for their various work for d’Arenberg and Old Jarvie wines.

Other local top-award winners were Frame for the identity and environmental design for Fat Controller (two Distinctions) and Sector7g (one Distinction) for their innovative work Holman Hodge Identity Guidelines.

Local Award Recipients Included:

VOICE: 1 Pinnacle, 3 Distinctions, 2 Judges Choice, 5 Finalists

FRAME: 2 Distinctions, 4 Finalists

SECTOR7G: 1 Distinction, 2 Finalists

BAND: 6 Finalists

PARALLAX: 6 Finalists

CORNERSHOP: 2 Finalists

WE’RE OPEN: 2 Finalists

DAN VAUGHAN: 1 Finalist

SAM CHISHOLM: 1 Finalist

ONE HECTARE: 1 Finalist