'2026 Korea Public Design Award' Open for Applications... 17 Outstanding Public Design Cases to Be Selected

Applications Open Until April 24

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced on March 23 that, together with the Korea Craft & Design Foundation (KCDF), it will be accepting applications for the '2026 Korea Public Design Award' until April 24.

This 19th edition of the contest will select a total of 17 outstanding projects and research achievements that have contributed to enhancing the daily lives of citizens by making them more beautiful and convenient through public design.

Specifically, awards will include one Presidential Award (prize money: 20 million won), four Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Awards (prize money: 10 million won each), seven KCDF President’s Awards (prize money: 3 million won each), one Victor Margolin Award (prize money: 2 million won), and four Academic Society President’s Awards (prize money: 1 million won each). The late Victor Margolin (1941–2019, USA) was a world-renowned scholar in the field of design. After participating in the 2015 Gwangju International Design Congress, he donated funds to support the development of Korean design. In his honor, the 'Victor Margolin Award' has been presented since 2017.

This year, a new public policy category has been established, expanding the scope of the contest to include policy areas such as guidelines and manuals that propose standards and methodologies for public design. In addition, awards for the private sector and Academic Society President’s Awards, as well as commendations for local government officials for their contributions to the promotion of public design—introduced last year—will continue, further strengthening the foundation for participation from various stakeholders.

Award-winning projects will be given promotional opportunities in connection with the 'Public Design Festival 2026,' which will be held from October 23 to November 1. Winners in the project category will be showcased through exhibitions and certifications for the winning organizations and their buildings or facilities, while winners in the research category will present and share their achievements at the joint academic conference of related societies to be held at Culture Station Seoul 284 in 2024.

Applications are divided into 'nominations' by relevant organizations, businesses, and experts, and 'direct applications' by individuals, organizations, or companies that have carried out the project or research. Applications can be submitted through the Public Design Information System, and further details are available on the KCDF website and the system itself.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.