A building material made from ash, a system that transforms Danish homes into energy sources, and a historical pigment rediscovered in the soil of Jutland. These are just three of this year‘s Danish Design Award winners – proving that Danish design is more than just decoration; it carries responsibility and can help shape a better future
On Friday evening, eight Danish design solutions were named winners of the Danish Design Award at Industriens Hus. What they all share is a willingness to challenge our understanding of what design is – and what it can do. The Danish Design Award celebrates solutions that have the potential and the will to shape a better future: solutions that create meaningful change for both people and the planet.
Among the winners are designs that contribute to solving some of today’s most pressing challenges, from the refugee and climate crises to easing everyday life for people dealing with tabooed issues, such as incontinence or anxiety.
Kaave Pour, Head of the Danish Design Award Jury, is enthusiastic about the direction this year’s winners are setting for Danish design:
“Each of the winning solutions shows that Danish design is not judged by form alone, but by the clarity and agency it gives to its users. That is where quality lies: in solutions that make a tangible difference in people’s lives.”
The winners of the Danish Design Award 2025 are:
- Digital Gateway – a digital platform giving refugees access to essential information
- Homegrid – an intelligent energy system that turns private homes into energy sources
- Levitate Forever Series – a prosthetic leg designed for highly active amputees
- Obtinu – a discreet silicone insert for managing involuntary urination
- Thoravej 29 – a creative collective working to drive positive social change
- Clever Café – a green charging station that powers both vehicles and people
- Rumett – gypsum boards made with ash, improving fire safety and reducing climate impact
- Løvskal Ochre – a natural pigment extracted from the historic Løvskal mine in Jutland
Read more about the winners here.
Digital design for refugees wins Best of the Best
More than 100 million people are forced to flee worldwide. In a time marked by conflict, climate change, and cuts to humanitarian aid, access to reliable information can be vital — yet it is often difficult to obtain.
This is the challenge addressed by this year’s Best of the Best winner, UNHCR’s digital platform “Digital Gateway”. The solution provides refugees with reliable, life-saving information even under the most difficult circumstances.
“Our main goal is to make everyday life easier for people forced to flee — no matter where they are. Digital Gateway has to work on every type of phone, including devices with small screens or limited memory, and it needs to be easy to translate,” says UNHCR designer Eilidh Urquhart.
The beauty lies in the difference design makes
Digital Gateway is not what we typically associate with an aesthetic product in a Danish design context. But its simplicity is exactly what makes it effective.
“What feels intuitive in one place can be confusing in another. The biggest challenge has been to create something so simple – stripped of anything unnecessary – that everyone can understand it and benefit from it,” explains Eilidh Urquhart.
According to Head of Jury Kaave Pour, Digital Gateway is an important indication of the direction Danish design is moving in:
“Digital Gateway isn’t the kind of example people usually think of when they picture Danish design. But that’s precisely why it matters. It focuses on what’s essential and on the realities faced by people on the move. It’s a strong example of design that makes something complex usable – exactly where it matters most.”
Download press photos here (we’ll be updating the gallery with images from the award evening).
Are you a journalist looking to get in touch with the winners of the Danish Design Award?
Contact Maria Damgaard, Journalist and Communications Manager, DDC – Danish Design Center: +45 2921 9830 / mdj@ddc.dk