Words Golden Pin Design Award
Editing The Kanto team
Established in 1981 and now organized by Taiwan’s Industrial Development Administration, MOEA, and executed by the Taiwan Design Research Institute (TDRI), the Golden Pin Design Award has committed to promoting outstanding design and driving industrial and social innovation since 2014.
The award has drawn entries from leading companies and designers worldwide, including AISIN CORPORATION (Japan), Starbucks Singapore, Architects 49 Limited (Thailand), HP Inc. (USA), ASUS, Pegatron, Baseus, and ZTE etc.
This year, GDPA also continues the Golden Pin Concept Design Award, open to unrealized design concepts or proposals. Submissions from students, designers, and companies, either individually or in teams, are welcome! The top three Best Design Award winners will each receive a cash prize of NT$300,000, supporting the transformation of concepts into reality.
Read on for more information about the award!
Why is the Golden Pin worth it?
Entering the award itself is already worth it, as entries receive feedback from the preliminary selection, where jurors evaluate and rate each entry individually based on the selection criteria, allowing participants to better understand how their entry compares to others.
Winners have the right to use the Golden Pin Design Award Mark on the winning product’s packaging, display and sales platforms, advertisements, and social media, showcasing the accomplishments of their product or work. Winning works are also featured on the official website, along with the descriptions and details about their designers and companies provided during submission, featuring outstanding design.
Winning works have the opportunity to be exhibited in the “Golden Pin Design Award Exhibition” of the same year, allowing them to showcase their creativity to design professionals and the public.
Winners of the “Best Design Award” are announced and celebrated during the prestigious Golden Pin Design Awards Grand Ceremony. The “Design Night” event on the same evening offers a unique opportunity for designers and creative professionals from all over the world to socialize and engage. They also receieve a special feature in the dedicated annual Golden Pin Design publication.
Design exchanges come part of the package, as GDPA organizes a variety of design exchange events annually, including the “Design Perspectives x Golden Pin Salon,” where award winners are invited to share insights and explore emerging design trends and future directions. This initiative aims to foster innovation and drive the development of the design industry and culture. Since 2015, the Golden Pin Salon has garnered widespread acclaim across 20 Asian cities, including Taipei, Shanghai, Chengdu, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Macau, and Singapore. Nearly 100 designers and creators from diverse fields have shared their ideas, with thousands of design enthusiasts also taking part.
What are the qualifications?
The award is open to commercially available products and completed communication, spatial, or integration design projects. Entries can be submitted by the project clients or their design teams. Former Golden Pin-winning projects are not allowed to participate for a second time.
Note: Should the entry belong to multiple entities, the applicant is required to acquire authorization from all relevant entities and ensure the accuracy of the information presented. The organizers said that if any discrepancy in said information is found, the applicant shall bear full responsibility and waive all qualifications, and the organizer and executive organizer reserve the right to cancel the entry and any prizes awarded.
How do I submit an entry?
- ́Create your account! Visit the official website’s User Login page, create a Username and Password, and click “Register.” Returning applicants may use their existing login information.
- Select “Golden Pin Design Award” and follow the instructions!
- Make sure to fill out all required entry information.
What is the jury looking for?
Golden Pin highlights five key points in its criteria:
- Relevance and completeness – the project must appropriately and completely meet the needs of its target market, community, or consumer group.
- Innovativeness – the submission features original concepts, functions, or materials.
- Functionality – the project should provide appropriate functions or operations that meet user needs in the target market, community, or consumer group.
- Aesthetics – the project’s appearance showcases the spirit and special features of the design.
- Communication – the submission expresses the cultural sensibilities of the target market, community, or consumer group.
How much does registration cost?
Early Bird registration (ends on May 20)
- Early Bird rate: NT$7,000
Regular registration (ends June 24)
- Regular rate: NT$9,000
The awards accepts VISA, MasterCard, and JCBcredit cards for payments. WeChat Pay is also accepted for registration fees, and all non-NTD payments are subject to daily exchange rates.
How is the selection process like?
For the preliminary selection, entries are selected by the jury to advance into the Secondary Selection based on the entry information submitted in the online registration page.
Based on the physical samples submitted for the Secondary Selection stage, Mark winners will be selected, to receive a certificate and the right to use the official Golden Pin Design Award ‘Design Mark’ logo. Secondary Selection winners will also advance into the Final Selection to compete for the Best of Golden Pin Design Award of the year.
Based on physical works that advanced from the secondary stage, a shortlist of Best of Golden Pin Design Award finalists and winners will be selected. The winners of the Best of Golden Pin Design Award will be announced at the award ceremony, and they will also receive a certificate, a trophy, and the right to use the Golden Pin Design Award ‘Best Design’ logo.
What is the timeline?
- May 20 – Early bird deadline ends at 17:00 (GMT+8)
- June 24 – Regular deadline ends at 17:00 (GMT+8)
- July – Preliminary selection, done online
- September – Secondary selection, selected projects receive Golden Pin Design Mark
- September – Final selection, selected projects compete for major titles
- December – Awards ceremony
Are there Golden Pin Design Awardees from the Philippines?
Last year, four Filipino designers namely Kenneth Cobonpue, EUDO, Plus63, and The Acid House were announced as the first Filipino recipients of Taiwan’s Golden Pin Design Mark! House for a Father by EUDO Edwin Uy Design Office emerged as a finalist for the Best Design Award.
Will more Filipino designers make their mark at the GDPA stage this 2025? •
