Creating opportunities to exhibit works in Milan during “Milan Design Week”

The NPO Aoyama Design Forum (ADF) is presenting the “ADF Design Award 2026” exhibition at the GARDE Milan showroom during Milan Design Week 2026, one of the world’s largest design events, currently being held from April 20 to April 26, 2026.The award-winning works are also being presented during this period.

This exhibition is held in collaboration with the “New Graduate Award 2025 of the Politecnico di Milano” and also features the latest projects by GARDE. In addition, DAIKAN, a Japanese company specializing in illuminated brand signage, is participating in the exhibition, showcasing its core technologies alongside newly developed products.

DAIKAN’s participation is based on a long-standing relationship in the field of brand signage. Following a previous project in Milan, the company expressed its interest in joining Milan Design Week. As GARDE organizes exhibitions annually at its showroom, this led to DAIKAN’s participation in the project. The exhibition utilizes unused wall space within the showroom, presenting its signature illuminated signage in a new spatial context.

Furthermore, an exhibition dedicated to Yoshino cedar is also being presented. Through the convergence of these diverse fields, the exhibition fosters new synergies and explores the evolving relationships between people, materials, and design.

The overall theme of Milan Design Week 2026, “Light dissolving, shadows trembling,” reflects a broader exploration of the connections between people and objects, past and future, and the role of design in shaping these relationships. In this context, the exhibition highlights the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and the creation of new perspectives for the future of design.

The ADF Design Award, established to discover and promote outstanding design works from around the world, continues to provide opportunities for architects, designers, and creators to present their work on an international stage. The exhibition in Milan serves as a platform to connect global talent and industry professionals, further expanding the reach of innovative design.


ADF Design Award 2026 Winners

The results of the ADF Design Award 2026 have been announced, recognizing outstanding architectural and design works from around the world.

The Grand Prize was awarded to Keisuke Koike (Thirdparty / K2YT), while the Excellence Awards went to Jeravej Hongsakul (IDIN Architects) and Jannis Renner (ATELIER BRÜCKNER).


Winners of the GRAND PRIZE: KEISUKE KOIKE (Thirdparty / K2YT)

Category: Cultural Buildings
Title: Miyakonojo Komizo Eye Clinic

The Grand Prize-winning work, “Miyakonojo Komizo Eye Clinic,” reinterprets waiting spaces as active and meaningful environments, creating a balance between openness and privacy through segmented volumes and the integration of natural light and gardens.


Excellence Award: Jeravej Hongsakul (IDIN Architects)

Category: HOSPITALITY
Title: Harudot

The Excellence Award-winning projects include “Harudot,” a café that explores the relationship between architecture and nature, and the “Uzbekistan Pavilion, Expo 2025 Osaka,” which presents a vision of future society through immersive spatial storytelling.


Excellence Award: Jannis Renner（ATELIER BRÜCKNER）

©Josef Sindelka

Category: HOSPITALITY
Title: Uzbekistan Pavilion, Expo 2025 Osaka

These award-winning works will be exhibited during Milan Design Week, offering visitors an opportunity to experience innovative design approaches from an international perspective.

“ADF Design Award 2026” Exhibition Info
Date: April 20 – April 26, 2026
Time: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Venue: GARDE Milan Showroom (Via Tortona 37, Milan, Italy)