Winners of Designers Australia Awards 2024

DIA – Awards

• Highest design accolades in Australia awarded to Monash Design Health Collab, mili mili and Balarinji. Madeline Lester Excellence Award presented to Yuan Maoxin, a graduate from the University of New South Wales.

Australian designers praised by the Design Institute of Australia for ethical, innovative and impactful design. Emerging designers awarded for their dedication to improve people's lives and positively impact society.

The Design Institute of Australia (DIA)—Australia's peak national design body, announced the winners of its 2024 Designers Australia Awards. The winners include three Category winners, a President's Award and nine Awards of Merit.  

The DIA also announced the winner of the Madeline Lester Excellence Award, the highest award for a graduate designer. The Graduates of the Year Awards are the flagship program for emerging designers, with winners selected from design graduate entrants nominated by their academic institutions.  

mili mili for Footprints on Gadigal Nura

The awards identify Australia's preeminent designers and studios, calling attention to the individual’s approach to practice as much as their inspirational design outcomes. mili mili for Footprints on Gadigal Nura won the 'Place' category, Monash Design Health Collab received the winning 'Use' award for Micro-X Head CT - A Point-Of-Care Stroke Diagnosis Device, and Balarinji for Minyma Kutjara Tjukurpa Art Aircraft Livery Design won 'Interact'. Monash Design Health Collab received the coveted President's Award.

Monash Design Health Collab for Micro-X Head CT: A Point-Of-Care Stroke Diagnosis Device

Backed by the institute, the DIA's Designers Australia Awards are the benchmark for Australian design excellence. Now in their fourth successful year, the awards recognise the most nuanced design thinking applied across the categories of Place, Use and Interact, dissolving traditional disciplinary silos and reflecting multi-disciplinary approaches and problem-solving across the creative industry. Underpinned by the DIA’s  core values and purpose, the awards are an opportunity to support the emerging and established design community, cultivate collaboration, conversation and deep listening; and recognise a collective  commitment to Australian design and its influence on culture and society.

Balarinji for Minyma Kutjara Tjukurpa Art Aircraft Livery Design

Designers Australia Awards 2024 jurors representing a broad cross-section of the local design community include:
Celina Clarke, Rafael Gomez, Jenny Grigg, David Lancashire, Ryan Russell, Roger Simpson, Kirsten Stanisich, Andrew Wallace, Karen Webster and Ian Wong.

Monash Design Health Collab

The Graduates of the Year Awards 2024 jury comprised of respected design industry practitioners including: 
Gavin Campbell (DIA President), David Constatine (Cullen Jewellery), Daniel Dalla Riva (Latitude), Sally Evans (Nexus), Byron George (Russell & George), Nikolas Gurtler (Nikolas Gurtler), Lisa Hunt (SPH Architecture), Trish Johnston (Oath & Stone Designs), Steve Martinuzzo (Cobalt Design), James Picton (CQU & Uni of Canberra) and Sonia Simpfendorfer (Nexus).

Yuan Maoxin, University of New South Wales.

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DIA Awards 2024 recipients

• PLACE category winner
mili mili for Footprints on Gadigal Nura

• USE category winner:
Monash Design Health Collab for Micro-X Head CT: A Point-Of-Care Stroke Diagnosis Device

• INTERACT category winner:
Balarinji for Minyma Kutjara Tjukurpa Art Aircraft Livery Design 

• President's Award recipient:
Monash Design Health Collab, for their contribution Australian design

• Madeline Lester Excellence Award recipient:
Yuan Maoxin from the University of New South Wales. He was also the Use Category Winner — Higher Education, and NSW/ACT Graduate of the Year.

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The DIA – Awards are proudly supported by major partners: Cullen Jewellery, Stylecraft, Brickworks, Colorbond, VETASSESS and Dezeen magazine.