Sky Design Awards 2027
Everything you need to enter: what SKR is, dates and fees, the divisions, exactly what to submit, and how to send it. Please read this page before you apply.
Every shortlisted project receives a permanent Sky Knowledge Record
The Sky Knowledge Repository (SKR) by Merci Magazine is an official, editorially reviewed record of each shortlisted and awarded project. It gives your project one verified, structured reference that search engines, AI systems, media, researchers and clients can find and cite.
- Today, AI and search tools piece together information about your project from scattered sources. When that information is incomplete or inconsistent, they can describe your work inaccurately.
- Your SKR record brings the company, design team, project details, editorial content, publication history and award information together in one maintained place.
- The record and its number are permanent. You can quote your SKR No. in your portfolio, press materials and future submissions.
SKR Numbers are issued to shortlisted and awarded projects only. The A3 panel, photographs and description you submit are the source material for your record, so prepare them carefully.
Dates and entry fees
| Stage | Dates | Fee per entry |
|---|---|---|
| Early Bird Open now | Now – 30 November 2026 | USD 370 |
| Regular | 1 – 31 December 2026 | USD 420 |
| Late | 1 – 15 January 2027 | USD 499 |
| Final deadline for all project materials | 15 January 2027 | — |
| Online judging: long list to shortlist | 1 February – 15 March 2027 | — |
| Shortlist announcement and SKR Numbers issued | 20 March 2027 | — |
| Merci × Sky Design Awards 2027 Exhibition | To be confirmed | — |
| Awards Ceremony | October 2027 (date and venue to be confirmed) | — |
Four divisions, plus The New Black
Each entry is judged for one award. To enter the same project in more than one category, submit a separate entry for each. Make sure your images clearly fit the category you choose.
Architecture
Commercial, Retail & Office · Hotel & Resort · Infrastructure · Institution & Educational · Transportation Hub · Public Space · Remodelled Heritage · Residential & Urban Design · Memorials · Cemetery · Clinic · Café & Tearoom · Green & Sustainable
Interior Design
Commercial & Office · Hotel & Resort · Institution · Retail · Pop-Up · Residential · Leisure & Wellness · Transportation Hub · Lighting Design · Memorials · Cemetery · Clinic · Café & Tearoom · Green & Sustainable
Visual & Design Business (incl. exhibition)
Pop-Up · Graphic Design · Corporate Identity · Multimedia & Exhibition Design · Signage · Interior & Architectural Photography
Industrial Design (incl. furniture)
Home Furniture · Office Furniture · Lighting & Fixtures · Audio · Household Products · Home Decor Accessories · Tableware · Stationery
The New Black
For young architects and designers, and for small projects. Entrants must be under 38, or the project must be under 50 m² (540 ft²), with no age limit. Suits pop-ups, small residential and retail shops.
What to submit
Every entry has two required parts: one A3 presentation panel that explains the whole project, and 8 to 15 separate photographs.
1 × A3 panel, landscape. Free layout, designed by you. We suggest 4–5 images (photos, sketches, plans or drawings) plus short concept text.
8–15 photographs, as separate files. Solid = minimum 8. Dashed = up to 15.
| Item | Required? | Specification |
|---|---|---|
| A3 panel | Required · 1 only | A3 landscape (420 × 297 mm). JPG, RGB, 150–300 dpi, over 2000 px wide. |
| Photographs | Required · 8–15 | Separate JPG files, RGB, 150–300 dpi, over 2000 px wide. Must be original photographs of the project. |
| Project description | Required · Word file | English, maximum 500 words, as a separate Word (.docx) file. Required even if your concept text already appears on the A3 panel. We cannot extract text from your panel or images. |
| Project credits | Required · Word file | Every person and company involved, with their exact role. See the credits list below. Include it in the same Word file or a separate one. |
| Project details | Required | Project name, location, completion date and company website URL. |
| Drawings | Optional · 3–6 | Vector PDF. Buildings must show a north point, scale bar and key. |
| Video | Optional | Max 300 MB; MOV, MP4, MPG or FLV. Up to 2 minutes for judges, up to 1 minute for marketing. Copyright-free music only. |
| Designer photo and profile | Optional | Used for publication and your SKR record if shortlisted. |
Project credits: tell us exactly who did what
Credits appear on certificates, in the Almanac, in Merci Magazine and in your permanent SKR record. Please list every credit clearly, with names spelled exactly as they should be published. List the role first, then the name.
| Role | Example |
|---|---|
| Lead entrant / design company | Company name as it should appear on the certificate |
| Lead designer / design director | Full name, title |
| Design team | Each team member's full name |
| Client / developer / operator | Company or brand name |
| Collaborating architect or interior designer | Company name, and their scope of work |
| Consultants | Lighting, structural, landscape, branding, art and so on, with each company name |
| Contractor / manufacturer | Company name |
| Photographer | Name or studio. Required for every photograph we publish |
Team entries: choose one lead entrant as the contact for the awards process, and list all other individuals and companies in the credits. Credits not listed at submission may not appear on certificates or in publications. Optional English copywriting and proofreading service: USD 125.
How to submit
- Choose your division and category. One category per entry.
- Complete the online application form with the lead contact name and company name.
- Upload your materials to any file service and paste the download link into the form. We accept any service, as long as we can download the files.WeTransferDropboxGoogle DriveWeChat / WeiyunGigaFile便Any other server
- Pay the entry fee through PayPal: paypal.com/ncp/payment/G2U9VNE43C65C
- Click Submit. Your fee is fixed from this date.
- We open your portal account. Once we have received your application form, we set up your Sky Design Awards Portal account and email you a personal invitation link.
Judges and judging criteria
Entries are evaluated by a panel of leading architects and designers.
Architecture & Interior Design
Visual & Graphics and Industrial Design
If your project relates to the Sustainable Development Goals, please say so in your description.
2027 Judging Panel
ReturningLee LinRegional Director, Asia-PacificNobu Hospitality
ReturningDaisuke HironakaCEOStellar Works
NewHarry LewisDivisional Land & Development DirectorBerkeley Homes (Capital) plc, Berkeley Group
NewChihiro T. AldeenHead of JapanLASVIT
NewScott BrooksFounder, ImagennixChair of Honors & Awards and Board Advisor, Strategy, AIA Hong Kong Chapter
NewShigeru KubotaFounderDegins JP
Editorial JuryPeggy LuiFounderMerci Magazine and Sky Design Awards
Our panel brings together leaders from design, hospitality and property development, so that entries are judged for their design and for their real value to business.
Special Prizes
Stellar Works Special Prize
Selected by Mr. Daisuke Hironaka, CEO of Stellar Works. With Stellar Works' support and sponsorship, the selected designer develops a furniture prototype.
2025 recipient: AIDA — The Space Between, Futoshi Masuda, Masterd. Read the story
LASVIT Japan Special Prize
LASVIT Japan joins the Sky Design Awards as sponsor and prize strategic partner. The new prize is a prototype exploring glass and lighting design, made with LASVIT's craftsmanship.
Further details will be announced.
Awards
- Gold, Silver and Bronze in each category: trophy, certificate, Merci Magazine editorial opportunities, international media and social media exposure, a SKY Bridge (Noetic) B2B listing, and a special feature in the SKY Design Awards 2027 Almanac.
- All shortlisted entrants: certificate, Almanac showcase and a permanent SKR record.
- Special Prizes: Stellar Works Special Prize and LASVIT Japan Special Prize (see above). Merci Magazine One Story features.
Your Sky Design Awards Portal and SKR
Your portal account is opened after we receive your application form. You do not need to register yourself. We email you a personal invitation link to activate it. The portal keeps your project and company details, official documents and payment receipts in one place, and it connects to the Sky Knowledge Repository.
| When | What happens in the portal |
|---|---|
| After we receive your form | We open your account and email your invitation link. Activate it, confirm company and project information, and download receipts. |
| 20 March 2027 | Shortlisted projects receive their SKR Number. Editorial team prepares your Sky Knowledge Record from your submitted materials. |
| Before the ceremony | Confirm certificate details and ceremony attendance. |
| After the ceremony | View the jury evaluation and download your digital certificate. |
| End of access period | Keep access through Merci Magazine Membership (USD 499 per year) or account-only renewal (USD 150 per year). |
Frequently asked questions
What is an SKR Number, and will my project get one?
An SKR Number is the permanent identifier of your project's official Sky Knowledge Record. It is issued to every shortlisted and awarded project, on 20 March 2027. Entries that are not shortlisted do not receive one.
Can I pay and submit the form now, and send my project materials later?
Yes. Submit the form and payment within the Early Bird period to secure the USD 370 fee, then send or complete your materials by 15 January 2027.
Can I send a Dropbox folder link and add files later?
Yes. Any shared folder is accepted. Add the remaining files to the same folder by 15 January 2027 and keep the link active until the shortlist is announced.
How many A3 panels can I submit?
One A3 landscape panel per entry. Put everything that explains your project on that panel. In addition, submit 8 to 15 photographs as separate JPG files.
My concept is already on the A3 panel. Do I still need the Word file?
Yes. The description and credits must be sent as a Word file. We cannot copy text out of panels or images, and the Word file is what we edit for publication and your SKR record.
How do I get access to the portal?
You do not register yourself. After we receive your application form, we open your account and email you a personal invitation link. If you have not received it within a few working days, email submission@merci-magazine.com.
Which file services do you accept?
Any service we can download from: WeTransfer, Dropbox, Google Drive, WeChat or Weiyun, GigaFile便 and others.
Can I enter one project in several categories?
Yes, with a separate entry and fee for each category.
Does a Merci Magazine editorial submission give my project an SKR Number?
No. Merci editorial submissions are a separate membership service. SKR Numbers come only from being shortlisted in the Sky Design Awards.
Questions about your entry
Include your company name, the project title and the category in your email.
Apply on merci-magazine.com · About the Sky Knowledge Repository