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    • May 29, 2023
    • 2 min read

USA taking to GDA awards in a big way

The revised and new Global Direction Awards (GDA), which started life as a regional Scandinavian design award scheme, has sparked significant interest and participation from designers and creative engineers worldwide. Notably, American designers and engineers have shown particular enthusiasm for GDA, perhaps due to the pressing challenges related to climate change, energy sustainability, and environmental concerns. The USA's vibrant design community has embraced the awards with characteristic vigor, reflecting their commitment to addressing these crucial issues. The rebranding of the awards to "Global Direction Awards" signifies their expanded scope and international recognition. The new name aptly captures the essence of the awards' mission to honor creative excellence and acknowledge the innovative directions that shape the global design landscape.

"We are thrilled by the tremendous response to GDA, particularly from the passionate American designers and engineers who are boldly embracing the challenges of sustainability with their typical US dynamic." says Oscar Tanaka, Co-founder of GDA.

To ensure that the GDA Awards remain relevant to the evolving design industry, several changes had been implemented. First and foremost, the introduction of updated and refreshed categories reflects the latest trends and practices in design. These categories encompass a wide range of disciplines, including biodiversity, ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance), Sustainability, Innovative Product Design, Design for Care, and more. The aim is to provide a comprehensive platform that acknowledges excellence and breakthroughs in every aspect of new thinking and design, transcending geographical boundaries. "By adopting a unique format and spreading the awards throughout the year, GDA provides designers from around the world with a flexible and inclusive platform to showcase their work and compete in their respective fields." explains Charlotte Seymour, of GDA. In an innovative departure from traditional award structures, the GDA Awards have adopted a unique format. Instead of a single submission date for all categories, the awards are spread out throughout the year. This approach enables participants and designers to focus on specific categories at different times, allowing them ample opportunities to showcase their work and compete in their respective fields. This flexible structure fosters inclusivity and accessibility, accommodating varying project timelines and facilitating a more comprehensive evaluation process.


The GDA Awards have positioned themselves as a global stage for designers and creative engineers to showcase their talents and contribute to the advancement of design thinking and innovation. With their widened scope, refreshed categories, and adaptable structure, the awards are poised to celebrate and recognize outstanding achievements in design on a truly international scale.

 
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