About

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The Cincinnati Design Awards (CDA) program recognizes the best built-environment design produced by Cincinnati area creative firms and promotes the social and economic value of good design in our community. Each year, a distinguished nationwide jury of design thought leaders and eminent practitioners presents the awards to submitted projects created by local architecture, interiors, landscape, and experiential graphic designers.

The CDA honors show you the creative things Cincinnatians are dreaming, planning, and building, and they provide annual snapshots of our vibrant and expansive design community.

Multiple award categories span projects that are large and small, built and conceptual, residential and commercial, and focused on design excellence or advancements in design vision and research.

Typical submissions include new construction, additions, architectural preservation, urban design, branded interiors, wayfinding systems, signage, exhibitions, parks, gardens, streetscapes, design analysis or studies, and distinguished details.

Across all categories, CDA award winners represent cutting-edge creative work that is sensitive to global contemporary design trends, social good, positive ecology and energy stewardship, resourceful client-centered solutions, and dynamic aesthetics.

Awards Levels

Honor Awards

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Honor Award winners represent design conceived and executed at the highest levels of the profession. Fully realized and expertly crafted solutions like these make our environment more functional, beautiful, and inspiring for everyone.

Merit Awards

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Merit Award winners reveal what design can do when applied with wit and purpose. They often surprise with their resourceful approach to difficult circumstances and never fail to bring delight to users.

Honorable Mention

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There is something about Honorable Mention projects that you can’t always put your finger on, but you can rarely forget. This award is how our jurors say it.

CDA Scholarship

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The Cincinnati Design Awards Scholarship is given each year to an individual, corporation, or organization whose work supports strong communities through design excellence in the built environment.