The Porada International Design Award 2026 has officially opened for entries, this year focusing on the theme of the TABLES.
Every year Porada, in collaboration with POLI.design and with the support of the ADI (the Italian Industrial Design Association), organises an international ideas competition for professionals and students focused on a specific topic that varies from year to year.
This time Porada aims to identify innovative new concepts for different types of TABLES in which solid wood is the dominant material (but not necessarily the only material) and which convey the values and identity of the Porada brand. Originality, innovation and the search for new design solutions based on traditional solid wood craftsmanship and the interpretation of Porada’s values and identity are the guidelines to be followed in the development of the projects.
The solutions must be original, unpublished and employ typical solid wood production technologies and processes and, as well as performing the specific functions of the product, must also comply with current safety regulations and take account of ergonomic requirements and environmental and sustainable design requirements.
The wood, either natural – preferably one of the main types used by the company – or lacquered, can be combined with metal, glass and other materials. The selection and evaluation of the projects will take into account their originality, the level of innovation and research of new design solutions related to typical solid wood processing, the experimentation with materials and surface finishes, the ability of the projects to define and anticipate usage scenarios and innovative concepts in the use of wooden furniture and contemporary furnishings, with particular regard to the typological, technological and morphological determinations of the tables, and the alignment of the proposed solutions with the values and identity of the Porada brand.
The Jury will decide three winners for each category, Students and Professionals, and a winner of the Giacomo Allievi Special Mention. The award ceremony will take place during a dedicated event organised by Porada.
Submission requirements
Requirement 1
- A brief descriptive report in Italian or English (max. 3000 characters, i.e., one page), without images, describing the motivations, general concept, and materials of the project.
Note: The .pdf file must be on a vertical ISO-A4 format sheet (21 x 29.7 cm) 2.
Requirement 2
Graphic boards consisting of 3 horizontal ISO-A3 sheets (42 x 29.7 cm) in .pdf format, composed using the templates available after registration: -
Board 1: an overview, reference scenarios and modes of use, mood board, general concept of the object in the context of use and sources of inspiration; -
Board 2: technical drawings: plans, elevations, sections, axonometric views, exploded views, dimensioned construction drawings at appropriate scales, and details of materials considered significant;
Board 3: representation of the object, renderings, photos of the model.
Note: The three boards must be combined in a single .pdf file (maximum file size 5 MB). Submissions exceeding the required number of boards are not allowed.
Requirement 3
A preview image summarizing the project’s key features (render or other significant image), which will be the first image viewed by the judges to identify the project,
Eligibility
The competition is open to:
- Professionals category: Italian and/or foreign designers working independently or employed by companies (if duly authorized by their company; the authorization must be uploaded to the portal before the competition deadline).
- Students category: Italian and/or foreign students enrolled in Bachelor’s or Master’s programs, recent graduates, and students of secondary schools. Group entries are allowed for both categories.
Prize
The total prize money of € 10,000.00 will be allocated as follows:
- PROFESSIONALS Category: ➜ 1st prize € 2,500 ➜ 2nd prize € 1,500 ➜ 3rd prize € 1,000
- STUDENTS Category: ➜ 1st prize € 2,500 ➜ 2nd prize € 1,500 ➜ 3rd prize € 1,000
The “Giacomo Allievi Special Mention” prize of € 1,000 may be awarded to one student or one professional. A dedicated jury will select the project that, among all entries, best balances traditional wood craftsmanship and modern design in the structural and creative development of the project.
The competition is free to enter.
