哈尔滨工业大学建筑与设计学院

THE SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN, HARBIN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

北 纬4 5 度

创 新 设 计 与 教 育 联 盟

NORTH LATITUDE 45 DESIGN AND EDUCATION GROUP

Announcement of the 2025 'Stellar Design Award' Competition

I. Competition Positioning

With the initiation and support of the North Latitude 45Design and Education Group, the inaugural 2025 'Stellar Design Award’ is officially launched. Centred on the imagery of 'stellar', the Award symbolises that every design shines uniquely, embodying individuality, creativity, and hope. Through the convergence of diverse ideas, it seeks to illuminate the future and establish itself as a highly influential and innovative event in the global design field.

Winning entries will receive financial support, qualification for the global tour of the 'Stellar Design Show' and access to resources fostering collaboration across industry, academia, and research. The Award aims to help innovative concepts transition into practical applications, while promoting paradigm shifts in global design education and research.

II. Competition Theme

Guided by the values of 'Numerous • Nexus • Novus' under the theme "design N', the competition positions design at the intersection of environment, society, and economy. It promotes breaking disciplinary boundaries and advancing collaboration across industries and academic fields.

The competition focuses on four key directions: ClimateAdaptation (design solutions addressing climate change), Cultural Heritage(contemporary reinterpretation and revitalisation of cultural heritage), CircularRegeneration (full life-cycle circular design systems), and Eco-Intelligence(integrating intelligent technologies with ecological protection).

Educators, students, industry professionals, and independentcreators worldwide are invited to integrate cutting-edge technologies withsystemic thinking. Participants are encouraged to address criticalenvironmental and social challenges through interdisciplinary collaboration.

Within fields such as product design, digital media, and thebuilt environment, entrants should adopt sustainable strategies, integrateecological restoration goals with human-centred values, explore innovativecultural expressions, and propose measurable, verifiable, and scalablesolutions that deliver environmental, economic and social impact.

III. Competition Information

(1) Eligible Participants

Open worldwide to individuals and teams engaged indesign-related work or study, including:

1. Students at design schools (undergraduate, master's,doctoral).

2.Design industry practitioners (corporate designers, agencystaff, etc.).

3. Independent design creators (freelance designers,creative professionals, etc.).

Note: There is no restriction on team size, but each team must designate a core leader and define clear roles for all members.

(2) Categories and Requirements

1. Spatial Design

Focuses on urban and rural landscapes and architecturalspaces. Participants should develop systemic, sustainable strategies alignedwith the four competition directions and propose quantifiable, verifiablesolutions. Designs may range from macro-scale planning to micro-levelinterventions, balancing ecological resilience with social inclusivity to'reshape symbiotic environmental systems'.

2. Product Design

Participants are expected to integrate traditionalcraftsmanship with modern functionality while addressing the needs ofdisadvantaged groups. Solutions should be low-cost,  accessible, and user-friendly. Guided by principlesof 'circularity' and "near-zero carbon' designs must demonstrate a fulllife-cycle system(materials-manufacturing-use-maintenance/upgrades-recycling/regeneration),minimising environmental impact while maintaining practicality and emotionalresonance.

3. Digital (Smart) Media

Centred on digital media art and technological applications,this category encourages the use of data intelligence, immersive interaction,and multi-sensory experiences enhance environmental performance and publicengagement.

 Submissions should explore the interconnections betweentechnology, nature, and community, promoting active public participation andsynergy between virtual spaces

and physical environments to address pressing social andecological challenges.

For full information and competition details:

http://nlde45.hit.edu.cn/20456/list.htm

 The Stellar Design Award is organised by the North Latitude45 Design and Education Group:

The School of Architecture and Design, Harbin Institute ofTechnology

The Department of Architecture and Design, Politecnico diTorino

The School of Innovation & Technology, Glasgow School ofArt

Supporting Institutions (in no particular order):

Cumulus International Association of Universities andColleges of Art, Design and Media;

L'École de design Nantes Atlantique;

University for the Creative Arts - School of Innovation andCreativity;

Curtin University - School of Design and the BuiltEnvironment;

Victoria University, Melbourne - Institute for SustainableIndustries & Liveable Cities (ISILC);

RMIT University - School of Architecture and Urban Design;

Bauhaus - Universität Weimar;

National University of Singapore - College of Design andEngineering;

University of the Arts Singapore - LASALLE College of theArts;

Sungkyunkwan University - Department of Architecture,College of Engineering;

King Mongkut's University of Technology - School ofArchitecture and Design;

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University - School of Design;

The University of Hong Kong - Faculty of Architecture;

Tsinghua University - School of Architecture;

Southeast University - School of Architecture;

Tongji University - College of Architecture & UrbanPlanning;

Tianjin University - School of Architecture;

South China University of Technology - School ofArchitecture;

Chongqing University - College of Architecture and UrbanPlanning;

Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology - School ofArchitecture;

Tsinghua University - Academy of Arts & Design;

Central Academy of Fine Arts - School of Design;

China Academy of Art - Department of Visual Communication;

China Academy of Art - School of Intermedia Art;

Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts - School of IndustrialDesign;

Tongji University - College of Design and Innovation;

Shanghai Jiao Tong University - School of Design;

Hunan University - School of Design;

Jiangnan University - School of Industrial Design;

Jiangnan University - School of Digital Technology andCreative Design;

Beijing Institute of Technology - School of Design and Arts;

University of Science and Technology Beijing - School ofIntelligent Science & Technology;

Communication University of China - Design Thinking ResearchInstitution;

Beijing Forestry University - College of LandscapeArchitecture;

Xiamen University - College of Innovation and Creativity;

South China University of Technology - School of Design;

Dalian University of Technology - School of Architecture andFine Art;

Northeast Forestry University - College of LandscapeArchitecture;

Nanjing Forestry University - College of Art and Design;

Hunan University - School of Architecture;

Nanjing University - School of Architecture and UrbanPlanning;

Nanjing University of the Arts - School of IndustrialDesign;

Northwestern Polytechnical University - College ofMechanical and Electrical Engineering;

Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera - Brera Academy;

Glasgow School of Art (China Office);

HIT Architectural Design and Research Institute;

HIT Urban Planning and Design Institute;

Austauschzentrum für Chinesisch Deutsche Kultur und Bildunge.V. (ACDKB);

Harbin Association for the Promotion of ArchitecturalCulture and Ice-Snow Art Development;

Division of Integrative Systems and Design - The Hong KongUniversity of Science and Technology;

The Chinese University of Hong Kong - School ofArchitecture;

City University of Hong Kong - College of Engineering.

Kanagawa University - Department of Architecture.

The North Latitude 45 Design and Education Group upholds thebelief that 'design is a tool to transform the world, and innovation is thedriving force of progress' We cordially invite exceptional design talents fromacross the globe to participate in the 'Stellar Design Award' where creativityshines as guiding stars, collective wisdom converges, and the power of designdrives sustainable solutions to the challenges of our era.

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