Digital Design Prize

Established in 1974 by an anonymous donor, the Digital Design Prize (formerly named the Computer Graphics Prize) is presented by the Graduate School of Design to the student who has demonstrated the most creative and rigorous use of computation in relation to the design professions.

Recent recipients include:

2022: George Guida (MArch II ’22) for Multimodal Architecture: Applications of Language in a Machine Learning Aided Design Process
2021: Matthew Pugh (MArch II ’21) for Animated Spaces, Creature-Like Objects: Animistic Interactions With Smart Buildings + IOT Objects and Ana Gabriela Loayza Nolasco (MArch II ’21) for Center – Periphery: Encoding New Processes in Shenzhen’s Boundaries
2020: Gia Jung (MArch I ’20)
2019: Andrew Bako (MArch I AP ’19)
2018: Alexander Searle Porter (MArch I ’18)
2017: Manuel Martinez Alonso (MDes ’17) and Namju Lee (MDes ’17)
2016: Spyridon Ampanavos (MDes ’16, DDes ’21)
2015: Carlos Raspall Galli (DDes ’15)

The Digital Design Prize call for applications is currently closed. Please check back in Spring 2024 for updated application instructions.

Students should submit projects that advance our understanding and demonstrate the use of digital media in design. Ordinary uses of digital media, or projects that use digital media merely as the choice of representation should not be submitted. Submitted project(s) should be innovative, push the envelope and provide new paradigms.

Students in all GSD programs are eligible to apply.

You may submit one or more projects to be considered for this award.

Submittal:

To streamline both the submission and review processes, projects will be submitted in electronic format to a dedicated OneDrive folder.

Start the process sufficiently prior to noon in order to ensure your project has time to upload fully before the deadline.

All submissions must be electronic; uploads will automatically add your name to the file when submitted so do not add your name to the file name.

Label your files as follows: 

• • Cover letter: ProjectTitle_DDP_CoverLetter
  • Written statement: ProjectTitle_DDP_Statement
  • And Project files: ProjectTitle_DDP_1ofX, ProjectTitle_ DDP_2ofX, etc. (X is the total number of project files, not counting your statement or cover letter, you are uploading)

Submissions must include the following three components:

• You must include a cover letter with each prize submission, which must include the following information:
  • Your first and last names
  • Your program
  • Your graduation year
  • Your email addresses (both GSD and personal)
  • Indicate if it is an individual or joint project submission; if joint, include full names, program and graduation year information of all collaborators
  • Your project’s title
  • Prize name
  • Indicate how you are submitting your work: all work via OneDrive file upload link (provided in GSDNow), project entirely on web and statement via OneDrive file upload link (provided in GSDNow), project partially on web and rest via OneDrive file upload link (provided in GSDNow).
• You must include a written statement (up to 600 words) with each prize submission. This must be submitted as a separate file to the OneDrive file upload link (provided in GSDNow), even if the rest of your project is viewable on a website.
• You must include your project, either via OneDrive file upload link (provided in GSDNow), project entirely on web, or project partially on web and rest via OneDrive file upload link (provided in GSDNow).

You can find the OneDrive file upload link in GSDNow or in the email announcement made to all students.

Prize recipients will be announced at the GSD Awards & Diploma Ceremony as part of Commencement.

Questions may be addressed to Thetis Li in Academic Affairs.