This recognition is particularly meaningful because it reflects the impact of our work beyond the individual projects themselves, as selected by an international jury bringing perspectives from a range of design disciplines. To have our work recognised within this wider Scandinavian design community is an acknowledgement that the ideas we develop internationally continue to resonate with the values of Scandinavian design: challenging conventions, creating meaningful experiences and using design as a tool for positive change.
The award recognises design that responds to global challenges, supports sustainable development and contributes to a more responsible future. Through an international jury, the award celebrates projects that combine creativity, relevance and long-term impact – demonstrating how design can help shape more sustainable ways of living, learning and interacting with the world. It sees through designs that demonstrate how thoughtful, purposeful solutions can contribute to a better future.
The two shortlisted projects reflect our belief that schools can be much more than buildings where teaching takes place.
At The Garzón School in Uruguay, architecture, landscape and pedagogy are brought together in a nature-connected learning environment where the school and the surrounding park become one. The design places students at the centre, creating opportunities for exploration, play, movement and self-directed learning.
At KIS International School Reignwood Park in Thailand, the campus is organised as a landscape of learning, with different environments designed around the developmental needs of students. Gardens, indoor and outdoor spaces, movement and exploration are woven together to create a learning journey that grows with the students.
Both projects share a common ambition: to rethink what a school can be and to create environments that support the way children learn, develop and experience the world.
Ultimately, this is what design means to us: not simply shaping beautiful spaces, but questioning conventions, responding to real needs and creating learning environments that genuinely help children and communities thrive.
The winners of the 2026 Danish Design Award will be announced later this year.
Read more here.