Porada International Design Award 2025 , Cabiate / Italien

Press release by Porada

 

Innovative SOFAS concepts will be the focus of the 13th edition of the contest promoted by PORADA and POLI.design, under the patronage of ADI – Association for Industrial Design.

 

Students and professionals from the design world can submit their projects and proposals by January 31st, 2026.

 

 

Milan, March 5th, 2025 – Applications are now open for the PORADA INTERNATIONAL DESIGN AWARD 2025, the international competition promoted by Porada — a leading company in furniture and home décor production — and POLI.design, a Consortium Company founded by Politecnico di Milano. In its 13th edition, this year's contest will focus on SOFAS, emphasizing originality, innovation, and the pursuit of new design solutions. The contest will award the most creative proposals submitted by Italian and international students and professionals in the design world. Projects must incorporate solid wood as the predominant (but not necessarily exclusive) material, in combination with other materials from Porada's collection (such as leather, fabric, marble, ceramic, etc.). The objective is to interpret Porada's values and identity, enhancing the use of production technologies and traditional woodworking processes. At the same time, projects should provide functionality, compliance with safety regulations, ergonomic requirements, environmental considerations, and sustainable design principles.

 

 

"Just days after the conclusion of the 2024 edition, we are already working on the 2025 competition to provide participants with a long period for research and ideation. This year, for the first time, we have chosen sofas, a furniture category that has been part of Porada's production for a relatively short time—around a dozen years. Just as with beds, we expect to receive fascinating projects from all over the world," explains Tiziano Allievi, CEO of Porada.

 

"Once again, we are pleased to support PORADA in this competition. The award has now become a global benchmark for Furniture Design, and we are happy to continue this journey within the tradition of Politecnico di Milano, rooted in Product Design and enhancing new talents," says Cabirio Cautela, CEO of POLI.design. "POLI.design supports business with an innovative and creative perspective. Through initiatives like this, in collaboration with our partners, we aim to strengthen and guide the future of the Italian Design System while providing young designers with valuable career opportunities."

 

A jury of industry experts from Porada, POLI.design, and ADI will evaluate and select the winning projects. The evaluation criteria will include originality, the degree of innovation, and the search for new design solutions related to solid wood craftsmanship, material experimentation, surface finishes, and the ability of the projects to define and anticipate new usage scenarios and innovative furniture concepts, with a particular focus on the typological, technological, and morphological characteristics of sofas.

 

The Jury will select three winners in each category (Students and Professionals) and award the Giacomo Allievi Special Mention, for a total prize fund of € 11,000. The awards ceremony will take place during a dedicated event organized by Porada.

 

www.porada.it or www.porada-design-award.polidesign.net

 

 

A third-generation Italian family business, Porada is a Made in Italy excellence that has been producing furniture and home décor for households worldwide since 1948. With over 70 years of expertise in fine woodworking, Porada develops products that embody a harmonious balance of craftsmanship, innovation, design, elegance, and lasting quality. Porada maintains a strong international presence through collaborations with Italian and international designers, as well as a global network of agents and clients. Porada in numbers: 5 flagship stores (Cabiate, Milan, London, Paris, New York), 21+ mono- brand stores, distribution in 50+ countries, 200+ shop-in-shop locations.

 

POLI.design is an international center for postgraduate education and a key player in the Politecnico di Milano Design System (1st in Italy, 3rd in Europe and 7th in the world according to the QS World University Rankings 2024 for Art & Design). Founded in 1999, it has been dedicated to developing and refining cross- industry educational programs through a project-based learning approach, leveraging polytechnic knowledge and research. Specializing Masters, Executive Courses and customized services for organizations equip students and professionals with a design mindset to lead the transformation in a wide range of fields. At the heart of the Italian and global design education network, POLI.design fosters strong connections between academia, institutions, and the business world.