The Challenge: Designing a dining chair

This edition of the Seat Prize, in collaboration with Group Isola Design, addresses both the product and idea categories under the theme of “Dining Chair Design.” Participants are required to design a dining chair consistent with this year’s approaches and goals, and submit their final work to the permanent secretariat of the Seat Prize.

Design Objective:

The primary goal is a combination of beauty, comfort, and durability to ensure an enjoyable and relaxing experience for the user. Design should be innovative, durable, and harmonize with the intended environment. The Seat Prize 2025 emphasizes creativity, sustainability, and harmony to present high-quality, comfortable furniture suitable for both public and private spaces.

Designs should enhance comfort and quality while contributing to the improvement of spaces for hosting and social gatherings, playing a significant role in shaping dining environments.

Delivery, Evaluation, and Jury Conditions:

This edition of the Prize is held in two separate categories:

1. Product

2. Idea

1) Product (Design and Production): In this category, designers are responsible not only for the design but also for the production process. The outcome should be an object presented as a prototype or a pre-produced sample. The subject for submissions in this section is the annual theme of the prize: “Dining Chair.”

2) Idea (Conceptual Design): Designers compete to develop outstanding design concepts aligned with the prize’s annual theme.

Contestants

The contestants in this event could be any real person participating individually or a group of individuals participating as a group.

Jury:

 Isola Design Group:

- Elif Resitoglu

- Gabriele Cavallaro

Registration Fees per Entry Code (Product)

First period (50% discount): €25

Second period (20% discount): €40

Third period (regular fee): €50

Registration Fees per Entry Code (Idea)

First period (50% discount): €18

Second period (20% discount): €28

Third period (regular fee): €35

Prizes

Product Category

First Place: €1000 + virtual exhibition of the work at Milan Design Week 2026 + Prize Medal and Certificate of Appreciation

Second Place: €500 + free membership on the Isola Design Group website + Prize Medal and Certificate of Appreciation

Third Place: €300 + free membership on the Isola Design Group website + Prize Medal and Certificate of Appreciation

Fourth Place: Certificate of Appreciation

Fifth Place: Certificate of Appreciation

Idea Category

First Place: Free membership on the Isola Design Group website + Prize Medal and Certificate of Appreciation

Second Place: Free membership on the Isola Design Group website + Prize Medal and Certificate of Appreciation

Third Place: Free membership on the Isola Design Group website + Prize Medal and Certificate of Appreciation

Fourth Place: Certificate of Appreciation

Fifth Place: Certificate of Appreciation

- The jury may select any number of works in both the “Idea” and “Product” categories as Honourable Mentions. These designers will receive a Prize Medal and Certificate of Appreciation.

- Winning and honourable mention works will be published in specialized design magazines and media.

- All works complying with the event’s conditions will be printed and published in the Seat Prize Yearbook.

Timeline of the Prize

Official Call for Submissions Announcement:  29 May 2025
First Registration Period (Early Bird): 29 May to 23 Jul 2025
Second Registration Period (Regular) :24 Jul to 19 Sep 2025
Third Registration Period (Late) : 20 Sep to 20 Oct 2025
Digital Works Upload Period (Idea and Product categories): 11 Aug to 22 Oct 2025
First Stage Judging: 23 to 25 Oct 2025
Announcement of Shortlist: 29 Oct to 1 Nov 2025
Physical Submission Period (Product category) and Design Artifacts (Product and Idea categories): 22 Nov to 21 Dec 2025
Final Stage Judging: 22 to 26 Dec 2025
The announcement period and inauguration of the exhibition: 1 to 7 Jan 2026
Deadline for Submitting Appeals: 15 Jan 2026
Final Decision by the Initial Dispute Resolution Board and Award Ceremony: 21 Jan 2026

Contact Information for the Prize Secretariat 

Email: [email protected]

Phone Number: +98 913 803 9295

Postal Address: Isfahan, Khaghani Street, Corner of Alley 31, Safavi House

Postal Code: 8175718983

The top image in the article courtesy of Seat Prize.

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