Every great idea begins with a question: what if? Since 2013, the Lexus Design Award has been asking that question on a global scale, inviting emerging designers to reimagine how we live, move and connect. Over the past decade, it’s launched creative careers across continents, spotlighting visionary projects like fog-harvesting shelters, tactile puzzles for the visually impaired, and clothing packaging that dissolves in water. Each idea stems from a simple belief in the power of design.
Now, that energy is expanding right here in Aotearoa. For the first time, the Lexus Design Award New Zealand has welcomed two new universities into the fold, Victoria University of Wellington and Massey University, joining long-time Auckland partners AUT and the University of Auckland. Together, they form a nationwide hub for the next wave of creative talent, with Lexus weaving design thinking directly into coursework and providing mentoring from some of the country’s most exciting creative minds. This ensures the competition aligns naturally with university programmes.
The brief? Broad by design — a deliberate invitation for diversity of thought. Students are encouraged to dream up imaginative, sustainable solutions that embody Lexus’ guiding principles: Anticipate, Innovate, Captivate. From environmental interventions to beautifully human-scale ideas, the goal is simple: to design for a better tomorrow.
Mentorship remains at the heart of it all. In Auckland, Lexus ambassadors Simon James and Scott Bridgens of Resident return with their signature mix of industry insight and honest critique. Down in Wellington, a new line-up steps in: Gosia Piatek, Dayne Johnston, and Emma Wallace from Kowtow, alongside Megan Wyper and Paddy Kennedy of Acme Cup-Co, guiding students through the balance of aesthetics, ethics, and innovation.
The competition’s judging panel, including all mentors and Lexus New Zealand’s Vice President, will assess each entry on creativity, impact, and that hard-to-define spark that makes a design truly captivating. Winners from each university will receive $3,000, runners-up $1,000, but the real prize is the opportunity to exhibit at Auckland Design Week in 2026. A chance to turn an idea into something that matters and showcase it to industry experts – a major drawcard for students approaching the end of their studies.
Fresh from showcasing immersive installations at Milan Design Week, Lexus continues to blur boundaries between technology, artistry, and purpose. And here in New Zealand, the 2025 Lexus Design Award reminds us that design, at its best, is about shaping what comes next.
