Upcoming Events

Date

30 November 2021

At long last we’re excited to announce pre-sales for the Best Awards Annual 2020, proudly presented by the Designers Institute of New Zealand (DINZ). Slightly delayed due to Covid-19, but worth the wait. This year’s annual has been given a facelift to truly celebrate the best of our creative industry.

The Annual is specially edge-printed, and features a section-sewn lay flat binding so it opens flat and stays flat. Beautifully offset printed, and spanning 736 pages, this chunky purple book proudly gives every medal-winning project it’s own page.

This year, DINZ are selling the Annual for $69 NZD in order to help cover costs of production. With a very limited edition print-run of 500, don’t miss out on securing your block of design history.

Long live print! www.bestbook.co.nz

Thanks Seachange 💜

Best Annual 2020

Limited edition print-run of 500. Pre-order yours from www.bestbook.co.nz

Date

30 November 2021

Background

A new speaker series designed to engage the New Zealand business and design community in exploring design's role in helping businesses adapt to The New Normal.

All around the world, COVID-19 has been called out as the biggest risk to a countries’ economic growth.

Yet the future of work is now here, consumer confidence is returning, and digitally enabled productivity has been accelerated out of necessity. 

There’s no more looking back.

SERIES OBJECTIVES:

The Design The New Normal outcomes:
- Give business leaders and the design community the inspiration they need to take on the New Normal with confidence
- Share knowledge and examples of how business and design leaders are innovating in response to the New Normal.
- Drive more bold initiatives to tackle new customer needs across industry sectors.
- Create a more sustainable and resilient New Zealand economy.

Why do it?
New Zealand organisations have never seen a time like this. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced new customer behaviours and accelerated macro trends like, equity, technology, wellbeing, sustainability and climate change. 

If we cast our minds back to the first lockdown in 2020, everyone had to pivot their strategies to react to what was right in front of them. What resulted was huge innovation and creative thinking which focused on surviving in the hope we would return back to normal. 

Well, we are almost 2 years on and the pandemic, along with other global trends, have changed the game. We have the opportunity, and dare we say it, duty, to design a future which is different also better to the one we were destined for, before the pandemic Let’s  give everyone the inspiration, motivation and confidence to take this on with gusto.

How will we do this?
By executing a series of Webcasts which aim to draw insights from 100 local and global business/design leaders about the following:
- What does the new normal look like for you at home and at work - how has COVID impacted the way         you live and work?
- How has that led to different or better creativity/innovation?
- What's the biggest challenge in meeting the needs of customers in a new normal?
- What things do we need to rethink so we accelerate the change we need to make to meet customer           needs?
- What's your idea on how we could do that? or what have you seen this well?
- What's the role design thinking can play in helping make this happen?

Speaker and Topics to be announced soon.

Date

30 November 2021

Background

A masterclass series in design led business management.

Covering:
1. Foundation of a Business
3. People
4. Creative and Outputs

(will be scaled to meet Covid Levels...as D.Casts; live online and in person events)

Speaker(s)

The Foundation of Business

- why Design Process is important to your business.

The  first will be a D.Cast.

Introduction
Historically Foodstuffs have not held and maintained a ‘Format System’ and development of new stores and refurbishments have been quote adhoc with new stores taking on different floor area sizes and varying architecture.

Whilst there has been a system for controlling on brand fixtures and fittings, they have not been documented well to allow them to be accessible for stores and repeatable.

We are going to share some insights into how we have changed this by moving to a controlled Format pack and team that leads this and the journey to changing the culture of the business to use standards layouts and fixtures.

Some questions that will be covered in the D.Cast:

1. How does the design process work at Foodstuffs? Pre Scope, Store Walk,  Scope, Scope Lockdown, Concept, Concept Lockdown. Prelim

2.  What are the key data points that Foodstuffs use at these stages? Sales data Customer insights Store visual and operator input Specialist input from support centre

3.  How does Foodstuffs make sure this process is followed for every project?

4. Who are the key people involved in this process?

5. How do Foodstuffs control Standards?

Date

30 November 2021

Background

Wainuku - when the waters of the body are dragged towards Papatūānuku.

The  name draws from the Māori description: Wainuku – when your mood is really low and you feel down in the dumps. When we’re anxious or feel depressed, the waters of our bodies are dragged towards Papatūānuku.

Heavy Like Water aims to:

  • Normalise the mental health conversation within the design community. 
  • Create awareness about inclusion of neurodiverse individuals in the workspace.

City

Auckland

Date

18 February 2022
6:30pm–Till late

Background

The weather will be good, we will have had the chance to reset over the summer break and we can celebrate our community as a community – together, holding up the best our industry has to offer.

To ensure that Best can be the celebration we want it to be, this week we have made the difficult decision to move the award evening to Friday 18th February, 2022.

The Best Awards marks the annual moment where we pause and raise a pin (and a glass) to the contribution design makes to our culture, our economy and our unique place in the world.

We look forward to seeing you for the first summer edition of Best Awards.

*If you have booked for the 5th November and the February date doesn't work for you we will refund (see our Rules on refund policy).

Brought to you by The Designers Institute of New Zealand, The Best Design Awards is an annual showcase of excellence in graphic, spatial, product, digital and motion design along with three special awards - Value of Design, Public Good and Toitanga

Dress Your Best for FRIDAY 18th FEBRUARY 6.30pm at the Aotea Centre:

The Best Design Awards 2021 includes drinks, dinner and after party.

18.30 - 19.00    Pre drinks 
19.15 - 19.30      Move into the theatre to your designated row/seat
19.30 - 22.00   Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre and awards presentation
22.00 - 1.00      Food Stations / Afterparty

MC - Jennifer Ward-Lealand.
(Jennifer Ward-Lealand appears by arrangement with Johnson & Laird Management).

Beverage service in the Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre
Food Stations for dinner after the ceremony

One thing to get excited about this year is The 2021 Feels Campaign Tote Bag!
Every Best guest will obtain a beautifully custom-designed tote by South and Porter Packaging that delivers the sensation of textural touch, and the feeling of functional excellence when carrying your pins out the theatre!

Tickets $265 including GST
Ticket sales close 11th February 2022

REFUNDS:
If you have booked for the 5th November and the February 2022 date doesn't work for you we will refund (see our Rules on refund policy).
Refunds will not be given 10 working days prior to the advertised awards ceremony.
Online payments incur third party Stripe fees. The refund for tickets will have this fee deducted and reflected in the refund.

Covid-19 rules will apply as set by the government and venue.

View All Events

Best Week

Years

2013 — Present

The lead up to our most prestigious night of the year is the ideal time to bring the design community together to reflect and connect. During Best Week we hold a series of events that build towards the industry's big night out at the Best Design Awards.

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2015

2014

2013

Designers Speak®

Years

2011 — Present

The more we talk about design in New Zealand, the more robust the conversation becomes. Our Designers Speak events give our members the chance to hear top designers sharing insights into their work.

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2011

Designers Speak® Across the Ditch

Years

2015 — Present

Great design can flow both ways across the ditch. This event encourages that trans-Tasman design dialogue, and is a collaboration between the Australian Graphic Design Association (AGDA) and DINZ.

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

Folio Night

Years

2015 — Present

Supported by design schools and studios, Folio Night is an initiative from the DINZ Student Council. Each event is a prestigious opportunity for nominated students to present their work for discussion and critique.

2018

2017

2016

2015

No Borders

Years

2015 — Present

Good design can transcend geography’s barriers. And many inquisitive and ambitious New Zealand designers have made the brave and uncertain move of shifting overseas. At No Borders, they return home to share what they have learned.

2018

2017

2015

Open Studio™

Years

2015 — Present

We all have a natural curiosity about the spaces in which designers create. Open Studio offers a rare opportunity to enter these private worlds, and see the inner workings of some of New Zealand's best studios.

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

Pixel to Product

Years

2016 — Present

With digital technology, design is in a state of constant change. This event series gives designers a forum to discuss how this impacts on their innovation process; how they push ideas from the abstract into the real; and on how quickly they bring products to market.

2016

The Form Forum®

Years

2013 — Present

This series of informal events is primarily a forum for spatial designers to meet and share insights. A broad range of relevant topics are presented and discussed including useful tools and tips, the latest design trends and best industry practice.

2021

2019

2018

2017

2016

2014

2013

The Graphics Forum

Years

2016 — Present

This series of informal events is primarily a forum for graphic designers to meet and share insights. A broad range of relevant topics are presented and discussed including useful tools and tips, the latest design trends and best industry practice.

2017

2016

The Product Forum

Years

2016 — Present

This series of informal events is primarily a forum for product designers to meet and share insights. A broad range of relevant topics are presented and discussed including useful tools and tips, the latest design trends and best industry practice.

2017

2016

Other

2021

2020

2019

2018

2015

2014

2013