what does it take to enter design history? ADI answers with compasso d’oro

GLOBAL STAGE FOR PROJECTS THAT DARE TO RETHINK HUMAN PLAY

What gives contemporary design international cultural weight? For Expo 2027 Belgrade, the Compasso d’Oro International Award suggests the answer lies in human play. Curated by ADI with the BIE under the theme ‘Design for Humanity at Play,’ the initiative calls for recently launched products, services, and interactive experiences. Moving from online submissions into tangible public space, shortlisted projects will inhabit a dedicated pavilion in Belgrade’s Best Practices district.

Compasso d’Oro International | all images courtesy of ADI

ENTERING THE ADI COMPASSO D’ORO HISTORICAL COLLECTION

While the modern creative cycle often rewards ephemeral online impressions, true significance in architecture and industrial design is still measured by cultural permanence. The ADI Design Museum in Milan provides precisely that anchor, serving as an active custodian of the objects, systems, and spaces that define contemporary living. For participating creators and brands, selection secures a permanent place within the ADI Compasso d’Oro Historical Collection, establishing each project as an enduring reference point for future generations.

adi-design-museum_televisore-doney_marco-zanuso-e-richard-sapper_designboom — Doney television, Marco Zanuso and Richard Sapper, Brionvega, Compasso d’Oro 1962

NINE PATHWAYS SHAPING CONNECTION, SPACES, AND HUMAN EXPERIENCES

Operating within Expo 2027 Belgrade’s framework of ‘Play for Humanity – Sport and Music for All’, the competition repositions play from passive entertainment into a serious tool for human connection and collective wellbeing. The scope is broad, accepting realized work across nine diverse fields: from Lighting, Living, and Work to Mobility, Food, Individual Goods, Communication, Exhibition, and Social Systems. Whether scaling a zero-emission transit solution or reconfiguring communal furniture, submissions must demonstrate how intentional design turns the instinct of play into lasting social impact.

An international jury will select 20 Compasso d’Oro winners, alongside up to 50 Honourable Mentions and three International Career Awards. The results will be unveiled live at Expo 2027 Belgrade on May 24, 2027, kicking off an exhibition that runs through August 15. Across nearly three months, the pavilion will stage six thematic weeks of talks, workshops, and public events to keep the projects in active dialogue with international visitors.