Competition Information & Application

MICHIGAN DESIGN PRIZE 2026 CHALLENGE: FURNITURE
For the 2026 Michigan Design Prize Challenge, create a furniture concept that provides a solution for specific uses or problems, for individuals with unique needs, or for use in various environments (public spaces, private spaces, natural environments, business spaces, schools, industrial environments).

When thinking of ideas for unique furniture solutions, consider what materials are used, environmentally sensitive solutions, how it is made, and who makes it. Your furniture concept can be a singular object or a group of objects that work together as a system.

Michigan has a long history of furniture design, innovation and manufacturing, including designs that improve comfort, that provide efficient storage, improve productivity in the workplace, and enhance the beauty and utility of living spaces.

The history of furniture design includes centuries of design innovation. The historical scope of what defines furniture spans everything from a log as a seat to desks in classrooms, to workspaces in zero-gravity space stations. We encourage you to push the boundaries of what furniture is and could be in the future.

Competition Information & Application

Submission Deadline: February 20, 2026

There can be aspects of the solution that have user interfaces, software or apps, or focus on the user experience, but there must be a physical product at the core of the design solution.

Students determine the level of “finish” of their conceptual entry. A prototype is not required for submission. Two-dimensional visualization, images of prototypes, or a combination are acceptable and encouraged.

Both function and aesthetics are critical aspects of great industrial design solutions. Address both as you write your submission description.

Individual and Team Entries are Allowed. Maximum team size is 4 students. Include the primary contact name who is responsible for coordinating the team should they be chosen as a state finalist, and the names of each team member.

All entry descriptions must be in English. For your description, we recommend a clear and concise description of your designs’ merits, and applicability to the Michigan Design Prize challenge. The Michigan Design Council reserves the right to edit these descriptions for publication of selected finalists for clarity or reasonable standards of good taste.

Entrants may also submit a video to support their written description that verbally answers the required questions to help explain their concept (see Upload tab at the bottom of the entry form). A video is not required.

Competition Application Form K-5

Competition Application Form 6-12

The Michigan Design Prize is an annual competition celebrating and developing exceptional Michigan industrial design talent.

K- 12 grade students from across the state are invited to tackle a singular design challenge linked to Michigan and larger societal issues as actual designers solving an authentic problem.

● Finalists are offered a one-on-one mentoring session with a professionally trained industrial designer to rapidly advance their design thinking and visual communication skills. Finalists will be recognized for their design excellence in Michigan Design Council promotional media, awards ceremonies, and through the MDC website.

● Educators can develop their students’ capacity to enthusiastically embrace challenges they have never encountered before, asking “What can I do to solve this problem?” and live up to their potential as effective problem posers and solvers.

● Schools can build exciting connections between their school community and industry professionals driving our creative economy forward.

K – 12 grade students are invited to participate.

K-12 entries are judged in the following categories: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12.

The competition is administered and judged by the members of the Michigan Design Council.

To support your efforts to strengthen the creative capacity of your students and engage them in thinking like designers, we have addressed some FAQ’s (PDF).

We have also provided information about the design process (PDF) that we hope will be helpful to your planning and instruction.

Wholemindesign offers one day professional development for K – Collegiate educators who wish to learn more about the design process and how to meaningfully engage students in the challenge.