About

CDA Design Awards have been organized since 2012. The CDA Design Awards aims to promote designers and good designs, show the value of design, and promote Chiang Mai also the entire Northern Thailand (Lanna) region. The original name was Chiang Mai Design Awards and the awards was held during the Chiang Mai Design Week. This is our 10th year and the name is changed to CDA Design Awards. The CDA Design Awards now covers the entire Lanna region including eight provinces in Northern of Thailand: Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Lamphun, Lampang, Mae Hong Son, Phayao, Phrae and Nan.

The 2022 CDA Design Awards are a collaborative effort between Creative Lanna, an initiative by Chiang Mai University, Creative Chiang Mai, the Science and Technology Park (Chiang Mai University) and other organizations that wish to support and promote creative and innovative design.

The theme for 2022 is 'new local'. There is an increased appreciation of local heritage, ideas and craftsmanship. With the theme ‘new local’, the CDA 2022 encourages designers to be authentic while reinventing and reimaging their designs for contemporary use&living and share their stories with wider markets. By dropping this idea like a drop of lacquer paint that creates ripples, the CDA aims to affect changes in this direction and create new opportunities

The CDA Design Awards focuses on modern and contemporary designs, but for 2022 we are including Lanna culture, technique and material inspired designs more explicitly. There are 7 design categories, all designs have to be available or for sale, prototypes or ideas are not covered by the CDA Design awards. The Award ceremony is typically held during the Chiang Mai Design Week and is one of its highlights. The judges work on a pro bono basis and receive no direct compensation. Many organizations have supported and promoted the CDA Design Awards to help. This reflect the voluntary spirit which despite the CDA’s growth over the years is still one of its guiding principles.