Norman Foster among medal winners at London Design Festival 2025

Norman Foster is among the medal winners at the London Design Festival 2025. The awards intend to recognize the “contribution made by leading design figures and emerging talents to London and the industry.”

Foster was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Medal, intended to honor a significant and fundamental contribution to the design industry over the course of a career. “I am deeply honoured to receive this special award,” Foster said. “Since my early childhood, design has been an integral part of my life. I feel extremely privileged to have indulged in this passion every day of my life since.” 

In addition, Cypriot-born British designer Michael Anastassiades was awarded the London Design Medal, presented to an individual who has distinguished themselves within the industry and demonstrated consistent design excellence. “It’s a great honour to feel at home and be acknowledged about a dream that you never knew was going to work out,” Anastassiades said.

Tilting the Lens founder and CEO Sinéad Burke was awarded the Design Innovation Medal, which celebrates entrepreneurship in all its forms both locally and international, honoring an individual for whom design lies at the core of their development and success. "It is a privilege to receive the Design Innovation Award,” Burke said. “As a majority Disabled team, we’ve seen few places acknowledge the innovation and intellectual property of lived experience. At Tilting the Lens, our design practice is rooted in co-designing with communities that have historically been designed for.”

London-based designer and maker Rio Kobayashi was awarded the Emerging Design Medal, which recognizes an individual or practice that has made a recent impact on the design scene and has an emerging practice showing design promise. “I am truly honoured to receive this recognition from the design community, alongside inspirational figures who have forged new paths of creativity for the future,” Kobayashi said.