Miller Hull

What makes good design? That’s the question that we have sought to answer in the fourth edition of the Monocle Design Awards. This annual survey of the industry’s finest work features everything from leading architectural projects and the best in furniture production to community-building initiatives and top graphic works.

As in previous years, our editors and correspondents have scoured the globe for those who are setting new benchmarks. There are 50 prizes, presented in no particular order, covering works from six continents and 31 countries.

Our hope is that this list doesn’t just recognise best practice and acknowledge those making our lives better and more beautiful – but that it serves as a resource too. Want to find out who to work with on your next residential project? Which design studio to commission for a packaging update? Or which chair would perfectly complement your dining-room table? Well, take a look below, then pick up a copy of Monocle’s May edition, which features full reports on each of the winners.

The latest diplomatic outpost in Guatemala, the US Embassy, designed by the Miller Hull Partnership, is set on a forested plateau outside Guatemala City. The project is one of -./ that have been constructed in partnership with the US government as part of a push to improve security for American diplomats. A series of geometric structures, the complex is surrounded by gardens planted with native species. “We drew on the ceremonial and residential planning of Maya cities,” says Miller Hull’s Mathew Albores. The main stone-and-glass building towers above the rest and is clad in brise-soleil to minimise heat gain. In a pleasing contrast, the lower buildings are finished with a granite of di0erent shades and textures. Inside, a triple-height gallery space has views of an outdoor courtyard and forested ravine beyond. “The intent was to create an environment that provides a sense of formal grandeur while at the same time is warm and inviting,” says Albores. The e0ect is a dignified structure that’s grounded in its locale – an appropriate ambition for embassy architecture, and diplomats themselves.

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