Top image: Design Mark 2014. Restaurant of Taipei Fine Arts Museum by Tien Studio and Cosi O Cosi

With the design community turning its attention to Taipei, the upcoming host city for World Design Capital 2016, Taiwan’s Golden Pin Design Award, which has been running for 36 years as a domestic award, is returning for its second edition as an ‘international’ programme.

Best Design 2014. Lucky Shophouse by CHANG Architects by Chang Yong Ter

Entry submissions for 2015 have opened, and the organiser, Taiwan Design Center, is once again inviting companies in countries and regions outside of Taiwan to enter works targeted at the Chinese speaking (huaren) market.

Design Mark 2014. DAMO by Sense Lighting Co. Ltd and Seed Lighting Design

Individuals or companies that are selling, manufacturing, or designing products or projects in or for a country or region with a Chinese speaking market are eligible to enter the Golden Pin Design Award. Entries are accepted in four categories: Product Design, Visual Communication Design, Packaging Design, and Interior Design. Entered products and projects are assessed in three stages by an expert jury, which last year included such names as Naoto Fukasawa from Japan and Tommy Lee from Hong Kong.

Best Design 2014. Golden Moon by Laboratory for Explorative Architecture & Design Ltd

Works will be judged based on the way they meet the needs of the Chinese speaking market, their level of innovation, their ability to provide appropriate functions or operations that address how the Chinese market will use the product or project, aesthetics, and in the case of visual communication design, the way the works express the cultural sensibilities of the market.

Design Mark 2014. Karuisawa Restaurant – Tainan Branch by JOY Interior Design Studio and Karuisawa Restaurant

Winners will receive a Golden Pin Design Mark – an indicator of innovation that they can use to market their product or design project – or a Best Design trophy and media exposure.

Design Mark 2014. Tiehua Windows Series – Twist Stool by YHHY Design Studio

Last year, a record-breaking 1,901 products and projects entered into the Golden Pin Design Award from eight countries and regions, with 40 per cent of the 416 Design Mark winners coming from outside Taiwan. Products and projects from China, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore were also among the 21 Best Design winners.

Best Design 2014. 777-300ER Cabin Interior by China Airlines and Ray Chen International

Entry deadline to the Golden Pin Design Award is 30 June 2015. For more information and to enter the award, go to goldenpin.org.tw/en/