PRINT Awards is an international competition that recognises graphic design and visual communications across various disciplines, from book, packaging and poster design to brand identities and digital experiences. It evolved from the PRINT Regional Design Awards programme, launched in 1980 to showcase quality design from all parts of the United States. Today, it brings together designers and studios from around the world, with entries judged on originality, innovation, craftsmanship and their ability to remain relevant over time.
This year’s selection includes 89 winners across 28 professional categories. Among the award-winning publications is Fortresses – The Fate of a City, designed by Studio Tumpić/Prenc from Rovinj for the Historical and Maritime Museum of Istria. The project tied for third place in the Books Entire Package category, which evaluates overall book design.
The book, authored and edited by Katarina Pocedić and Katarina Marić, presents Pula’s fortification system through museum and archival materials documenting its history. The diversity of these materials also shaped the design approach: rather than standardising the documents, Studio Tumpić/Prenc translated their character into the structure of the publication itself.
They found inspiration in a naval officer’s official file. The binding resembles old-fashioned folders, while kraft paper covers, metal rings and binding cord evoke documentation that is collected, preserved and used. Pages of different formats and tones create a layered whole, while dividers made of heavier paper separate the content and make navigation easier.
This design also anticipates signs of use. Through handling and the passage of time, the book is intended to gradually acquire the character of a well-used file, making the way the reader uses it part of its appearance.
The publication was produced in collaboration with printing company Kerschoffset, while entries in the books, annual reports, brochures and catalogues categories were judged by Sean Adams, Jason Ramirez and Barbara DeWilde.
Among the winning entries is also the Hedda Gabler poster, designed by Mirko Ilić for the Yugoslav Drama Theatre in Belgrade. The work by his New York studio, Mirko Ilic Corp., took second place in the Posters category. The illustrated poster offers a contemporary reading of Henrik Ibsen’s classic, conveying the psychological tension, moral ambiguity and emotional darkness of its heroine. Themes of power, repression and self-destruction are distilled into a visual expression that brings Hedda Gabler’s story closer to today’s audiences. Ilić’s studio also took first place in the Graphic Novels category for the A.C. 2020 series.
First-place winners include Combo for the Get Away campaign for Away in the Advertising category and Chad Michael Studio for Bebemos Tequila in the Packaging category. Tarek Atrissi Design took first place for its poster series for the Mahmoud Kahil Awards, while Vocal Type took first place in the Citizen Design Award category with CHARACTERS: Voices in Type.
The complete list of winners is available on the PRINT website.
