BDP, the winner in the Best User Experience category, was praised for presenting "very strong evidence of proper user research with a dedicated team," a commitment level the judges found "lacking or sketchy" in some other entries.
This foundational work ensured their entire website redesign was a targeted, meaningful exercise which also avoids the common trap that architects often fall into of trying to cram too much onto the page. The result is a cleaner, more consistent visual style and layout that encourages prolonged, productive interaction.
Judges said the platform is notably calm and intelligent, working hard behind the scenes to deliver an experience that feels purposeful, human, and genuinely useful for its global teams.
Critically, the firm's use of a headless web architecture—which decouples the website’s backend from the front end—has positioned it to seamlessly integrate emerging technologies like its AI-powered translation tech. This system does more than automate; it intelligently adapts content for global audiences while preserving nuance, tone, and intent without breaking the content's flexible design.
The Power of Simplicity
Award-winning digital design doesn't need to rely on deploying the newest or most expensive technology. The winners in the Best Visual Design category proved the enduring power of simplicity with personality.
Chris Romer-Lee's website, a winner in this category, is simple but remarkably effective, using colour, diverse image types, and straightforward typography. It was described as "coming across as honest and true with a distinct personality".
The second winner, Tuckey Design Studio, was lauded for a website whose design is "perfectly aligned with the firm's ethos". The judges especially liked the use of video as an alternative to still photography, which they said gave the design "warmth"—a quality often missing in architectural websites—and effectively conveyed the studio's unique character and values.
WINNERS
Best User Experience
Creative studio: Peter & Paul
Best Visual Design
Creative studio: Lynda Byrne
Creative studio: A Common Purpose
