MILAN — The Fiat Topolino, a quadricycle designed to democratize urban mobility; 3D printed pasta for Barilla, and a self-balancing electric wheelchair named Genny Zero were among the future-defining creations that topped the Compasso d’Oro 2026 awards on Friday.

The common thread is that they improve daily life, which is the intrinsic mission of design.

“Design is a victory of intelligence over matter and a key tool for improving our lives,” said ADI president Luciano Galimberti at the award ceremony, which took place at the ADI Design Museum in Milan.

Compasso d’Oro is one of the world’s most prestigious design awards and was founded by Gio Ponti in 1954. It is often referred to as the “Oscars of the design world.”

Design furnishings and objects for the home brought to light the way the industry is integrating sustainable methods as common practice, both in the home and throughout the supply chain. The main Compasso d’Oro was awarded to international firm Snøhetta for its Array sofa designed for MdF Italia. The seating is made with modules crafted with a base molded from recycled polypropylene.

Array was also envisaged as a modular system that has the ability to grow with young design consumers throughout life and all of its changes. It can be easily reconfigured or disassembled, replaced and recycled.

The Bilboquet lamp designed by French designer Philippe Malouin, 2023, was also honored. The table lamp with an adjustable head is integrated with an LED bulb and its body is made with a pigmented byproduct of paper production rather than petroleum.

The jury honored nine prominent design figures, including Italian designers like Paola Lenti, famous for her resistant, upbeat outdoor designs; Patrizia Moroso, creative director of Moroso, and engineer and designer Alberto Meda, who’s known for imbuing intelligent, efficient mechanics with durable minimalist design.

“It is the conscious knowledge of the material that inspires an idea; it is a matter of knowing it, applying it, adapting it, and revealing its intelligence,” the Compasso d’Oro organizers said of Meda’s career.

Additionally, three historic icons were honored: Sedia ’64, a chair made with strict geometry by Angiolo Giuseppe Fronzoni for Cappellini; the Eros Table  by late Italian designer Angelo Mangiarotti for Agape in 1971, and Table with Wheels designed by late Italian designer Gae Aulenti in 1979 for FontanaArte.

The next Compasso d’Oro International Design Award will officially take place in Belgrade, Serbia, in tandem with Expo 2027 Belgrade.