The Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum announced this week that the 10th annual National Design Awards will take place on Friday, July 24, with educational programs in Washington, D.C., followed by a White House ceremony for the winners and finalists of the 2009 awards. First Lady Michelle Obama will serve as honorary patron for the Awards program.

The National Design Awards celebrate design in various disciplines as a vital humanistic tool in shaping the world. The Awards are accompanied each year by a variety of public educational programs, including special events, panel discussions, and workshops.

The awards recognize extraordinary contributions to design in 10 categories:  Lifetime Achievement, Design Mind, Corporate and Institutional Achievement, Architecture Design, Communication Design, Fashion Design, Interaction Design, Interior Design, Landscape Design and Product Design. The award recipients will also be honored at a dinner on October 22 at Cipriani in New York.

The 2009 National Design Awards recipients are:

Lifetime Achievement: Bill Moggridge

Design Mind: Amory B. Lovins

Corporate and Institutional Achievement: Walker Art Center
Finalists: Dwell Magazine and Heath Ceramics

Architecture Design: SHoP Architects
Finalists: Architecture Research Office and Michael Maltzan

Communication Design: The New York Times Graphics Department
Finalists: Hoefler & Frere-Jones and Project Projects

Fashion Design: Francisco Costa for Calvin Klein Collection
Finalists: Thom Browne and Rodarte

Interaction Design: Perceptive Pixel Inc
Finalists: Potion and Lisa Strausfeld

Interior Design: TsAO & McKOWN Architects
Finalists: Ali Tayar and Work AC

Landscape Design: Hood Design
Finalists: Andrea Cochran and Rios Clementi Hale Studios

Product Design: Boym Partners
Finalists: Salvor Projects and Smart Design

Several of the National Design Award winners will participate in a series of free concurrent public programs starting at 9:30 a.m. on July 24. Envisioned as a series of dialogues about the current state of design, winners will be paired for hour-long conversations. Members of the public can learn more about attending the programs by visiting the Web site www.nationaldesignawards.org.

Follow JCK on Instagram: @jckmagazine
Follow JCK on Twitter: @jckmagazine
Follow JCK on Facebook: @jckmagazine