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UNITY and Vestre HABITATS Win 2026 German Design Award

ProductsJanuary 19, 2026

Vestre’s modular furniture series UNITY and the nature-friendly product family Vestre Habitats have both won the 2026 German Design Award in the category Excellent Product Design – Public Design. The awards recognise solutions that combine high design quality with clear social and environmental relevance in the public space.

UNITY and Vestre HABITATS Win 2026 German Design Award

Vestre HABITATS, designed by René Hougaard and Alexander Qual, is a collection of elements that brings biodiversity into urban environments. Bird and bat boxes, insect hotels, compost bins, log benches and habitat structures are designed to provide shelter, food and nesting opportunities for insects, birds and bats. At the same time, the series helps people better understand the role of biodiversity through direct, physical interaction with nature.

"The jury praised Vestre HABITATS for its “subtle fusion of aesthetic clarity and functional relevance. The modular elements create effective habitats for wildlife and raise awareness of biodiversity through visual and tactile experiences. This characterful series sets a powerful benchmark for sustainable design in public spaces.”

UNITY, developed by schöne aussichten landschaftsarchitektur together with Ingenieure Blank | Soyka for Vestre, transforms hard urban surfaces into green, social meeting places. The modular system of seating, planters and trellises allows architects and planners to create flexible and inclusive outdoor environments.



UNITY and Vestre HABITATS demonstrate how thoughtful design can support both social interaction and ecological resilience in cities.

Read the full jury statements:

"According to the jury, UNITY’s consistently modular design “transforms urban spaces into flexible, green meeting points, creating a distinctive added value for social interaction. Striking geometries, variable heights, and harmonious transitions between seating and planting elements generate a charismatic, identity-shaping spatial atmosphere.”