Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum honored the recipients of its 17th Annual National Design Awards at a New York gala during National Design Week in October. First Lady Michelle Obama served as the honorary patron of the awards, originally launched at the White House in 2000.

The 2016 recipients include architect Moshe Safdie for Lifetime Achievement; Marlon Blackwell Architects for Architecture Design; Studio O+A for Interior Design; Hargreaves Associates for Landscape Architecture; Ammunition for Product Design; Opening Ceremony for Fashion Design; and Tellart for Interaction Design. Bruce Mau, an author, and designer, won the Design Mind award. And Make It Right, a nonprofit founded by Brad Pitt that builds homes for people in need, won the Director’s Award.

Museum director Caroline Baumann says that the Cooper Hewitt engages design lovers of all ages throughout the U.S. and the world via these awards. Nominations are submitted by the public and reviewed by a jury of design leaders and educators. Winners are selected based on the level of excellence, innovation and public impact of their body of work. “This year’s class of winners reflects design’s remarkable empathy for contemporary social concerns, from promoting workplace productivity to preserving vernacular traditions to encouraging civic engagement,” says Baumann. “These designers explore innovative materials and develop new models of problem-solving in pursuit of these goals.” For a gallery of winners, visit cooperhewitt.org.