Cooper-Hewitt Director Bill Moggridge announced the winners and finalists of the 2010 National Design Awards, which recognize excellence across a variety of disciplines.
"The context in which designers and design thinkers operate is expanding all the time, as evidenced by the work of these award winners," said Moggridge.
"These design pioneers are committed to shaping how we live through design and their work truly responds to the pressing issues of the day."
The 2010 National Design Award nominations were solicited from a committee of more than 2,500 designers, educators, journalists, cultural figures and corporate leaders from every state in the nation.
Nominees must have at least seven years of experience in order to be nominated, and winners are selected based on the level of excellence, innovation and public impact of their body of work.
First launched at the White House in 2000 as a project of the White House Millennium Council, the National Design Awards were established to promote excellence and innovation in design.
The Awards are accompanied each year by a variety of public education programs, including special events, panel discussions and workshops.