The Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) is celebrating dual recognition at the 2025 Australian Good Design Awards, with ‘MAVlab – Innovation for the Public Good’ honoured in the Policy Design category, and the MAVlab brand receiving a Good Design Award.
One of the world’s longest-running international design award programs, the Australian Good Design Awards celebrate excellence across design disciplines and highlight projects that deliver positive impact for people, communities, and the planet.
This year’s theme, ‘Design for Better’, underscored the critical role design plays in building a more balanced, inclusive, and sustainable world.
Recognised in the Policy Design category, ‘MAVlab – Innovation for the Public Good’ was praised by the Jury as “an inspiring project that raises the bar for Policy Design. MAVlab works collaboratively with a network of 79 Victorian local governments and the broader sector to prepare for and respond to the increasingly complex challenges that communities are facing. Bravo.”
MAVlab is the innovation lab of the Municipal Association of Victoria, the peak body for local government in the state. MAVlab works with councils across Victoria to explore new approaches, design policy solutions, and build local government capability in innovation.
Alongside this recognition, the MAVlab brand, created in partnership with creative agency Fireside, was also awarded for design excellence. The brand was commended for its ability to distil complex ideas into a bold and accessible identity that inspires confidence, creativity, and collaboration across the local government sector.
“Good design is not just about how something looks – it’s about how it works and what it enables,” said Chief Innovator in Residence at MAV and MAVlab Lead, Bonnie Shaw.
“These awards recognise both the way we design innovation into the heart of local government, and the way we tell that story to our communities and partners. We’re incredibly proud to celebrate this success alongside our Fireside collaborators.”
The recognition comes in a record-breaking year for the Awards, with entries from across the globe representing world-class examples of design excellence. Rachel Wye, Managing Director of Good Design Australia, described the calibre of this year’s entries as “the highest on record,” praising the winners for their “transformational power to create a better and more sustainable future.”
Award winners will be officially celebrated at the 2025 Good Design Awards Ceremony, held at the International Convention Centre Sydney on Friday 17 October, where MAVlab and Fireside will receive their Good Design Tick Trophies alongside innovators from across the
world.
