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A glass trophy being crafted during the glassblowing process in a workshop.

Crafting AHEAD Trophy 2026

An original for every original

Lighting Design Awards Lighting Craft & Tradition 3 min. reading

Crafting AHEAD Trophy 2026

Preciosa Lighting joins AHEAD to create a unique crystal trophy to reward equally unique achievements.

AHEAD is the only global awards programme recognising the people and projects shaping the hospitality industry.

Four regions. One global celebration.

Asia, the Americas, the Middle East & Africa and Europe each host their own regional awards, culminating in a global celebration of hospitality design.

Great hospitality begins with an original idea. It takes many hands, many decisions and an exacting eye to turn that idea into something remarkable. In AHEAD’s tenth year, Preciosa Lighting becomes its Trophy Sponsor, marking the beginning of a new chapter for both. The trophy gives that moment a distinctive symbol of what’s been achieved and what lies ahead.

Hand sketching the design of the AHEAD 2026 trophy with colorful accents.
Designing AHEAD trophy

Crafting an original

Every AHEAD trophy begins in Bohemia, where it is shaped by hand from crystal. Its silhouette takes its cue from the distinctive AHEAD “A”. Yet within that shared form, the glass follows its own course. The hand-blowing process creates subtle variations inside every piece, so no two trophies can ever be identical.

It is a fitting meeting of shared values: craftsmanship celebrating craftsmanship, originality recognising originality, and a unique symbol created for every exceptional achievement.

Video

Crafting the trophy

AHEAD Awards trophies

Colorful AHEAD 2026 trophies representing creativity and originality. Colorful AHEAD 2026 trophies symbolizing creativity and innovation in design. Colorful AHEAD 2026 trophies symbolizing creativity and originality. AHEAD 2026 trophies showcasing a stylish design celebrating creativity and originality. AHEAD 2026 trophies in vibrant colors symbolizing creativity and originality.

The designer's perspective

Lukáš Žák Uliarczyik, designer of the AHEAD trophy

The trophy brings together what AHEAD and Preciosa value most: design, architecture, hospitality and the human hand behind them. Its form grows from the AHEAD ‘A’, rising vertically like a piece of architecture, hinting at our ambition to reach new heights. Inside, the crystal is less predictable. Its organic structure is shaped by the movement of molten glass, giving every piece a character of its own. The form remains constant. What happens within it never does. For me, that tension between precision and spontaneity is what makes the trophy feel true to both AHEAD and Preciosa.

Lukáš Žák Uliarczyk Lead Designer

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