Who controls your information

Universal Space & Grand Design (USG-UK) is the data controller for personal information used for the awards and this website.

Send privacy requests to the contact address on the entry form or in our correspondence. Mark the subject or message “Data Protection Request” and include enough information for us to identify the relevant record. We may ask for reasonable proof of identity before completing a request.

Information we may collect

• Identity and contact details, such as a name, organisation, role, email address, telephone number and country.
• Entry information, including project details, categories, credits, statements, images, files and associated correspondence.
• Payment and transaction records. Card details are handled by the payment provider. USG-UK does not store them.
• Award and publication information, including recipient, studio, project, category, award level and approved media credits.
• Technical and usage information, such as IP address, browser type, device information, requested pages, date and time, security events and diagnostic logs.
• Any other information supplied when a person contacts, works with or provides services to USG-UK.

Most information is collected directly from you. We may also receive information from an authorised entrant, employer, project collaborator, payment provider, website service provider or a publicly available professional source.

How and why we use information

To administer entries and awards

We use entry, contact and transaction information to run the awards: receiving submissions, checking eligibility, arranging jury review, recording decisions and handling trophy orders. The legal basis is normally performance of a contract or steps requested before entering a contract.

To operate and protect USG-UK

We use technical and administrative records to keep the website running, prevent misuse, answer enquiries and protect the judging process. We rely on legitimate interests where those interests are not overridden by individual rights.

To meet legal obligations

We may retain or disclose records where required for accounting, taxation, fraud prevention, dispute resolution, regulatory compliance or the establishment and defence of legal claims.

With consent

Where consent is required, it may be used for optional marketing, non-essential technologies or a specific publication use. Consent can be withdrawn at any time without affecting earlier lawful processing.

USG-UK does not use solely automated decision-making to determine award results. Eligible entries are evaluated through human jury review and moderation.

Sharing and public award records

Personal information may be shared only where necessary with:

• independent jurors and authorised award administrators;
• website hosting, secure storage, email, entry-platform, payment, printing, trophy and delivery providers;
• professional advisers, insurers, auditors, regulators, law-enforcement bodies or courts where appropriate; and
• another organisation involved in a reorganisation or transfer of the awards, subject to appropriate safeguards.

Confirmed winner information may be published in the official USG-UK archive and promotional materials. This can include the project title, designer or studio, category, award level, project location, description, images and credits supplied or approved for publication. Non-winning entries are not published as winners.

Cookies, local storage and logs

This website may use essential cookies and comparable browser storage for security, administration and core functionality. The displayed page-view counter uses browser storage so that the count can be presented consistently during a browsing session.

Our hosting and security services may record standard technical logs, including IP address, browser or device information, requested pages and timestamps. These records help deliver the website, diagnose faults and detect malicious activity.

If optional analytics, embedded services or marketing technologies are introduced, further information and a consent choice will be provided where required. Browser settings can be used to block or delete stored data, although some functions may then operate differently.

International transfers

USG-UK is an international awards platform. Service providers, entrants, collaborators or jurors may be located outside the United Kingdom, and information may therefore be accessed or processed internationally.

Where data protection law requires safeguards for a restricted transfer, we use an available lawful mechanism such as adequacy regulations, approved contractual safeguards or another permitted exception. Information about the safeguard relevant to a particular processing activity may be requested through the privacy contact route described in this policy.

Retention and security

We keep information only as long as it is needed, and for as long as legal, accounting and security rules require. How long depends on the record type, the award cycle, any contract still running, legal time limits, and whether the record is part of the public archive.

Confirmed winner records may remain publicly available indefinitely to preserve the integrity and historical value of the official awards archive. Entrants should ensure they have authority to provide all names, images and credits included in a submission.

Reasonable technical and organisational measures are used to protect information against unauthorised access, loss, alteration or disclosure. No online system is completely secure, so information should not be sent through an unapproved or insecure channel.

Your data protection rights

Depending on the circumstances and applicable law, you may have rights to request access, correction, erasure, restriction, objection and data portability. Where processing relies on consent, you may withdraw that consent at any time.

You also have the right to complain to the UK Information Commissioner’s Office. Guidance and contact options are available at ico.org.uk. We encourage you to contact USG-UK first so that we can try to resolve the concern.

Questions and policy changes

For a privacy question or rights request, use the official contact route on the relevant entry form or in USG-UK correspondence and clearly mark the request “Data Protection Request”. Please do not send identity documents unless requested through an authorised channel.

This policy may be updated when award services, legal requirements or data practices change. The latest version will be published on this page with a revised update date. Material changes will be highlighted where appropriate.