In the first five editions the work of the nominees were exhibited in the Kunsthal, and afterwards in Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen.

Since 2007 the conceptual vision and performance in the field of the designer became its major criterion.

The awarded was inaugurated by the Rotterdamse Kunststichting,[1] where Christine de Baan was director of the Rotterdam Design Prize from 1993 tot 2000.

In 2007 Thimo te Duits & Gerard Forde managed the award and wrote the catalog.

Towards the end in 2011 the Rotterdam design prize was organized by Stichting Designprijs Rotterdam, Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen and Premsela, Dutch Institute for Design and Fashion.