The International Architecture & Design Awards (IADA) 2025, organized by the Architecture & Design Community (ADC), has revealed this year’s winners, recognizing groundbreaking achievements across the creative industries. With over 300 shortlisted entries from 45+ countries, the competition continues to spotlight innovation and excellence in design on a global scale.
Among this year’s honorees, multi-award-winning video game composer Chase Bethea earned the Platinum Award in the Original Music and Sonic Branding category for his powerful work on the Aground Zero Original Soundtrack.
A Soundtrack That Redefined the Genre
Aground Zero is the 3D successor to the beloved indie survival-crafting game Aground. Set in an underground world, the game blends mining, survival, and exploration mechanics with a hopeful narrative about escaping to the surface.
Bethea’s soundtrack complements that journey with nine dynamic, adaptive tracks designed to evolve with player actions, from exploration to combat. The music uses layered rhythmic and harmonic structures to create an immersive, emotionally resonant experience that pushes beyond the standard tropes of survival-crafting games.
Bethea on Winning the Platinum Award
In reflecting on the honor, Chase Bethea described the process of creating the soundtrack as one of the most challenging experiences of his career:
“I’m truly honoured to receive the Platinum Award from this esteemed organization. This particular soundtrack was one of the most challenging I’ve ever written. I struggled to find inspiration during the development process, as reactions to the game left me uncertain about how my music would be received. But in that creative void, I unintentionally pioneered dynamic music techniques for this genre that hadn’t been done before.”
He added that the most rewarding aspect came not from within the game itself, but from listeners outside the gaming community:
“The most unexpected and humbling part has been seeing how deeply the music resonated with listeners, many of whom never played the game. That response reminded me of the emotional power of game music as an art form, and I’m very grateful the jurors recognized that.”
Elevating Game Music to the Design World
The recognition of Bethea’s Aground Zero soundtrack by IADA is significant. Traditionally focused on architecture and design, the awards’ expansion into sonic branding highlights how music is increasingly seen as part of the built and digital environment.
By receiving Platinum, Bethea joins a select group of innovators whose work not only defines its medium but also transcends it, proving that game music can stand independently as an artistic force.
A Career Defined by Innovation
This latest honor builds upon Bethea’s long list of accolades, which include awards from the NYX Game Awards, Global Music Awards, and recognition from multiple outlets. Known for his adaptive scoring techniques and commitment to pushing creative boundaries, Bethea has become one of the most respected voices in contemporary video game music.
The 2025 Platinum Award from IADA cements Chase Bethea’s reputation as a pioneer in video game music. His Aground Zero Original Soundtrack is not only an achievement in composition but also a milestone in how the design community views the role of sound and music in immersive experiences.
