3.11.10 | Chicago, IL | The International Interior Design Association (IIDA) is pleased to announce the winners of two of the Association’s prestigious interior design competitions: the 37th Annual Interior Design Competition and the 18th Annual Will Ching Design Competition. Truly international in scope, this year’s slate of winners demonstrates that great design is a universal goal. Out of over 300 entries, 99 projects were either completed abroad or by international firms.

The six winners in the 37th Annual Interior Design Competition were chosen from over three hundred projects submitted in the following practice areas: Commercial, Education/Institutional, Government, Healthcare, Hospitality, Residential and Retail/Showroom. The six winners were:

1. Project: FIDM, San Diego, California
Firm: Clive Wilkinson Architects, West Hollywood, California

2. Project: LYNNsteven, Vancouver, British Columbia
Firm:mgb ARCHITECTURE + DESIGN Inc., North Vancouver, British Columbia

3. Project: Rennie Art Gallery and Offices, Vancouver, British Columbia
Firm: mgb ARCHITECTURE + DESIGN Inc., North Vancouver, British Columbia

4. Project: Dubai Mall Medical Center, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Firm: NBBJ, Columbus, Ohio

5. Project: Guess?  Inc. Headquarters, Los Angeles, California
Firm: STUDIOS Architecture, Beverly Hills, California

6. Project: MUMUTH Music Theatre, Graz, Austria
Firm:UNStudio, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

In addition, Kubrick Bookshop and MOMA Movie Centre, Beijing, China, designed by One Plus Partnership Limited of Hong Kong, China was chosen as the winner of the 18th Annual Will Ching Design Competition, which honors outstanding commercial design by firms of five or fewer individuals. 

"In what has proven to be a challenging year for the Interior Design professional, we were pleasantly surprised to receive the number and quality of entries that we did,” stated IIDA Vice President of Communications, Steven McCollom, IIDA, who oversaw the judging process. “The winning entries prove that design doesn't have to be compromised, whether because of a budget or an international project team.” While the international response to these competitions was the greatest IIDA has ever seen, the true sign of the times is the increase in global project teams. Just from the winners list, a firm from Columbus, Ohio won recognition for their project in Dubai, while a firm in The Netherlands won for a project in Austria.

Judges for the distinguished competition included Giorgio Borruso, Giorgio Borruso Design, Marina Del Rey, California; Carlos Martinez, IIDA, Gensler, Chicago, Illinois; Judy Niedermaier, Niedermaier, Chicago, Illinois; and Peggy Noakes, FIIDA, WHR Architects, Houston, Texas.  The judging took place February 27, 2010 in Chicago.  After discussing the entries for this year’s competitions, the judges agreed that they “saw work that reflects this moment in time and shows the diversity of design and how it is a channel for society and culture to reflect itself.”

All winning projects not previously published will be featured in the NeoCon issue of Interior Design magazine, the publishing partner for the competitions. The judges’ selection for Best of Competition will be officially revealed and all winners will be celebrated at COOL, the IIDA NeoCon Gala to be held Sunday, June 13 in the Grand Ballroom at the Westin Chicago River North.  For table purchases or ticket information, please contact Jenny Palmer at 888.799.4432, jpalmer@iida.org or visit www.iida.org.