Shaw Contract’s ‘Design Is…Award’ is a global design program which is open to all professional interior design firms, architecture firms, and end users who have featured a Shaw Contract product in their project. Entries are submitted from key industry market segments, and are judged on a detailed design story encompassing sustainability & environmental goals, innovative design solutions, and the flooring’s contribution to design objectives.

The task of reviewing each design story takes a lot of thought and an intuitive sense of design. These awards are judged by an independent panel of industry experts across the globe, including representatives from Gensler, NBBJ, HLW, IBI Group, and Princeton University.

Two representatives from each Global Award winning firm are invited on an International ‘Design Journey’ as guests of Shaw Contract, with business class airfares included. A $2,000 USD charitable donation will also be awarded in the Global Award winning firm’s name to an organisation of its choice. Since 2006, the Design is…Award scholarship has helped build a lasting design legacy with over $100,000 being awarded to educational organisations around the world.

The 2016 Design Is…Award Global Winners were judged from 450 total entries, from 32 Countries, and represent the highest caliber of work within industry segments across the globe. There are 5 Global Award winners for 2016, including one project from Australia, as well as a People’s Choice Winner.

So who won?

Education
Wyndham Vale Primary School, Haskell Architects
Location: Wyndham Vale, Australia
Product used: Plane Hexagon carpet tiles

The Study of Aeronautical Services, Hospitality and Tourism, Mars Interieurarchitecten
Location: Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Products used: Dye Lab carpet tiles

Public Space
Trimet Center Street Report Area, Pivot Architecture
Location: Portland, Oregon, U.S.A.
Products used: Expand carpet tiles, Folded Edge carpet tiles, Colour Plank carpet tiles

Large Office
Nixon Peabody LLP, Perkins+Will
Location: Washington, DC, U.S.A.
Products used: Fringe carpet tiles, Angle carpet tiles

Hospitality
Post Plaza, Stars Design BV
Location: Leeuwarden, The Netherlands
Products used: Dye Lab carpet tiles

Aged Care and People’s Choice Winner
Berman Commons, The Interiors
Location: Dunwoody, Georgia, U.S.A.
Products used: Custom Broadloom

This is the third year in a row that an Australian project has taken out a top position globally, highlighting our incredible local design talent. Congratulations to Haskell Architects for their Wyndham Vale Primary School project, and our previous winners Francis-Jones Morehen Thorp & Jackson Clements Burrows Architects.

Entries are now open for the 2017 Design Is…Awards. You can submit your design story here.

This article is presented by Shaw Contract.