Ninth Annual Design is… Award Global Winners Announced Firms celebrated for design excellence around the world

CARTERSVILLE, Ga. – September 10, 2014 – In its ninth year, the Shaw Contract Group Design is… Award program honors architecture and design firms that are changing the very idea of what design is. Six projects out of 356 entries from 25 countries were selected as winners. Through these winning projects, selected from commercial spaces from around the globe, we see how design is redefining our lives and improving it for the better.

“After nine years and more than 2,100 entries from 34 countries, the Design Is… Award continues to champion design excellence across market segments and around the world,” says John Stephens, vice president of marketing for Shaw Contract Group. “The Design is… Award program celebrates more than just beautiful spaces. These projects surmount simple beauty to deliver innovative solutions, impacting the people who encounter the space and the functions that take place within.”

Firm: ZGF Architects | Seattle, WA
Project: Federal Center South Building 1202 | Seattle, WA
Taking cues from biophilia, the workplace design strategy creates a connection with nature, leading to happier and more productive employees. The building mimics nature surrounding the site, while maximizing daylight and views.

Firm: FrancisJones
Morehen Thorp | Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Project: Melton Library and Learning Hub | Melton, Victoria, Australia
With an emphasis on environmentally responsible design and materials, the library complex boasts sweeping curves and vertical timber battening to accentuate the doubleheight reading space.

Firm: Nikken Sekkei Ltd. | Tokyo, Japan
Project: JOSAI University Educational Corp., Tokyo Kioicho Campus, Bldg 3 | Tokyo, Japan
In Tokyo, effective and efficient student workspaces is limited. Innovative solutions, including multifunction areas, and small “alcoves” along carpeted corridors provide quiet spaces where students can meet and spend time together.

Firm: Hickok Cole Architects | Washington, DC
Project: NPR | Washington, DC
Raw sophistication, striations of color and visual interpretations of news reverberate throughout the 330,000  square foot landmark building and historic warehouse.

Firm: Studio Groen+Schild | Deventer, The Netherlands
Project: TenneT | Arnhem, The Netherlands
Natural, sustainable materials stimulate employee collaboration and reinforce the relationship between the outside landscape and the interior architecture.

Firm: RMTA | Kansas City, MO
Project: Sprint Mobile Health Accelerator | Kansas City, MO
Within this renovated 1903 ice house, startups from around the world convene to work on the future of mobile health technology. Users can arrange the furniture based on needs for the day, offering a versatile space that also maintains the building’s original charm. RMTA won the People’s Choice Award, which brought in over 14,000 votes.

Five distinguished members of the design community evaluated each project based on its design solutions beyond aesthetic quality. The judging panel included:
Wendy Watts Associate VP of Interiors, CannonDesign
Amy Sickeler Director of Design, Perkins+Will
Christopher Chan Director, Moore Ruble Yudell
John Peterson Founder and President, Public Architecture
Reed Kroloff (moderator) Director, Cranbrook Academy of Art & Art Museum

Winning firms will be recognized in an upcoming advertising campaign in leading industry publications and receive an original award sculpture. A $2,000 charitable donation in the name of each winning firm will be awarded to the program or organization of the firm’s choosing. Shaw Contract Group will also promote its winners through promotional and marketing materials. Winner videos can be found on Shaw Contract Group’s Vimeo channel.

Firms can currently enter the 2015 Design is…Award competition at www.shawcontractgroup.com.

About Shaw Contract Group

A leading global floor covering brand, Shaw Contract Group defines design through not only by great appearance, but also performance and sustainability. Its Cradle to Cradle CertifiedCM products perform in commercial spaces around the world, and can be endlessly reclaimed and recycled into new high performance product. Shaw Contract Group has received Best of NeoCon awards for its carpet collections every year since 2002; was rated “best overall business experience” by facility managers and designers; and was recognized among Contract magazine’s top ten “Brands that Inspire.” A brand of Shaw Industries, Shaw Contract Group combines the expertise of the world’s largest carpet manufacturer with the financial stability of a Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary. For more information, visit shawcontractgroup.com.