Contact:   Carmen O’Donnell, Communications Manager, 312.379.5147, codonnell@iida.org

IIDA/METROPOLIS SMART ENVIRONMENTS AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED

November 19, 2009, Chicago, IL –The International Interior Design Association (IIDA) is pleased to announce the winners of its fourth annual Smart Environments Awards, co-sponsored by publishing partner Metropolis Magazine. Winners were chosen from projects submitted across the spectrum of design practice and announced at Greenbuild 2009. The competition honors the best design solutions from 2009, or previously unpublished projects, that are environmentally and socially responsible as well as beautiful and functional.

Reinforcing the integrity of the sustainable competition, judging was administered electronically for the second year in a row. The three winners were:

Project: Twelve West Office, Portland, OR

Firm: ZGF Architects, Portland, OR

Project: The Plant: Café Organic, San Francisco, CA

Firm: CCS Architecture, San Francisco, CA  

Project: Kroon Hall, School of Forestry &

            Environmental Studies, Yale University, New Haven, CT

Firm: Centerbrook Architects and Planners, Centerbrook, CT

The jury for the distinguished competition included Rosalyn Cama, FASID, ECAC, CAMA, Inc.; Jean Hansen, FIIDA, CID, LEED AP, AAHID, Sustainable Interiors Manager, Sustainable Design Solutions, HDR; and Sadhu Johnston, former Chief Environmental Officer of the City of Chicago. The judging, which took place November 4, was moderated by Susan S. Szenasy, Editor in Chief, Metropolis Magazine and Rob Moylan, IIDA, LEED AP, Associate AIA, IIDA Sustainable Forum Advisor, SmithGroup.

In a Q&A with IIDA, Ms. Szenasy commented on the integration of sustainability and user well-being in this competition and design as a whole. “I find it hard to respect the beauty contest—regrettably still the way most design work continues to be judged—in the age of climate change,” she said. ”The Smart Environments Awards confirm that 21st century interior design is a highly sophisticated decision-making process that, though beautiful (and it always has to be beautiful!), it is always a result of an intricate understanding of everything from material toxicity to manufacturing to shipping to energy use, and much, much more.”

“We were pleasantly surprised with the number of project types submitted,” said Mr. Moylan, IIDA, LEED AP, who helped moderate the competition. “[We received] everything from schools, restaurants, retail and museums in addition to commercial office space. It’s exciting to see the design community appreciate that a Smart Environment is about more than just material selection.”

Winners will be featured in the February 2010 issue of Metropolis Magazine.

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The International Interior Design Association (IIDA) works to enhance quality of life through excellence in interior design and to advance interior design through knowledge, value and community. 

IIDA is a professional networking and educational association of 13,000 Members in ten specialty Forums in 29 Chapters around the world.  Additional information is available on IIDA’s website www.iida.org.