CHICAGO —IIDA is pleased to announce the finalists for the 49th annual Interior Design Competition and the 30th annual Will Ching Design Competition. The Interior Design Competition honors innovation and creativity within the industry, while the Will Ching Design Competition highlights notable commercial design from firms with five employees or fewer.

“For decades, the Interior Design Competition and Will Ching Design Competition have celebrated some of the finest and most original works in the industry, and this year is no exception,” said IIDA Executive Vice President and CEO Cheryl S. Durst, Hon. FIIDA. “As we recognize its 30th anniversary, IIDA is proud to showcase the finalists that offer immense creativity honoring the Will Ching Design Design Competition’s namesake, the late Will Ching. Additionally, looking ahead to next year’s 50th annual Interior Design Competition, this year’s inventive finalists epitomize the future of the design industry.”

Finalists were chosen by a jury including the following distinguished design experts: Shimoda Design Group Partner Susan Chang, IIDA, AIA; Interactive Design Architects President Dina Griffin, IIDA, FAIA, NOMA; and Studio Munge Founder and Design Director Alessandro Munge, IIDA.

“In an industry filled with fresh, burgeoning talent and consistently inventive design, it’s crucial to celebrate and honor those behind such revolutionary work,” said Chang on behalf of the jury. “Each of these projects exemplifies the bright potential of firms both large and small.”

The Interior Design Competition finalists include:

Corporate Space Large (1,000 square meters and above)
Project: UTA Nashville, Nashville, Tennessee
Firm: HASTINGS, Nashville, Tennessee

Project: Deutsche Bank Americas Headquarters, New York
Firm: Gensler, New York

Project: Paul Hastings Offices, Washington, D.C.
Firm: LSM, Washington, D.C.

Corporate Space Small (under 1,000 square meters)
Project: Kering Mexico, Mexico City
Firm: FR-EE Fernando Romero EnterprisE, Mexico City

Project: Prefix Design Office, Chengdu, China
Firm: Prefix Design, Chengdu, China

Education (elementary/secondary educational facilities, colleges/universities)
Project: Billerica Memorial High School, Billerica, Massachusetts
Firm: Perkins&Will, Boston

Entertainment (casinos, performing arts centers, sports arenas, theaters)
Project: CINESKY Cinema Phase 3, Shenzhen, China
Firm: One Plus Partnership Limited, Hong Kong

Hotels
Project: Banyan Tree Nanjing Garden Expo, Nanjing, China
Firm: Cheng Chung Design (HK) Ltd., Shenzhen, China

Public Spaces & Commercial Lobbies
Project: Wilshire Boulevard Temple’s Audrey Irmas Pavilion, Los Angeles
Firm: OMA & Gruen Associates, Los Angeles

Residences Large (125 square meters and above) - Interior Design Competition Only
Project: Casa Rancho Avándaro, Valle de Bravo, Mexico
Firm: Chain + Siman, in collaboration with Modo Manera, Mexico City

Project: Three Gables, Napa, California
Firm: Aidlin Darling Design, San Francisco

Showrooms & Exhibition Spaces
Project: Genesis House, New York
Firms: SUH Architects in collaboration with HLW, New York

The Will Ching Design Competition finalists include:

Institutional (cultural, government/municipal spaces, libraries, religious spaces)
Project: Cocoon Istanbul, Istanbul
Firm: Stüdyo AB, Istanbul

Restaurants, Lounges, & Bars
Project: FSW Coffee, Taipei, Taiwan
Firm: Phoebe Says Wow Architects, Taipei, Taiwan

Winners will be announced on Monday, May 9, and will be honored in person for the first time in two years at Revel in Design, IIDA’s black tie event, on Sunday, June 12 at the Ritz-Carlton at Water Tower Place, Chicago. For tickets to Revel in Design, visit this page. Visit the finalist gallery for the Interior Design Competition here, and the Will Ching Design Competition here. For questions, please contact competitions@iida.org.