IIDA Announces Recipient of 2026 IIDA ICON Award

CHICAGO — The International Interior Design Association (IIDA) is proud to announce the recipient of the 2026 IIDA ICON Award, recognizing extraordinary service and contributions to the profession of interior design. Dr. Upali Nanda, Assoc. AIA has been named for her significant accomplishments and impact to the field.

A Partner and Executive Vice President at HKS, Dr. Nanda is an accomplished researcher in practice whose work explores the impact of design on human health and perception. As the firm’s Global Sector Director of Innovation, she leads HKS’ foray into extending the definition of design via practices such as Cities & Communities practice, Advisory, and Research. For a decade, she served as Executive Director of the Center for Advanced Design Research and Evaluation (CADRE), a non-profit founded by HKS to focus on evidence-based and culturally responsive design research and advocacy entity made possible by partnerships like the Building Brains Coalition.

In addition to her practice, Dr. Nanda is an Adjunct Professor of Practice at the Taubman School of Architecture and Urban Planning at the University of Michigan where she teaches an experimental HealthbyDesign seminar. She is also a published and award-winning author, including her book Sensthetics: A Crossmodal Approach to Designing for the Senses, and numerous open-source whitepapers and peer-reviewed journals.

“Icons are defined by their ability to stay true to their convictions and channel that passion into meaningful impact,” says IIDA Executive Vice President and CEO Cheryl S. Durst, Hon. FIIDA. “Dr. Nanda’s research sets a powerful precedent for how design can serve as a force for health and healing. As IIDA looks toward the future of design, we are privileged to have leaders like Dr. Nanda continue to shape the industry’s innovation, empathy, and lasting human impact.”

“I am deeply honored to receive this year’s ICON Award. I believe that design, when linked to meaningful outcomes, can make the built environment an undeniable force for improving lives,” says Dr. Nanda. “This award is the recognition of the support and work of so many intersectional individuals who work between disciplines to advocate for a material world that is coherent—not outpaced by the digital and in sync with the natural—in pursuit of a regenerative future for our human brains, living systems, and collective humanity. The opportunity means more to me than I can adequately express.”

The IIDA ICON Award is selected by a committee within the IIDA International Board of Directors. In celebration of this deserving recognition, IIDA presents a custom prestigious trophy. The trophy changes annually to reflect pieces that are formative or influential creations by other icons in the field of design. This unique item will be unveiled at this year’s awards presentation ceremony.

The 2026 IIDA ICON Award will be presented during the IIDA Annual Meeting on Sunday, June 7, at 12 p.m. CST. The meeting will be held at WorkLife Meetings at The Merchandise Mart in Chicago or can be viewed via livestream on IIDA’s YouTube (@IIDA_HQ).

For more information, contact memberservices@IIDA.org.