Winners Named for the 15th Annual Healthcare Design Awards

CHICAGO — The International Interior Design Association (IIDA) is excited to announce the winners of the 2026 IIDA Healthcare Design Awards. These awards recognize design firms for creativity and innovation in the design of healthcare facilities across fifteen categories within Ambulatory, Extended Care and Assisted Living Facilities, and Hospitals. 

“The importance of a human oriented experience has been a focus this year more than ever, and design’s impact on the healthcare field is exemplified in these projects,” said IIDA Executive Vice President and CEO, Cheryl S. Durst, Hon. FIIDA. “We are honored to recognize the teams behind these impactful projects, which represent the very best of our industry and its commitment to improving lives through design.”

Projects were reviewed by a panel of healthcare design professionals, including Interior Designer and Project Manager at NewVista, Kristin Stubbs, IIDA; Health Director of Interior Design and Associate at RLF Architects, Miriam Ganesh, IIDA, RID, CHID; and Founder and Principal at Design Studio Blue, Rebecca Garcia, IIDA, CID, CHID.

“This year’s winners embody how design affects the experience within a space, not just its aesthetics,” Garcia said on behalf of the jury. “Each firm’s human centered designs help cultivate an environment that supports patients and encourages staff.”

The recipients of the 2026 Healthcare Design Awards include:

Ambulatory — Ambulatory Surgery Center

Design Firm: SmithGroup
Project: UC Davis Health 48X Complex

Ambulatory — Cancer Center

Design Firm: HGA
Project: Enloe Health Gonzales Comprehensive Cancer Center

Design Firm: Wilmot Sanz
Project: LifeBridge Health Sinai Hospital Mandy and Dennis Weinman Cancer Building

Ambulatory — Pediatric

Design Firm: CannonDesign
Project: Rady Children's Health, Southwest Tower

Ambulatory — Specialty Clinic

Design Firm: EwingCole
Project: Northwell Health, Center for Advanced Medicine Cardiology

Design Firm: Perkins&Will
Project: Renown Health South Meadows - Specialty Care Center

Extended Care & Assisted Living Facilities — Long-term Care

Design Firm: HOK
Project: Senior Living Complex

Extended Care & Assisted Living Facilities — Mental Health

Design Firm: Dani's Place
Project: NAC Architecture

Hospitals — Academic / Teaching Hospitals

Design Firm: CannonDesign
Project: Northwestern Medicine Faculty Office Center

Hospitals — Community

Design Firm: Perkins&Will
Project: Medical City Arlington Bed Tower Expansion

Design Firm: Wilmot Sanz
Project: Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center Horizon Tower

Hospitals — Pediatric

Design Firm: Perkins&Will
Project: HCA Medical City Dallas Children’s Hospital - Cardiac ICU and Imaging Expansion

Hospitals — Psychiatric

Design Firm: HDR
Project: Behavioral Health & Wellness Center at Children’s Nebraska

Hospitals —Women’s

Design Firm: Perkins&Will
Project: Nemours Children’s Hospital, Advanced Delivery Unit

All winners will be honored and the Best of Competition and Transformation and Innovation Award recipients will be announced during a celebration at on November 12.  All winning projects can be viewed on IIDA.org. For questions in regard to this or other IIDA design competitions, please contact competitions@IIDA.org.