June 17, 2020

The IIDA Honors the Winners of its 47th Annual Interior Design Competition

The IIDA honors the industry’s elite with its 47th annual Interior Design Competition.

Firm: JKMM Architects

Project: Amos Rex art museum in Helsinki (shown above)

Standout: Connecting past and present—including a 1930s pavilion comprising restaurants, shops, and a cinema—domed sculptural skylights in concrete and steel are a bold addition to a historic 19th-century squ­are, formerly a military parade ground.

Xi’an Changjiang Insun Imax Cinema by One Plus Partnership. Photography by Jonathan Leijonhufvud.

Firm: One Plus Partnership

Project: Xi’an Changjiang Insun Imax Cinema in China

Standout: Inspired by film negatives and the work of photographer Georges Rousse, optical illusions in contrasting paint colors make a big impact on a small budget while drawing a visual connection to the movies shown on screen.

ICS Kindergarten by Fun Connection Design. Photography by Yue Wu.

Firm: Fun Connection Design

Project: ICS Kindergarten in Beijing

Standout: Happy, saturated colors and natural materials define the series of open-plan learning areas and walkways, which encourage independence in the pint-size students—and provide them with infinite opportunities for creative play.

Goodstën by Hitzig Militello Arquitectos. Photography by Federico Kulekdjian.

Firm: Hitzig Militello Arquitectos

Project: Goodstën in Martínez, Argentina

Standout: An existing creamery receives a double-height annex addition that’s faceted and blanketed in treated metallic shingles, introducing a contemporary aesthetic while honoring the building’s traditional architecture.

Gallery 19C by Arshia Architects. Photography by Monika Sedziute.

Firm: Arshia Architects

Project: Gallery 19C, Los Angeles

Standout: Modern-day molding frames 19th-century artwork, and a fabric ceiling-scape emits diffuse, even light in the winner of the Will Ching Design Competition for commercial projects by firms with five employees or fewer.

KLEO Art Residences by JGMA. Photography by Mark Ballog.

Firm: JGMA

Project: KLEO Art Residences in Chicago

Standout: Vibrant natural light, often overlooked in low-income housing projects, is abundant thanks to a polycarbonate facade in this affordable living space for artists.

Living Lab by J.C. Architecture. Photography by Kuo-Min Lee.

Firm: J.C. Architecture

Project: Living Lab, Taipei City, Taiwan

Standout: Built as a paradigm for reviving the city’s old houses, a former army dormitory takes on new life as a family home, its century-old stone walls mingling with new glass ones that fuse indoor and outdoor living.

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