Design Excellence Awards 2022

The 2022 ASID Washington Metro Chapter Design Excellence Awards competition recognizes and honors our members for their outstanding design achievements that go above and beyond serving the needs of their clients. We continue to support and strengthen our design community by blurring the lines of residential and commercial projects. We are seeking projects that exhibit innovation, embody creative leadership, and demonstrate how Design Impacts Lives. 

We have provided nine total categories, seven of which are for projects that have been designed, developed, and completed. The eighth category, “Outside the Box,” is open to ALL chapter members (Associate, Allied, Professional, Student, and Industry Partners). It encourages applicants to think differently and submit anything from fashion or graphics to poetry or product design. The ninth and final category allows student chapter members to submit their conceptual projects for a chance to be recognized by our world-class judging panel. 

Key Dates: 

• Submission site opens for entries: Monday, June 6, 2022 at 12:00 AM EDT.
• Early bird deadline: Thursday, June 30, 2022 at 11:59 PM EDT.
• Final submission deadline: Sunday, July 31, 2022 at 11:59 PM EDT.
• Chapter Celebration and Awards Ceremony: September 17, 2022, at the Strathmore Mansion in Bethesda, MD.

Entry Fees: 

• Professional Categories: $150 per entry through June 30th early bird submission deadline, then $200 per entry.
• Student Categories: $25 per entry.

Project Categories: 

• R01 Environments Designed for Personal/Private Living (Single Family Residential)
• R02 Environments Designed for Public Living (Multifamily Residential)
• C01 Environments Designed for Work (Workplace)
• C02 Environments Designed for Entertainment and Recreation (Hospitality)
• C03 Environments Designed to Promote Health and Wellness (Healthcare)
• C04 Environments Designed for Learning (Education)
• C05 Environments Designed for Retail (Retail)
• A01 Outside the Box (All Members - Student use Promo Code STUDENT for reduced rate)
• ST01 Conceptual Design (Student)

Eligibility Requirements: 

• Project submissions are open to ASID members only. Persons submitting the entry shall be in good standing with the ASID Washington Metro Chapter and have been actively involved on the project.
• Each project must only be submitted for one category
• Projects must have been completed after January 31, 2020. There are no restrictions on project location. 
• Projects previously honored by an award in this program are not eligible for entry.
• All entries must have permission from the photographer(s) and client(s) allowing photographs to be published. Winning entries will be published on the Washington Metro Chapter of ASID’s website and social media platforms.
• All entries shall be submitted via the online website platform. No hard copies will be accepted. Late entries will not be accepted.
• It is the entrant’s responsibility to ensure that materials submitted, and the project being considered meet the rules, regulations, category, and eligibility requirements of the awards program. Failure to comply with these specifications will result in disqualification of entry and forfeiture of entry fees.
• Any errors or omissions are the sole responsibility of the entrant. the Washington Metro Chapter of ASID will not be responsible for any incorrect information supplied.
• Entrants agree to follow publicity guidelines as established by the Washington Metro Chapter of ASID to use any and all materials submitted for marketing and publicity purposes in perpetuity. Digital Entry Requirements and

Details (Items with a (J) preceding will be given to judges for scoring) 

• Required: All entries shall submit two completed forms: ASID Project Entry and Publicity Release form, and (J) Project Information for Blind Judging form.
• (J) Required: Project Information for Blind Judging form to include concept statement, bulleted design narrative, photos and supportive drawings such as floor plans, sketches, diagrams, etc. (optional).
• (J) Required: All entries shall submit a minimum of two (2) and maximum of six (6) high-resolution photographs of completed project (600ppi, JPEG format). Photographs lower than 300ppi in resolution will not be accepted. 
• (J) Optional: Up to three (3) “before” photos may also be submitted.
• (J): Required: All entries shall submit a concept statement of 2-3 sentences.
• (J): Required: All entries shall submit bullet points highlighting project details, project goals and objectives, sustainable or green design strategies, significant features, special needs, design constraints, etc. to be no longer than one (1) page in length.
• (J) Optional: Anonymous, supportive drawings are not required, but highly encouraged to be included in project submission. Drawings include, but are not limited to: space/floor plans, elevations, 3D renderings, shop drawings, sketches, diagrams, etc. (JPEG or PDF format)
• No identifying information for designer(s), design firm(s), or other involved parties should appear in the written submissions, drawings, or photos. Submissions will be reviewed by the judges and need to maintain anonymity of the entrant(s). Drawings, photos, and written submissions that do not maintain anonymity will be disqualified and entrant will forfeit entry fee. Exception - Project photography shall exclude the client name(s), but logo/branding shown in photos is acceptable. 

Submission Guidelines: 

• Upon creating an account on the CPJAM online platform, applicants may go back to edit entries, photos, and/or documents as many times as necessary within the allotted submission period. 
• Please consider all category options and select the one you feel is most appropriate. If a project is submitted in an inappropriate category, the competition administrator reserves the right to place it in a different, more appropriate category.
• Competition administrator is not responsible for incorrect or inaccurate transcription of entry information. It is the responsibility of the entrant to provide all the correct information for the project submission. If an error is found, please contact the competition administrator as soon as possible to correct the error.
• If the entry submission is incomplete by deadline of the contest, the entrant forfeits the entry fee.

Judging Criteria: 

Projects will be evaluated by judges from around the country, representing various sectors of ASID’s diverse, multi-disciplinary membership makeup.

Judges will use the following seven categories and score projects on a 1 to 10 scale. 1 is low and 10 is high.
Example: 1 is poor representation; 5 is average; 10 means the project meets the criteria in an outstanding manner. Maximum number of points is 70.

1. Effective use of elements of design (color, shape, texture, form, and space).
2. Effective use of principles of design (unity/harmony, balance, hierarchy, scale/proportion, emphasis, similarity/contrast).
3. Effective use of lighting.
4. Functionality of the design: Was the design effective? Does the design work/solve the problem?
5. Innovation and incorporation of unique elements.
6. Consideration of sustainable design principles, material selection, and/or treatment of environmental issues (green building principles; certifications such as LEED, WELL, LBC, RELi.; adaptive reuse; etc.)
7. Overall quality of project submission. Appropriate incorporation of process; quality of visual aids; project photography, design illustrations, use of graphics, etc.

For all questions regarding contest rules and fees, please contact:

Kate Currie
president@dcmetro.asid.org

Terry Parker Duane
administrator@dcmetro.asid.org
(585) 586-6906