Design Excellence Awards 2024

The 2024 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 thirteen categories, eleven of which are for projects designed, developed, and completed. The eleventh category is CR01 is open for both residential and commercial solutions.  The ninth 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 thirteenth and final category allows student chapter members to submit their conceptual projects for a chance to be recognized. 

Key Dates:  * Note if you start entry before June 30th it does not have to be submitted before midnight July 31 to get the $150 rate.

• The submission site opens for entries: on Monday, June 3, 2024, at midnight EDT.
• Early bird deadline: Sunday, June 30, 2024, at midnight EDT.
• Final submission deadline: Wednesday, July 31, 2024, at midnight EDT for both Early Bird and Standard Submissions.
• Chapter Celebration and Awards Ceremony: September 28, 2024.

Entry Fees: 

• Professional Categories: $150 per entry through Sunday,  June 30th early bird submission deadline
• Professional Categories: $200 per entry through Wednesday, July 31, 2024, at midnight EDT.
• Student Categories: $25 per entry.

Project Categories: 

• R01 - Residential Environments Designed for a single room
• R02 - Residential Environments Designed for homes up to 5,000 square feet
• R03 - Residential Environments Designed for homes 5,001 to 10,000 square feet
• R04 - Residential Environments Designed for homes 10,001 to 15,000 square feet 
• R05 - Residential Environments Designed for homes 15,001 square feet and above
• C01 - Environments designed for work (Workplace) 
• C02 - Environments designed for entertainment and recreation (Hospitality/Multifamily)
• C03 - Environments designed to promote health and wellness (Healthcare/Wellness)
• C04 - Environments designed for learning (Education)
• C05 - Environments designed for retail (Retail)
• CR01 - Adaptive Reuse of a building, for Residential or Commercial Space
• A01 - Outside the Box - open to all members
• ST01 - Student Conceptual Design

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, 2022. 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 the materials submitted, and the project being considered to 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 materials submitted for marketing and publicity purposes in perpetuity. 

Details 

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 the anonymity of the entrant(s). Drawings, photos, and written submissions that do not maintain anonymity will be disqualified and the entrant will forfeit the entry fee.
Exception - Project photography shall exclude the client name(s), but the logo/branding shown in photos is acceptable. 

Required: All entries shall submit the following completed forms:

• ASID Project Entry/Publicity Release form - must check the box on ASID Project Entry
• Project Information for Blind Judging form
• IP vendor checklist form

Blind judging includes: Project Information for Blind Judging form to include concept statement, bulleted design narrative, photos, and supportive drawings such as floor plans, sketches, diagrams, etc.

• Required: All entries shall submit a minimum of two (2) and a maximum of six (6) high-resolution photographs of the completed project (600ppi, JPEG format). Photographs lower than 300ppi in resolution will not be accepted. 
• Required: All entries shall submit a concept statement of 2-3 sentences.
• 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. no longer than one (1) page in length.
• Optional: Up to three (3) “before” photos may also be submitted.
• Optional: Anonymous, supportive drawings are not required but are 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)

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.
• The 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 the 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 outstandingly. 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. The 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:

Annette Phillips
annette.phillips@cox.net
(703) 819-1071

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