2010 Vision Awards - April 2010

Imagine a design contest that celebrates the dynamic integration of flooring within the overall design of a space. Imagine a design contest that is open to any firm regardless of the materials used, the suppliers involved or which vertical segment the project falls into. Sound refreshing? Welcome to the first annual Vision Awards.

In early 2009, Floor Focus was looking for ways to put more emphasis on our core belief that floorcovering is not only fashionable, but is also a critical component in the overall design and function of an interior space. Many of our readers tell us that floor design is often one of the first components considered after the shape of the space has been determined. Once we decided that a visual contest would best suit our goals, we set out to determine the contest name. Vision was selected because it best communicates the forward-looking dimension of flooring design that we hoped to emphasize. Next, we sought out four partners that are easily recognized as design leaders but that would also stand behind an open contest that rewards design regardless of what brands of flooring materials were used. Bentley Prince Street, Crossville, Centiva and Johnsonite immediately jumped on board.

The next step was to identify three jurors who would know enough about interior design and surface options to be able to sift through the entries and make our intended purpose a reality. Shashi Caan of the Shashi Caan Collective, Alison Faecher of TRO Jung|Brannen, and Jeffrey Kleinberg of MKDA were selected to judge our entries. We asked our jurors to pay particular attention to:
   • Integration of flooring with overall design
   • Suitability of design for project challenge
   • Forward looking creativity
   • Originality
   • Use of color

To keep the process objective, all firm names and flooring brand names were removed from the entries prior to the judging process.

We were pleased to receive a diverse mix of quality entries from a variety of vertical segments. And, as you’ll see in the coming pages, there was an abundance of beautiful, forward-thinking projects that captured the spirit of Vision’s mission.

It’s not too early to begin planning your submission for the 2011 Vision Awards; Floor Focus will begin accepting submissions in January. The contest offers cash prizes for category winners. Details may be found at www.floorfocus.com/designaward.

To see more on our Grand Prize winner and the other Vision Award winners, see the April 2010 issue of Floor Focus Magazine.