BOSTON—The New England chapter of International Interior Design Association will host its annual awards gala on Thursday, March 12 at the Park Plaza Hotel in Boston.
With a cocktail hour and 3-course dining experience, the multimedia event program will start at 6:00 pm. In its 13th year, the IIDA NE awards gala has become a major event for the region’s inter design professionals and experts.
This year’s IIDA NE event is co-chaired and hosted by Carly Bassett of TotalOffice Interiors and Kelly Chiaradonna of Wilson Butler Architects, and is organized by 20 volunteers and supported by sponsors and donors.
The IIDA NE Design Awards was created in 2007 to honor the work and celebrate the teams behind each year’s most show-stopping architectural interior projects throughout New England. The event has grown larger each year and attracted individuals from all aspects of the design, real estate, construction and engineering industries.
The IIDA NE gala will give the awards in the following categories:
Building Repositioning & Building Amenities
Community & Culture
Education
Healthcare
Hospitality – Hotel & Lodging
Hospitality – Restaurant & Retail
Research Lab
Residential Multi-Unit
Residential Private
Senior Living
Student Housing
Workspace 20,000-80,000 SF
Workspace Over 80,000 SF
Workspace Under 20,000 SF
Student Entries (graduate and undergraduate in one category), and
Best in Show and Best in States.
How are the projects selected for the awards?
Brittany Collins, an IIDA NE volunteer and an Associate at Boston-based VVA Project Managers, said that submissions are judged by expert industry professionals from outside the New England Area. They are nominated and vetted by IIDA NE committee then asked to participate as professional judging panel.
These judges volunteer their time to rate each project on a series of questions within various categories (written statement, plans, and project photography).
“This year, we’re honored to have Christine van Rooy – Managing Principal of VANROOY design (hospitality focused design firm based in California) Ed Bakos – Parnter & CEO of Champalimaud (a design firm based in NYC), and Paul Makovsky – Editor in Chief of Contract magazine (a NY based publication on architecture, interiors, and design),” said Collins. “This year we received a record of 113 professional entries. The projects and winners are revealed at the event, with the project teams invited to the stage to accept their award.”
Collins said that there is a charitable element to the Design Awards as well.
“Each year IIDA NE’s Philanthropy Committee chooses a local organization that will be featured and will receive a portion of the funds raised,” Collins said. “This year, we are thrilled to partner with Raw Art as our charity of choice. Their mission is “igniting the desire to create and the confidence to succeed in our youth”
The International Interior Design Association (IIDA) works to advance the value of interior design and its practitioners as well as to cultivate leadership within the profession. IIDA has more than 12,000 members in nine specialty forums in 30 chapters around the world committed to enhancing the quality of life through excellence in interior design and advancing interior design through knowledge.
The IIDA New England Chapter (IIDA NE) was incorporated in 1972 and serves the states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.
Program details:
6:00 p.m. – Pre-Party
7:00 p.m. – Event Dinner Begins
8:00 p.m. – Program Begins
10:30 p.m. – Post Party at Avenue 34 at the Boston Park Plaza.
