The 20th Annual Starnet® Design Awards were recently held in sunny Orlando, Florida. One of the most respected and influential commercial flooring design competitions in America, the awards ceremony is a major part of our organization’s spring meeting.
“This year’s winning projects are a testament to the power of collaboration and partnership in the floorcovering industry,” said Jeanne Matson, president and CEO of Starnet Worldwide Commercial Flooring Partnership. “The true value of Starnet is not only the finished work, but new and strengthened relationships that are driving our industry forward from a design and installation perspective.”
From the stunning reimagination of Eero Saarinen’s iconic glass-encased Bell Labs complex to the reincarnation of the Canadian History Hall just in time for Canada’s 150th birthday, the work was impressive on an epic scale.
Grand Prize Winner | Gold in Unique Installation Challenge | Silver in People’s Choice
The most prestigious award, the 2018 Grand Prize was presented to Starnet member National Décor, Inc. for its work on the Canadian History Hall at the Canadian Museum of History.
“This is a challenging installation in terms of scope, size and complexity,” said Design Awards Judge Paul Lewandowski. “From free-flowing shapes to few reference points for the installation team, the technical aspects are off the charts. The finished project creates a compelling and interesting visual design that helps tell the rich history of Canada.”
- Starnet Member: National Décor, Inc.
Architect: Moriyama & Teshima Architects
Starnet Preferred Vendors: Milliken, H.B. Fuller Company, Tarkett
Fellow Design Awards Judge Robert Varden echoed Lewandowski’s sentiments saying, “The amount of work and dedication here is commendable. The entire templating process must get architectural approval, and the heavy graph paper is difficult to perfect in small spaces, let alone across 40,000 square feet of a museum.”
The Canadian History Hall at the Canadian Museum of History was not only popular with the judges, but with its peers as well, earning a Silver in the People’s Choice category.
Gold in People’s Choice | Silver in Healthcare
A healthcare project once again took top billing in the People’s Choice category. The Gold was awarded to Starnet Member Universal Metro for its work on the revitalized Children’s Hospital of Orange County’s (CHOC) NICU Wing. The new flooring features vivid colors and imaginative design that beautifies the environment, while creating a space conducive to patient care.
- Starnet Member: Universal Metro
Architect: Haynes + Oakley, Architects
Starnet Preferred Vendors: ARDEX Americas, Armstrong Flooring, Daltile, Tarkett, Mannington Commercial, Tandus Centiva
“From an intricate design of lizards and leaves in the elevator lobby to warm and residential-feeling luxury vinyl tile in the patient rooms, the Children’s Hospital of Orange County project was a real standout,” said Lewandowski. “We’re glad to see it recognized by its peers.”
Gold in Environmental Achievement
The Gold in Environmental Achievement was awarded to Image Flooring LLC for their work on Federal Home Loan Bank corporate headquarters in Topeka, KS. Located on a prominent hilltop overlooking the city, this new 96,000 square-foot building uses innovative flooring materials to help achieve U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) LEED® Gold certification.
- Starnet Member: Image Flooring LLC
Architect/Designer: HOK | Schwerdt Contract Interiors
Starnet Preferred Vendors: Mannington Commercial, J+J Flooring Group, Bentley, ARDEX Americas, Armstrong Flooring, H.B. Fuller Company, Tarkett, Roppe, MAPEI-APAC, Antron
“Not only is the space well-designed from an aesthetic standpoint, but the Federal Home Loan Bank uses a combination of products from numerous floorcovering manufacturers,” said Design Awards Judge Robert Peoples. “These flooring selections contained both pre- and post- consumer recycled content up to 55% and played a large part in the success of the USGBC certification.”
Gold in Corporate
Starnet Member Consolidated Carpet was awarded the Gold in Corporate for their work on Eero Saarinen’s iconic glass-encased Bell Labs complex in Holmdel, NJ. Recently reimagined for the 21st century, this two-million-square-foot architectural gem is in the midst of a transformation into what can be described as an entirely new class of commercial real estate: the metroburb.
- Starnet Member: Consolidated Carpet
Designer: NPZ Style + Décor
Starnet Preferred Vendors: Antron, J+J Flooring Group, Milliken, CMP Specialty Products, XL Brands, MAPEI-APAC, Mats Inc., Tarkett, Gerflor USA, Armstrong Flooring
“The size and scope of the floors on this project was simply amazing,” said Lewandowski. “An integral role in the project’s success was the use of polished concrete complemented by a variety of flooring materials to breathe new life into the facility.”
Gold in Healthcare
The Gold in Healthcare was awarded to Starnet Member Les Couvre-planchers Solatheque Inc. for the company’s work at the Montreal’s Centre Hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM). Translated as the University of Montreal Health Center, it is a sprawling three million- square-foot academic medical center in downtown Montreal, Canada that encompasses two full city blocks. This makes it one of the largest healthcare construction projects in North America.
- Starnet Member: Les Couvre-planchers Solatheque Inc.
Architect/Designer: NEUF architect(e)s
Starnet Preferred Vendors: Gerflor USA, Altro, ARDEX Americas, H.B. Fuller Company, Tarkett
“The design tells a different kind of story for healthcare design,” said Starnet Judge Charlotte Blue. “With miles upon miles of corridor, unique colors and rich architecture, limiting the number of flooring materials created visual continuity to aid the circulation of traffic,” added O’Neill. “The minimalistic design was well executed to create a sense of calm and reduce patients’ anxiety.”
Gold in Education
A renovated residence hall at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh is the recipient of this year’s Gold in Education. Completed by Starnet Member H.J. Martin & Son, Inc., the four-story structure spans 100,000 square feet and includes a 16,000 square-foot new addition that was added during the overhaul.
- Starnet Member: Member H.J. Martin & Son, Inc.
Architect: Eppstein Uhen Architects
Starnet Preferred Vendors: Armstrong Flooring, Bentley, Daltile, H.B. Fuller Company, Henry Adhesives, MAPEI-APAC, Mats Inc., Roppe, Tarkett, Uzin Utz North America, Inc.
“This was a real winner for a number of reasons,” said Starnet Awards Judge James O’Neill. “Not only does it tell a strong environmental story but there are a number of different and unique design developments. The project’s compressed timeline also adds a sense of accomplishment for the installation team.”
Gold in Hospitality/Public Space
The Gold winner in Hospitality/Public Space came from a familiar name within the floorcovering industry. The Mannington Atlanta Showroom, completed by Starnet Member Bonitz Flooring Group, Inc., took top honors for its combination of design prowess, masterful use of floorcovering products, and complex installation. The space serves as a landing spot for customer visits, a workroom for designers, a place for industry partners to hold meetings as well as a training center.
- Starnet Member: Bonitz Flooring Group, Inc.
Designer: Corgan
Starnet Preferred Vendors: Mannington Commercial, Antron, Amtico
“This new showroom reflects the direction of the company and incorporates a significant number of its products and finishes,” said Lewandowski. “It’s worth noting that while some showrooms feature every single offering from a brand, Mannington did show some restraint and created a cohesive space that tells the story behind the company,” added O’Neill. “It’s very well done.”
Gold in Mixed-Use Developments
Featuring premium fiber systems, high-performance backing systems, LVT products with enhanced urethanes, and installation methods that exceed industry standard requirements, Diverzify took home the Gold in the Mixed-Use Developments category for their Harbor Chase of Palm Beach Gardens project.
- Starnet Member: Diverzify
Designer: Thoma-Holec Design, LLC
Starnet Preferred Vendors: Masland Contract Carpet, J+J Flooring Group, Mannington Commercial, Daltile, Amtico, Armstrong Flooring, MAPEI-APAC, ARDEX Americas, Tarkett
“The assisted living and memory care facility achieves a classic and luxurious look that feels more resort than healthcare,” said Blue. “A wide variety of products from nine leaders in the floorcovering industry help achieve an ideal aesthetic balance with safe transitions between surfaces – especially important for an assisted living facility.”
Judging Panel
An elite panel of architects and designers lent their talent and expertise to this year’s panel:
- Charlotte Blue, Assoc. IIDA – Interior Designer/Studio Leader, LS3P
- Paul Lewandowski, AIA, IIDA, LEED – Principal, Scott Simons Architects
- James O’Neill – Founding Principal, Inventure Design
Honorary Judges for the Environmental Achievement and Unique Installation Challenge Awards were Robert Peoples, Ph.D., Executive Director of Carpet American Recovery Effort (CARE) and Robert Varden, Vice President of Certified Flooring Installers, respectively.
For more information about the 2018 Starnet Design Awards and to view all the entrants and winners, click here.
