2014 New York Design Awards

 

This was the official website for the 2014 New York Design Awards.
Content is from the site's 2014 archived pages.

 

We’re in exciting times, where tech and innovation are creating an infinite realm of possibilities. The key to making those possibilities reality is great design.  The New York Design Awards program is just one of twelve DRIVENxDESIGN award programs which provide marketplace recognition across an extensive range of categories and celebrates the creativity and courage of those who are leading the way. 

To learn more about the global community of over 75,000 members, 5,000 brands and 1,500 studios who have come together to innovate, accelerate and grow demand for design, go to: https://drivenxdesign.com/

 

New York Design Awards

New York is one of the few cities in the world that not only consumes design but also does a damn good job at inspiring design; whether that design be a Kodak camera or a humble mop bucket**

Inspiration is seen on every corner you turn walking along the Big Apple streets. design100 is proud to extend its international design awards programs to New York. This year our unique set of programs will be displaying excellence and creativity on three continents.

New York is the first city to be chosen in North America and it will launch the New York Design Awards. Like all the design100 awards programs it will celebrate creativity, courage and innovation in design. Uniquely we look at design from both the creator and commissioner. The awards provide a unique opportunity for all sectors of the industry to participate across an extensive range of categories and achieve marketplace recognition.

Over the last few years we have developed a thriving community of design professionals and people in the market place who consume and commission a large percentage of the work entered.

About the Awards

Mission Statement

design100 exists to grow design demand. We celebrate the courage of those who commission, create and consume design. We celebrate those who create and underpin demand for design. We do this so our society can leverage the most effective, proven and understood method to accelerate transformation – design. Our focus is applied design – the place where economics and creative industries intersect. We do this through encouraging involvement by those connected to the design economy. Want to get involved, want to join our community…

design100 provide a platform of award programs across three continents. They have been created to celebrate that most elusive, yet essential ingredient that lift our daily labours above the everyday.

That ingredient is courage; courage to seek further, aim higher, work harder.

Every design100 award program acknowledges that we live in a marketplace where the quality of our design choices should be a mix of sound, commercial understanding and courageous, relevant design.

It’s why we equally acknowledge and award the important role played by both the creator and the person who commissioned the project. Neither can exist without the other.

We celebrate their work and partnerships, opening communication between designers and the marketplace and help provide thought leadership on how design will shape the future.

design100 is a social enterprise, with 20% of programs’ profits returned to the industry through a series of grants that assist in the promotion of design.

Who should nominate

The awards are open to any designer, design company, commissioner of design or student provided that or their project is active in the market where the Award is being held :

  • Art Directors
  • Creative Directors
  • Architects
  • Interior Designers & Decorators
  • Textile Designers
  • Graphic Designers
  • Illustrators
  • Brand Managers
  • Product Managers
  • Event Producers
  • Product Designers & Engineers
  • Students

Nomination process

Nominations are submitted online and reviewed to ensure they meet the criteria.

Once a nomination has been deemed valid it will be made open for public and peer viewing and rating.

Ratings process

The ratings process involves the advisory panel, members of the design industry and people from the design marketplace.

 

New York City Design Awards Judges

Judging will be conducted by a panel of industry peers and business professionals who have been recommended by the Senior Chairs of the New York Design Awards, and appointed by design100. Each judge has been selected for their knowledge and experience, and for their willingness to volunteer and commit time to a non-paid role as judge of the 2014 New York Design Awards.

The selection process will be finalized by the Advisory Panel mid April.

Join us as we celebrate courage and astounding achievements in the design industry

Key Dates

21 April 2014 - Entries CLOSE
13 May 2014 - Extended close date
14 May 2014 - Judging
17 May 2014 - Finalists announced
17 May 2014 - Rating closes
20 May 2014 - Awards Night

 

 

Winners Showcase

 

Category Listing - best of

Design Commissioner - Chairman's Awards

The Design Commissioner Award celebrates the organization, business or manufacturer who consistently commissions excellent design work thereby providing instrumental support to the wider design community. The winner will be awarded based on advisory panel input and decided by the chairman.  

 

Startup

This category relates to Startups who are still in the initial stages of design. It may still be in concept stage or with working prototypes. It has yet to be released as a commercial project.  Startup projects need to be new and emerging. We want to see a great idea that is in its incubation stage. 

All eligible entries will be automatically submitted into this category.  No entry fee is applicable.

  

Studio - Large

This award celebrates the best studio or other design professional that consistently achieves excellence in design.

Winners will be awarded according to the body of work submitted across all categories and the overall rating score and will be presented in three categories based on business size Small - less than 5 employees, Medium - 5-20 employees and Large - greater than 20 employees.  

All eligible entrants will be automatically submitted for this category. No entry fee is applicable. 

  

Studio - Medium

This award celebrates the best studio or other design professional that consistently achieves excellence in design.

Winners will be awarded according to the body of work submitted across all categories and the overall rating score and will be presented in three categories based on business size Small - less than 5 employees, Medium - 5-20 employees and Large - greater than 20 employees.  

All eligible entrants will be automatically submitted for this category. No entry fee is applicable. 

 

Studio - Small

This award celebrates the best studio or other design professional that consistently achieves excellence in design.

Winners will be awarded according to the body of work submitted across all categories and the overall rating score and will be presented in three categories based on business size Small - less than 5 employees, Medium - 5-20 employees and Large - greater than 20 employees.

 

The Best of the Best

Description

The following awards celebrate the participants whose work has excelled most during the ratings period. From ratings given by both judges and the marketplace, they have earned their title as Best of the Best.

 

Best Design Champion

New York Wheel LLC

New York Wheel LLCView

The New York Wheel
Architecture - Proposed | Commissioner: New York Wheel LLC | Creator: Perkins Eastman + S9

+ POOL
Architecture - Proposed | Commissioner: Family & PlayLab | Creator: Family & PlayLab

Glowdeck
Product Design - Entertainment | Commissioner: Power Light & Sound Company, Inc. | Creator: Power Light & Sound Company, Inc.

The Power Clip
Product Design - Concept | Commissioner: The Power Clip LLC | Creator: The Power Clip LLC

Simply Grid - electrifying a food cart in Union Square
Services - Corporate | Commissioner: New York City Mayor's Office | Creator: Simply Grid

BQ Green
Urban Design | Commissioner: St. Nicks Alliance | Creator: dlandstudio architecture and landscape architecture pllc

Best Startup

Power Light & Sound Company, Inc.

Glowdeck

Product Design - Entertainment | Commissioner: Power Light & Sound Company, Inc. | Creator: Power Light & Sound Company, Inc

Best Design Studio - Less than 5

na2ure

ferret
Digital Experience - Mobile | Creator: na2ure | Commissioner: na2ure

Ani-gram-it
Graphic Design - Three Dimensional | Creator: na2ure | Commissioner: na2ure

Best Design Studio - 5 to 20

Family & PlayLab

+ POOL
Architecture - Proposed | Creator: Family & PlayLab | Commissioner: Family & PlayLab

Best Design Studio - 20+

Digitas

Moto Match
Advertising - Outdoor, Retail, POS | Creator: Digitas | Commissioner: Motorola

Interactive Print
Advertising - Print | Creator: Digitas | Commissioner: Motorola

Moto Maker
Digital Experience - Website | Creator: Digitas | Commissioner: Motorola

 

Best in Category

Advertising

Moto Match
Advertising - Outdoor, Retail, POS | Creator: Digitas | Commissioner: Motorola

Interactive Print
Advertising - Print | Creator: Digitas | Commissioner: Motorola

Architecture

Empire City Casino at Yonkers Raceway
Architecture - Commercial - Constructed | Creator: STUDIO V Architecture | Commissioner: Empire City Casino

+ POOL
Architecture - Proposed | Creator: Family & PlayLab | Commissioner: Family & PlayLab

Digital Design

ferret
Digital Experience - Mobile | Creator: na2ure | Commissioner: na2ure

Dandelion
Digital Experience - Mobile | Creator: Protein One | Commissioner: Protein One

Moto Maker
Digital Experience - Website | Creator: Digitas | Commissioner: Motorola

Event Design

Women in the World
Event Experience - Consumer | Creator: Women in the World | Commissioner: Women in the World

Film

Everything is Story
Film - Corporate | Creator: Zandrak  | Commissioner: Zandrak

CLOUDS
Film - Short/Viral | Creator: CLOUDS | Commissioner: CLOUDS

Graphic Design

St. Bart's Church Identity
Graphic Design - Corporate Identity and Branding | Creator: OCD | The Original Champions of Design | Commissioner: St. Bart's Church

Yale School of Management - Digital Signage & Data Visualization
Graphic Design - Environmental  | Creator: Unified Field Inc. | Commissioner: Yale University

Pioneer Girl
Graphic Design - Illustration and Type | Creator: The Studio of Chris Silas Neal | Commissioner: Penguin USA

The dead Rabbit Grocery and Grog drinks list 2nd edition
Graphic Design - Publication | Creator: DRINKSOLOGY® | Commissioner: The Dead Rabbit Grocery and Grog

Wizards and Robots
Graphic Design - Three Dimensional | Creator: Struck | Commissioner: Will.i.am

Installation & Exhibit Design

Against The Odds: American Jews & The Rescue of Refugees 1933-1941
Installation, Display, Exhibit & Set Design | Creator: C&G; Partners | Commissioner: Museum of Jewish Heritage

JIX
Installation, Display, Exhibit & Set Design | Creator: Blank Bubble | Commissioner: Blank Bubble
Interior Design

Interior Design

Shutterstock Headquarters
Interior Design - Corporate or Hospitality | Creator: STUDIOS Architecture | Commissioner: Shutterstock

Harlem Biospace
Interior Design - Public or Institutional | Creator: Harlem Biospace | Commissioner: Harlem Biospace

Transformer Tea House Dining Room
Interior Design - Residential | Creator: Gwynne McCue Interiors | Commissioner: The 85-Percent

Lighting Design

Pivot Sconce
Lighting Design | Creator: Brendan Ravenhill Studio | Commissioner: Brendan Ravenhill Studio

Marketing

SK-II Pop Up Studio
Marketing - Branded Experience | Creator: Procter & Gamble | Commissioner: Procter & Gamble

Product Design

MYBELL
Product Design - Active Life | Creator: MYBELL | Commissioner: MYBELL

Smartstreets-Cyclepark™: Transformational bike parking
Product Design - Active Life | Creator: Smartstreets Ltd | Commissioner: Smartstreets Ltd

Glowdeck
Product Design - Entertainment | Creator: Power Light & Sound Company, Inc. | Commissioner: Power Light & Sound Company, Inc.

StrongArm Ergoskeleton, V22
Product Design - Industry | Creator: StrongArm Technologies, Inc.  | Commissioner: StrongArm Technologies, Inc.

Strut Shelving system
Product Design - Industry | Creator: Souda LLC | Commissioner: Souda LLC

Nod
Product Design - Personal Use | Creator: Whipsaw Inc | Commissioner: Nod Labs

FlyKly Smart Wheel
Product Design - Concept | Creator: FlyKly | Commissioner: FlyKly

XO Tablet
Product Design - Education | Creator: One Laptop per Child | Commissioner: One Laptop per Child

Stick Rack
Product Design - Furniture Indoor & Outdoor | Creator: IKDF Studios | Commissioner: FAB.com

Tubular Dining Setting by Jamie Durie for RIVA 1920
Product Design - Furniture Indoor & Outdoor | Creator: DURIE DESIGN | Commissioner: DURIE DESIGN

Trinity Centrepiece (Alessi)
Product Design - Homewares | Creator: Adam Cornish Design | Commissioner: Alessi

DeskPal
Product Design - Office | Creator: Oak & Spindle | Commissioner: Oak & Spindle

Fairphone
Product Design - Technology | Creator: Fairphone | Commissioner: Fairphone

Service Design

Simply Grid - electrifying a food cart in Union Square
Services - Corporate | Creator: Simply Grid | Commissioner: New York City Mayor's Office

Aarting.com
Services - Not for Profit/Community | Creator: Aartng | Commissioner: Aartng

Urban Design

BQ Green
Urban Design | Creator: dlandstudio architecture and landscape architecture pllc | Commissioner: St. Nicks Alliance

 

 

More Background on NYCDesignAwards.com

NYCDesignAwards.com was the official website for the 2014 New York Design Awards, a program created to recognize and celebrate design excellence across New York City. The awards were part of the global DRIVENxDESIGN network (previously known as design100), which operates a series of design award programs in major cities worldwide. The New York Design Awards brought together a diverse community of designers, commissioners, and industry professionals, offering a platform for recognition, networking, and the advancement of design culture in one of the world’s creative capitals.

Background and Founding

The New York Design Awards, as presented on NYCDesignAwards.com, marked the expansion of DRIVENxDESIGN’s international awards programs into North America. New York was chosen for its reputation as both a consumer and an inspiration for design, reflecting the city’s unique blend of history, culture, and innovation. The awards aimed to celebrate not just the creators of design, but also those who commission and consume it, acknowledging the interconnected roles that drive the industry forward.

The program was open to a wide range of participants, including:

  • Designers and design companies

  • Commissioners of design (such as brands, businesses, and government agencies)

  • Students and emerging talent

This inclusive approach allowed the awards to capture the full scope of New York’s design ecosystem.

Mission and Values

The mission of NYCDesignAwards.com and the New York Design Awards was to grow demand for design by celebrating courage, creativity, and innovation. The awards recognized both the creators and commissioners of design, emphasizing the importance of partnership and collaboration in achieving outstanding results. By providing marketplace recognition, the program aimed to accelerate transformation in society through effective and relevant design.

A notable aspect of the awards was their commitment to the design community: a portion of profits from the programs was returned to the industry through grants supporting the promotion of design.

Award Categories and Nomination Process

The New York Design Awards featured an extensive range of categories, reflecting the breadth of design disciplines active in the city. Categories included:

  • Architecture (commercial, residential, proposed)

  • Interior Design (corporate, hospitality, public, residential)

  • Product Design (furniture, lighting, technology, homewares)

  • Graphic Design (branding, publication, illustration)

  • Urban and Service Design

  • Event and Installation Design

  • Digital and Interactive Design

  • Student and Startup Projects

Nominations were submitted online and reviewed for eligibility. Once validated, entries were made available for public and peer viewing and rating, encouraging transparency and engagement from both the industry and the broader marketplace.

Judging and Ratings

Judging for the New York Design Awards was conducted by a panel of industry peers and business professionals, selected for their expertise and experience. The panel was recommended by Senior Chairs and finalized by an Advisory Panel. Judges volunteered their time, ensuring a process focused on integrity and industry knowledge.

The ratings process combined input from the advisory panel, design industry members, and people from the marketplace, ensuring a broad and balanced perspective in determining the winners.

Key Dates and Event Structure

The 2014 edition of the New York Design Awards followed a clear timeline:

  • Entry deadline: April 21, 2014 (with an extended deadline of May 13)

  • Judging: May 14

  • Finalists announced: May 17

  • Public rating closed: May 17

  • Awards Night: May 20

The awards ceremony provided a celebratory environment for recognizing winners and fostering connections within the design community.

Special Awards and Recognition

The New York Design Awards included several special recognitions:

  • Design Commissioner – Chairman’s Awards: Honoring organizations or businesses that consistently commission excellent design work, supporting the broader design community.

  • Startup Category: Highlighting new and emerging projects, often still in the concept or prototype stage.

  • Studio Awards: Recognizing design studios of varying sizes (small, medium, large) for consistent excellence across their body of work.

  • Best of the Best: Celebrating participants whose work excelled during the ratings period, as determined by judges and marketplace ratings.

Notable Winners and Examples

The 2014 New York Design Awards showcased a diverse array of winning projects and studios, including:

  • Best Design Champion: New York Wheel LLC for “The New York Wheel” (Architecture – Proposed)

  • Best Startup: Power Light & Sound Company, Inc. for “Glowdeck” (Product Design – Entertainment)

  • Best Design Studio – Less than 5 employees: na2ure for projects like “ferret” (Digital Experience – Mobile) and “Ani-gram-it” (Graphic Design – Three Dimensional)

  • Best Design Studio – 5 to 20 employees: Family & PlayLab for “+ POOL” (Architecture – Proposed)

  • Best Design Studio – 20+ employees: Digitas for projects such as “Moto Match” (Advertising – Outdoor, Retail, POS) and “Moto Maker” (Digital Experience – Website)

Category winners included a wide range of projects, from innovative architectural concepts and interior designs to product innovations like the “MYBELL” bicycle bell and the “Fairphone” sustainable smartphone. Event design, graphic design, lighting, marketing, and service design were all represented, reflecting the comprehensive nature of the awards.

Audience and Community Impact

NYCDesignAwards.com and the New York Design Awards attracted a broad audience, including:

  • Professional designers and architects

  • Creative directors, brand managers, and product managers

  • Students and emerging professionals

  • Businesses and organizations commissioning design

  • Members of the public interested in design innovation

The awards fostered a vibrant community, encouraging dialogue between designers and the marketplace and providing thought leadership on the future of design.

Cultural and Social Significance

The New York Design Awards held cultural significance by highlighting the role of design in shaping the city’s identity and daily life. By recognizing both creators and commissioners, the awards promoted the idea that great design is a collaborative effort with far-reaching impact. The program’s focus on courage, innovation, and marketplace relevance resonated with New York’s spirit of creativity and ambition.

The awards also supported the broader design community through grants and industry initiatives, reinforcing their commitment to advancing the field.

Media Coverage and Industry Reception

The New York Design Awards, as represented on NYCDesignAwards.com, received attention from design publications, industry blogs, and local media. The program was praised for its inclusivity, transparency, and focus on both established and emerging talent. Winners often cited the awards as a valuable form of recognition, helping to raise their profiles and connect with new opportunities.

 

NYCDesignAwards.com played a pivotal role in celebrating and advancing design excellence in New York City through the 2014 New York Design Awards. By providing a platform for recognition, fostering community engagement, and promoting the value of design, the website and its associated awards contributed meaningfully to the city’s creative landscape. The program’s legacy endures in the continued celebration of design innovation and the recognition of those who shape the built environment, products, and experiences that define New York.

 

 

NYCDesignAwards.com