Apartment No.1201 Den by Studio Kardum; Photograph by Conrad Brown
GRAY Media announces the breakout category, small space finalists for the 7th Annual GRAY Awards.
SEATTLE, Febraury 22, 2024 — Now in its 7th year, GRAY Awards — the international cross-disciplinary design awards program — continues to recognize the outstanding work happening around the world. Finalists have been selected in the fields of ARCHITECTURE, INTERIORS, LANDSCAPE, and PRODUCT DESIGN.
JUDGES CATEGORIES
Designers and manufacturers were invited to submit their projects in nine judges categories plus an editors’ pick Design for Good category. An esteemed panel of international design luminaries will select a winner in each of the initial nine categories. The winning designers will receive print and digital recognition as well as a custom designed trophy by acclaimed glass artist John Hogan.
GRAY CATEGORIES
GRAY encourages designers and manufacturers to create "Design for Good" projects —projects that have made a positive impact through design on a humanitarian, community, or environmental issue — and offers an award dedicated to these works each year.
In 2020, when the GRAY Awards expanded from a regional to international program, GRAY added a Legacy Award dedicated exclusively to a Pacific Northwest-based designer's lifetime achievement, honoring the region where GRAY began and the home to the GRAY Awards Parties. GRAY will name the next Legacy at the Party.
BREAKOUT CATEGORIES
Newly introduced at the 6th annual GRAY Awards last year, GRAY added several Breakout Categories, opening up opportunities to win GRAY Awards in micro-categories from Kitchens to Collaborations.
All winners will be announced at the GRAY Awards Party in Seattle in March, 2024 at Block 41, Seattle. The party is one of the most highly anticipated design bashes of the year, where all guests are treated like winners.
JUDGES
It is our privilege each year to welcome an international group of distinguished creatives to the GRAY Awards judging panel. Each working at the top of their game, these professionals now focus a discerning eye on determining the winners of the coveted GRAY Awards trophies.
7th annual GRAY Awards judging panel: Lee Broom, Brigitte Shim, Alessandro Munge, Silvia Tcherassi, Stephen Burks
FINALISTS - BREAKOUT CATEGORY, SMALL SPACE
Photograph by Conrad Brown
From its elevated position above the treetops of Cypress Mountain, Apartment No.1201 overlooks the vast landscape that spans the City of Vancouver on the unceded land of the (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Straight to the Burrard Inlet, along Stanley Park, and under the Lion’s Gate Bridge, it’s no wonder that the client's desire to redesign their home began with wanting to accentuate the views from every vantage point. The design brief began by creating a space with uninterrupted site lines that would lead the eye out to the blue and green hues of the sea to sky.
Working within the existing limitations of this twelfth-floor condo meant that the designers had to stretch their imagination and transform the space from what initially felt like a standard nineties condo to a custom home that spoke to the client's vision and individuality.
The den is situated to the left of the entry with a picturesque framed view of the forested mountain. This room became a cozy nook for reading and relaxation during the design process. Using soft textures and warm color tones, the design responds to the lush of evergreen trees beyond the window. The trees act as a natural window covering, providing shade and privacy while mitigating the need for ornamental drapery.
The den features a walnut daybed with custom hemp fabric, a walnut console, and a custom granite coffee table due to a collaboration between the designers, the client, and local furniture manufacturer Lock & Mortice.
Each piece in the den shows the craftsmanship and thoughtful details considered to curate a down-to-earth, zen-like atmosphere situated in the mountains. The final result of the room feels quiet, grounded, and humble - connected to the magic of the mountain while floating above it.
Photograph by Swift Studio
Base Camp 49 is part of a vacation retreat located in the Methow Valley in North Central Washington. The area is rich in year-round recreational activities such as horseback riding, hiking, and river rafting. In the winter, the area receives abundant snow and is home to some of the world’s longest Nordic ski trails. Base Camp 49 was built as an added amenity to enjoy these recreational opportunities.
The two-bedroom cabins feature 1,100 square feet of living space. The main living area includes a vaulted ceiling with a large, north-facing window wall to take advantage of natural light while avoiding excessive solar gain. Large glass doors connect the great room to a concrete terrace for outdoor entertaining and also provide natural ventilation. Additional cooling strategies include slab on grade construction which acts as a thermal mass and large fans for circulating air. These strategies allow the cabins to stay quite comfortable without the use of air conditioning even during the hottest weather.
The aesthetics of the cabins are a direct response to the natural surroundings. The design utilizes low slope shed roof forms inspired by vernacular architecture seen in the region which consists of mining, logging and agricultural structures. Raw, corrugated steel siding, weathered barn wood, and concrete floors are the primary materials used which further reinforces the vernacular aesthetic. These low maintenance materials were also selected in response to the environmental challenges of the region.
Special care was taken to incorporate Firewise design strategies when designing Base Camp 49. Some of these strategies include the use of fire-rated construction to prevent flames from moving through a crawl space, and open soffits. The landscape strategy incorporates rockeries and gabion walls as fire breaks and was specifically designed to limit the use of combustible vegetation and large trees while utilizing a sprinkler-system to keep the low-growing plants consistently well-irrigated.
Photograph by Guillaume Plisson
This 63m long superyacht offers a tranquil sanctuary. The designers wanted the exterior surrounding to start the visual dialogue with the interior, so embracing the language of marine design was the beginning of the narrative.
Stepping onto the bridge deck, the interior almost dissolves into a merger of sky and sea through striking expansive windows that stretch from ceiling to floor. The fumed-oak wall finishes complete the frame, casting a warm undertone throughout. Restrained curves add gentleness, complemented by thoughtfully curated furnishings. Hints of blush and sand-colored carpets infuse a tapestry of colors and rich textures to elevate the overall coherence.
Simplicity reigns as all functional components remain concealed. When the door of the cocktail bar swings open, much like unveiling a cabinet of curiosities, a new narrative takes its place. At every stage of the process, there was a commitment to perfecting a high level of execution, and the importance of a dry finish pallet was paramount in order to not compete with the reflectivity of the surrounding waters.
The outdoor space reveals a welcoming lounge. Custom-designed outdoor furniture adorns the bridge and sun deck, seamlessly integrating into the form of the space. The ergonomic pieces, draped in neutral-toned fabrics, creates a balance with the classic touch of the wood finishes. Subdued, yet distinctly resonating with its own voice, the spaces strike a delicate equilibrium where the quintessential act of repose takes precedence. The outcome suggests a concept of luxury seen through a new lens.
Photograph by Conor Harrigan
Inside Out Cabana is a modern pool house located on a densely wooded property in East Hampton, NY. The cabana’s design is an architectural gradient, consisting of enclosed, covered, and shaded segments. A custom board-formed concrete wall wraps around all three sections of the cabana, creating cohesion while maintaining privacy.
The allowable footprint for accessory structures in this part of the Hamptons is restrictive, however, the design optimizes functionality by dividing up the private and shared spaces. The enclosed portion, defined by four core walls and a singular overarching panel, houses a powder room, changing room, and laundry. Factory-produced panels were delivered and installed on-site, significantly reducing construction time and minimizing material waste. The solid massing of the interior space creates a wall of privacy for the outdoor shower and entertainment areas.
While the private areas are fully enclosed, the remainder of the structure is open. The covered portion of the cabana provides shade over the outdoor bar and lounge. The gathering area, while exposed to the elements, evokes the same comfort of an intimate interior living room.
An additional outdoor lounge makes up the third, most open section of the cabana. A simple, elegant trellis hangs overhead, allowing sunlight to filter through and for smoke from the modern fire pit to drift upwards. The poured concrete conversation corner, surrounded by lush greenery at the rear of the property, is oriented towards the home and heated pool.
Despite its size, Inside Out Cabana presents sophisticated and thoughtful design solutions. The three distinct segments maximize the pool house’s potential within the given local building code requirements. The board-formed concrete enveloping the structure has a warm, rustic materiality that compliments the adjacent woodlands. Lastly, prefabricated modular built walls help fulfill the clients’ desire to create as little impact possible on the relatively wild landscape.
Photograph by Miranda Estes
The challenge was to create a fun and inviting ADU with modestly-scaled amenities within the footprint of an existing, light challenged lower level. The existing space was once a 1970s party pad with an indoor charcoal rotisserie! Mostly clad in vinyl, laminate, and petroleum based carpet, the party ended in the early 90s and this lower level space was left to the mice.
Working within a modest budget, the design team knew they needed to reorganize the floor plan without modifying the core structure. Instead of the typical accordion window wall frequently installed in ADU's and lower level spaces, they brought in daylight via a series of fixed windows with deep sills. To increase energy efficiency, ridged and spray foam insulation was added, which included the benefit of structural rigidity. The kitchen was relocated to a more central zone, which allows for better circulation and creates a centerpiece in what was previously a space not deep enough for anything, yet too deep to feel comfortable.
Cabinetry was inserted between structural columns and the full-height mosaic splash was curved to give the illusion of endless space. In the living room, the former wood-lift is now practical storage with handmade fluted door fronts. A handcrafted ceramic pendant helps create asymmetrical balance while a textural wool rug and boucle sofa ground the space. The bed is tucked within a niche, open to the living area yet offset from the core of the dwelling. The team reorganized the bathroom to create a better bathing space with access to an operable window and forest view.
By embracing the structure and quirks of an older home with exposed radiant heat piping, the team funneled their design energy and funds toward unique features, textural materials, and high-quality windows and doors. With a little budget leftover, they were able to squeeze in a small sauna in the former canning room, again, utilizing the spaces given available. The new party era is about to start, and this ADU is here for it.
7th Annual GRAY Awards finalists' announcements began December 18, 2023 and will continue to publish daily until all categories have been announced. For more information, visit our GRAY Awards Party page.
Thank you to our 7th annual GRAY Awards sponsors and industry partners:
