Camp Namanu by ZGF Architects; Photograph by Stephen A Miller
GRAY Media announces the design for good finalists for the 7th Annual GRAY Awards.
SEATTLE, January 5, 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 held in Seattle in March, 2024. The party is one of the most highly anticipated design bashes of the year, where all guests are treated like winners.
To purchase tickets, visit the 7th annual GRAY Awards Party page.
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 - DESIGN FOR GOOD
Clatsop Nehalem Mural Restoration Project (project within a project) by Lawson A+D
Photograph courtesy of Lawson A+D
Lawson A+D donated hundreds of hours of labor and studio space for this project. As a tribe member, this was a multi-year passion project for founder, Todd Lawson, who helped fundraise, netting over $27,000 to hire local artist, Jeff Mihalyo, and pay for expenses.
The good of the project came from many directions: saving a piece of art by a NW Master, getting the public involved with fundraising and labor volunteering, invigorating the mural's place in the community, putting artist education on display, and renewing the tribe and community's understanding of the history and the stories depicted on the mural.
The Clatsop-Nehalem mural restoration project started as a simple effort to repair puncture with holes and damage left by an unfortunate drunk-driving accident. It quickly evolved into a full restoration and preservation project and an educational tool for the tribe and community. The hope is a copy of the mural will become a future installation in a museum or cultural center.
Photograph by Quanta Collectiv
Viewfinder is an affordable multi-family development in Oregon’s Tigard Triangle zone, an area currently undergoing urban revitalization. The design centers around creating a positive human experience by responding to the housing needs of the present, reflecting on the site’s history, and prioritizing sustainability. Understanding a neighborhood in transition and the building’s responsibility over time led to an innovative architectural development that supports healthy living and aims to contribute a thoughtful addition to the built environment.
The building provides 81 affordable residential units, offering a mix of 25 one-bedroom, 46 two-bedroom, and 10 three-bedroom apartment homes for individuals and families earning 30% and 60% of the area median income (AMI). Partway through Viewfinder’s construction, the global pandemic altered housing demands, highlighting the urgent need to accommodate particularly vulnerable populations. In response, the design was adapted to provide additional interior resiliency features and further implement principles of trauma-informed design. These include natural light in all occupied spaces, joyful color palettes, increased safety features, and staff visibility from lobby and waiting areas, encouraging trust and interaction between residents and staff. Additionally, elements like the building’s central cooling, which is not standard in affordable housing, align with our belief that everyone deserves good design and a comfortable home.
Photograph by Stephen A Miller
Situated on a beautiful 550 acres of forest and meadow along the Sandy River just east of Portland, Oregon, Camp Namanu is one of the largest and oldest youth camps in the region. It is also the flagship program of Camp Fire Columbia, founded over a century ago to empower female youth by providing leadership opportunities and outdoor experiences at a time in U.S. history when these prospects were not readily available. In the 1970s, the nonprofit expanded their programming to include the full gender spectrum. Today, Camp Fire Columbia serves Oregon with a mission to help people from historically oppressed communities - with an emphasis on supporting LGBTQIA2S+ youth in particular - build lasting, equitable, and caring relationships with nature, others, and themselves.
In 2021, Camp Namanu began collaborating with ZGF to explore updates to their facilities. They wanted to expand in place to meet the needs of future generations, including improving equity and accessibility for people with disabilities, better amenities for campers across the gender spectrum and those questioning their gender, and for individuals with neuro-sensitivity. Together, ZGF and the nonprofit landed on a phased approach to a series of upgrades that will provide the foundation for another century of camp.
Photograph by Chou Photography
Introducing the Bright Seas Furniture Collection, a groundbreaking endeavor that seamlessly blends environmental responsibility with contemporary design. Crafted exclusively from ByBlocks, the first construction-grade building material derived entirely from repurposed, non- recyclable, and unused plastic waste extracted from the ocean, this collection stands as a testament to our commitment to sustainability.
Inspired by and dedicated to the mesmerizing wonders of the ocean, the Bright Seas Furniture Collection transforms discarded plastic into functional art. At its core is the ByBlock, a revolutionary building block molded into a standard 16"x8"x8" size, featuring interlocking pegs for versatile design possibilities.
The Kelp Forest Fabric, an integral part of the Bright Seas initiative, complements the collection, weaving a narrative of marine conservation and creative ingenuity. Each piece reflects the beauty of the oceans, inviting users to connect with nature in the comfort of their spaces.
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:
