Cooper-Hewitt Announces Winners of Eighth Annual National Design Awards

Second Annual National Design Week to be held Oct. 14-20

    Now in its eighth year, Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum will celebrate outstanding achievement in design this fall with its annual National Design Awards. Today, Cooper-Hewitt director Paul Warwick Thompson announced the winners and finalists of the 2007 National Design Awards, recognizing excellence across various disciplines, including architecture, communications, fashion, interior, landscape and product design. The Award recipients will be honored at an Oct. 18 gala dinner at Cooper-Hewitt. Mrs. Laura Bush serves as the Honorary Patron for this year’s National Design Awards.

    “Cooper-Hewitt’s National Design Awards continue to provide a vital platform for the recognition and discussion of the role of design in our everyday lives,” said Thompson. “We are delighted to recognize this year’s accomplished group of honorees, who represent the very best in design and contribute immensely to a diverse range of fields.”

    The 2007 National Design Awards nominations were solicited from a committee of more than 800 leading designers, educators, journalists, cultural figures and corporate leaders from every state in the nation. A jury of experts, selected by Cooper-Hewitt, reviewed the nominations and selected finalists and winners in each category. Further broadening the scope of the Awards program, Cooper-Hewitt will hold the second annual National Design Week this fall. Throughout the week, the museum will host a series of public programs and celebrate design on its Web site with initiatives such as the People’s Design Award, which gives the general public an opportunity to nominate and vote for a design of their choice by logging onto www.cooperhewitt.org. National Design Week and the National Design Awards are sponsored by Target.

    First launched at the White House in 2000 as a project of the White House Millennium Council, the National Design Awards were established to promote excellence and innovation in design. The Awards are accompanied each year by a variety of public education programs, including lectures, roundtable discussions and workshops. The first event is an Award Jury Panel on May 16, during which the 2007 Awards jurors discuss the current state of design in America and the selection process for this year’s honorees. A winners panel discussion will take place in the fall during National Design Week.

The 2007 National Design Award recipients are:

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT - ANTOINE PREDOCK

The Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing the work of an individual who has made a long-term contribution to the practice of design, is awarded to Antoine Predock, principal of Antoine Predock Architect since 1967. Based in Albuquerque, N.M., Predock maintains studios in Los Angeles and Taiwan and lectures and exhibits his work worldwide. Living for 53 years in the landscape of the American West, Predock designs expansive spaces that seamlessly weave the present with the past. He has been recognized for his unique ability to design highly contextual works that respond to their environment. Major projects have included the San Diego Padres Ballpark; Austin City Hall in Texas; Tacoma Art Museum in Tacoma, Wash.; Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.; the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg; the Las Vegas Central Library and Discovery Museum; the Museum of Science and Industry in Tampa, Fla.; the Nelson Fine Arts Center at Arizona State University in Tempe; the National Palace Museum in Taiwan; and buildings for Stanford University (California) and Rice University (Texas). Predock was a 2005 National Design Award finalist in the architecture design category.
             
CORPORATE ACHIEVEMENT - ADOBE SYSTEMS INCORPORATED

The Corporate Achievement Award recognizes a corporation that uses design as a strategic tool of its mission and helps to advance the relationship between design and quality of life. The 2007 Corporate Achievement Award is presented to the software company Adobe Systems Incorporated. Now in its 25th year, Adobe has revolutionized the way professional designers and everyday consumers approach design. Providing tools that bring the artistic process into the digital realm, Adobe’s pioneering applications enable users to translate images and text into compelling end results. Products like Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects, InDesign, Flash, Acrobat and Dreamweaver have transformed personal and business communication, forever changing the face of graphic design, publishing, video-editing, and the creation of multimedia and Web content. Adobe’s far-reaching influence touches almost every facet of the imagery in our daily lives, inspiring innovation and creativity in design.

                 
DESIGN MIND - DENISE SCOTT BROWN and ROBERT VENTURI

The Design Mind Award recognizes visionary individuals or firms that have affected a shift in design thinking or practice through writing, research and scholarship. The 2007 recipients are Denise Scott Brown and Robert Venturi. Principals of Venturi Scott Brown and Associates, Scott Brown and Venturi have been collaborators for more than 30 years. Their Philadelphia-based firm has received widespread acclaim for its breadth in design and urban planning, as well as its contributions to architectural theory. The firm has engaged in projects for civic, cultural and academic institutions, including the provincial capitol building of the Haute-Garonne in Toulouse, France; the Sainsbury Wing of the National Gallery in London; additions to the Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego; the Seattle Art Museum; Tsinghua University in Beijing, Harvard University (Massachusetts); Princeton University (New Jersey); Yale University (Connecticut); the University of Pennsylvania; and University of Michigan. Venturi and Scott Brown were awarded the Presidential National Medal of the Arts in 1992 and Venturi was awarded the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 1991.

                     
SPECIAL JURY COMMENDATION - FRANK CHING

The Special Jury Commendation is granted to a visual futurist who has influenced a generation of designers and who continues to shape the design of tomorrow. The 2007 recipient is Frank Ching, an individual who has shaped the fundamental vocabulary of virtually every designer and architect through his exceptional body of writing and illustration. Author of numerous books on architecture and professor emeritus at the University of Washington, Ching’s work has influenced a generation of students and continues to be regarded as part of the canon of design education. Respected for its clear, instructional approach, Ching’s work is known for its ability to articulate the often complex relationships between abstract ideas and their expression in design. Seminal texts such as “Architectural Graphics,” “Architecture: Form, Space and Order” and “Building Construction Illustrated” have been widely incorporated into curricula in the United States and abroad.
                     
 
ARCHITECTURE DESIGN - OFFICE dA

The Architecture Design Award, recognizing work in commercial, public or residential architecture, is awarded to Office dA, a Boston-based architecture and design firm established in 1991 by principal partners Monica Ponce de Leon and Nadar Tehrani. Distinguished by its interdisciplinary approach to architecture and innovative construction techniques, the firm has worked nationally and internationally on projects ranging from affordable housing to buildings for academic and cultural institutions. Commissions include the Villa Moda mixed-use building in Kuwait; the Tongxian Arts Center in Beijing; Northeastern University’s Multifaith Spiritual Center; Rhode Island School of Design’s Main Library; and most recently, the Macallen building, the first LEED-certified, environmentally sensitive, multi-housing building in Boston. Ponce de Leon and Tehrani have lectured and exhibited widely and currently teach architecture at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design.
         
The architecture design category also honored finalists Enrique Norten, a principal of the New York- and Mexico-based architecture firm TEN Arquitectos, Miller professor of architecture at the University of Pennsylvania and Eero Saarinen visiting professor of architectural design at the Yale School of Architecture; and Dan Rockhill, principal of the Kansas-based Rockhilll + Associates and director of Studio 804 Inc., a graduate design studio at the University of Kansas.

COMMUNICATIONS DESIGN - CHIP KIDD

The Communications Design Award, which honors work in graphic or multimedia design, is presented to Chip Kidd. Known for his work in the design and literary worlds, Kidd has been creating book jackets for Alfred A. Knopf for more than 20 years. His work has been recognized with international awards and has helped spark a revolution in the art of American book packaging. Working in close collaboration with such authors as Cormac McCarthy, Orhan Pamuk, David Sedaris, Jay McInerney and John Updike, Kidd’s distinctive design approach does not adhere to a particular style but is rather guided by the content of each book and the discovery of surprising images and relationships that compel the reader to look inside. He has written about graphic design and popular culture and is an editor of comic books for Pantheon, a Knopf subsidiary. Kidd designed three of 2007’s Pulitzer prize winning books. He was a finalist in this category in 2006 and his work is included in Cooper-Hewitt’s 2006 National Design Triennial.
                     
Finalists honored in the communications design category are C&G Partners, a firm founded by Steff Geissbuhler, Keith Helmetag, Emanuela Frigerio and Jonathan Alger, that focuses on work for media, the arts and public spaces; and Paula Scher, principal in the New York office of the distinguished international design consultancy Pentagram since 1991. Scher was a 2005 finalist in this category.

FASHION DESIGN - RICK OWENS

Recognizing work in clothing, accessory or footwear design, the Fashion Design Award is presented to Rick Owens. Originally from southern California, Owens currently bases his practice in Paris, where he oversees his own women’s wear line. Using a minimalist palette to accentuate his sculptural designs, Owens’ edgy design sensibility brings a raw, modern elegance to women’s fashion. Infused with a sense of drama, his work has been noted for its masterful use of draping and asymmetrical cut. Owens’ approach to design, while inspired by the workmanship of couture, retains a consciously unfinished quality. Shortly after his first show in New York, he was given the CFDA Perry Ellis Award for Emerging Talent in 2002. Owens also served as artistic director for the French fur house Revillon from 2002 through 2006.
                   
Finalists in the fashion design category are Phillip Lim, whose 3.1 phillip lim women’s wear collection has received critical acclaim since its debut in fall 2005 for its aesthetic of understated, effortless elegance; and Narciso Rodriguez, whose elegantly minimal women’s clothing line has captured widespread admiration for its sensual tailoring and exquisite craftsmanship. Rodriguez was a 2003 and 2004 finalist in this category.

INTERIOR DESIGN - Lewis.tsurumaki.lewis

The Interior Design Award, given for work in domestic, corporate, cultural or interior design, is awarded to Lewis.Tsurumaki.Lewis (LTL), an architecture and design partnership that explores the intersection between theory and practice. Founded in 1997 by Paul Lewis, Marc Tsurumaki and David J. Lewis, LTL is recognized for their attention to detail and craft, inventive use of materials and close involvement in the installation process. LTL has completed academic, institutional, retail and restaurant projects throughout the United States, including the College of Wooster’s Bornhuetter Hall in Ohio; and Fluff, Tides and Xing restaurants in New York City. LTL received the 2007 James Beard Foundation Restaurant Design Award for Xing restaurant. The firm’s work is part of several museum collections and has been exhibited widely at venues including the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the United States Pavilion at the 2004 Venice Architecture Biennale and the 2000 National Design Triennial.

Finalists honored in the interior design category are David Rockwell, founder of Rockwell Group, an architecture and design firm specializing in cultural, hospitality, retail and set design; and Tsao & McKown Architects, whose projects include retail spaces, private residences, hotels and restaurants, exhibition and civic projects, including a series of public school libraries in New York City. Tsao & McKown were 2006 finalists in this category.

LANDSCAPE DESIGN AWARD - PETER WALKER AND PARTNERS

The recipient of the Landscape Design Award, which is presented for work in urban planning or park and garden design, is the Berkeley, Calif. firm Peter Walker and Partners. Principal Peter Walker brings more than 50 years of experience in the teaching and practice of landscape architecture. The firm’s work for each project is grounded in extensive knowledge of history and tradition, understanding of contemporary needs and mastery of construction. Their commissions range from urban design and planning for public parks and university campuses to corporate headquarters, museums, plazas and private gardens, including Stanford University’s Center for Clinical Science Research; the Toyota Municipal Museum of Art in Japan; the Millennium Parklands in Sydney, Australia; and the Nasher Sculpture Center in Dallas. Peter Walker’s and architect Michael Arad’s design was selected for the World Trade Center Memorial in New York.
         
The finalists honored in the landscape design category are Field Operations, a New York-based landscape and urban design practice founded by James Corner, whose work has included design for cities, large public parks and mixed-use urban developments, including the current High Line park; and Ken Smith, known for parks and public spaces designed to improve the quality of urban life. Smith has lectured extensively on landscape architectural theory and was a 2006 finalist in this category.

PRODUCT DESIGN - JONATHAN IVE

Given for work in the design of consumer goods, technology or home and office furnishings, the 2007 Product Design Award is presented to Jonathan Ive, the senior vice president of industrial design at Apple Inc., where, since 1996, he has led a product design team widely regarded as one of the industry’s best. Ive’s streamlined design aesthetic, combined with a strong knowledge of the engineering process, has brought design into the public consciousness in an unprecedented way. Creating some of the most innovative products of the past decade, ranging from the iMac and iBook to the now iconic iPod, Ive has not only made complex technological devices user-friendly, he has designed sculptural, desirable objects. He was named Designer of the Year (2003) by the Design Museum of London, awarded the title Royal Designer for Industry by the Royal Society of Arts and was included as a finalist in this category in 2006. Apple was included in the 2000 and 2006 National Design Triennials and won the 2000 Corporate Achievement Award.
                     
Finalists honored in the product design category are New York-based designer Karim Rashid, who has created a range of products for such companies as Alessi, Dirt Devil, Umbra, Prada and Method; and Smart Design, a firm led by principals Davin Stowell and Tom Dair that has created award-winning designs for clients such as OXO International, Hewlett-Packard and Samsung.

DESIGN PATRON - MAHARAM

The Design Patron Award, chosen each year by the museum’s director, recognizes outstanding support and patronage within the design community. The 2007 Award honors textile company Maharam. Distinguished for its holistic approach to design since its founding in 1902, today the company continues to be a pioneering force under the leadership of brothers Michael and Stephen Maharam. The Maharam Design Studio develops the company’s extensive textile collection and re-editions significant historic designs while collaborating with contemporary designers. Maintaining a repository of textiles drawn from the archives of 20th century designers such as Anni Albers, Charles and Ray Eames, Josef Hoffmann, Koloman Moser, Dagobert Peche and Gio Ponti, Maharam also works with leading designers from the worlds of fashion, visual arts and industrial and graphic design, such as Dutch industrial designer Hella Jongerius, Canadian graphic designer Bruce Mau, New York-based illustrator Maira Kalman, and British fashion designer Paul Smith. Maharam is also recognized for its commitment to the environment, both in its business practices and product development, and its exploration of new technologies and creation of high-performance textiles.
                 

The 2007 jury was comprised of a diverse group of leading figures in design, including:

    • Stephen Burks, principal and founder of Readymade Projects
    • Caterina Fake, co-founder of Flickr and senior director of technology
    development at Yahoo!
    • Michael Gabellini, principal of Gabellini Sheppard Associates
    • Tim Gunn, chief creative director at Liz Claiborne Inc.
    • Reed Kroloff, jury chair and dean of Tulane University School of Architecture
    • Yeohlee Teng, founder and owner of Yeohlee Inc.
    • James Wines, founder of SITE and professor of architecture at Penn
    University

National Design Week
    National Design Week, which will take place Oct. 14 through Oct. 20, aims to promote a better understanding of the role that design plays in all aspects of daily life. In addition to hosting a teen design fair and educator open house, the program will reach national school teachers and their students, both in the classroom and online at Cooper-Hewitt’s Educator Resource Center (www.educatorresourcecenter.org). The site features lesson plans that demonstrate how the design process can enhance the teaching of all subjects and discussion boards that provide a forum for educators to exchange ideas. Many of the events will take place in the Target National Design Education Center at Cooper-Hewitt — a lecture room, design studio and resource library — that opened in April 2006 with support from Target.

    The museum will offer free admission to all visitors throughout the week and provide a range of online resources celebrating design. The People’s Design Award invites the public to express their views on what constitutes good design, whether an everyday object, a design classic or an architectural landmark, from Sept. 10 through Oct. 16 at www.cooperhewitt.org. The winning design will be announced Oct. 18, at the National Design Awards Gala. In addition, the museum’s Web site now features the “Design Across America” clickable map which lists design-oriented events throughout the country. In recognition of the importance of design education, organizations and schools nationwide will also sponsor events during National Design Week.

    The chair of the Oct. 18 gala is Richard Meier, and the vice chairs are Elizabeth and Lee Ainslie, Yves Béhar, Beth Comstock and Chris Travers, Madeleine Rudin Johnson and W. Bruce Johnson, Lisa S. Roberts and David Seltzer, and Deedie Rose.

National Design Week and the National Design Awards are sponsored by Target.

About Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum
    The Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum is the only museum in the nation devoted exclusivley to historic and contemporary design. The museum presents compelling perspectives on the impact of design on daily life through active educational programs, exhibitions and publications. Founded in 1897 by Amy, Eleanor and Sarah Hewitt - granddaughters of industrialist Peter Cooper - as part of the Cooper-Union for Advancement of Science and Art, the museum has been a branch of the Smithsonian since 1967.