Release: Interior Design Announces 2017 Hall of Fame Inductees
INTERIOR DESIGN® ANNOUNCES 2017 HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
Prestigious Awards Honor Most Influential Members of the Design Community
NEW YORK, Date TK, 2017 — Interior Design (www.interiordesign.net) the leading global brand that informs, connects and influences design professionals, has announced the inductees for the 2017 Hall of Fame (HoF) Awards. Selected by Interior Design Editor in Chief, Cindy Allen, and a nominating committee of previous HoF members, this year’s inductees include Peter Q. Bohlin, Bohlin Cywinski Jackson (Architecture); Mark Zeff, MARKZEFF (Design); Lidewij Edelkoort, Trend Union (Influence); and Robin Klehr Avia, Gensler (Leadership). The ceremony will also include a special tribute to I.M. Pei in honor of his 100th birthday this year, in addition to hosting the prestigious event in a building of his design.
The Hall of Fame will be held on Thursday, November 30th. Hosted by Allen and Interior Design Publisher, Carol Cisco, the highly anticipated event will take place at the River Pavilion located in the I.M. Pei & Partners-designed Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. This 33rd annual HoF celebration marks the first time that the Awards will be hosted at the River Pavilion. Previously, the ceremony was held in the Grand Ballroom at the Waldorf Astoria, however, due to a three-year renovation project, Interior Design sought out a fresh, new space. The elegant, 45,000 square-foot, glass-enclosed River Pavilion is located on the 4th floor of the Center, and features stunning views of the Hudson River.
“The alchemy of finding a modern setting designed by a true icon on the occasion of his 100th anniversary was irresistible! We are thrilled to bring the Hall of Fame to this very special location, and to honor this wide-ranging group of architects, interior designers and industry luminaries whose talent, vision and dedication contribute to design’s impact everywhere,” said Allen.
An unparalleled group of more than 1,200 industry leaders including designers, architects, manufacturers and design supporters will be present to honor the 2017 inductees at the black-tie event. This year’s ceremony will feature a special VIP cocktail reception in the custom Sunbrella and Sunbrella Contract entry hall experience designed by Tsao & McKown, with invited guests ranging from Hall of Fame members and benefactors to Interior Design editors and members of the press. Following the reception, dinner and the awards ceremony will take place, during which Interior Design will debut a short documentary film about each inductee.
“This year, we’ve focused on the categories leading our sphere – workplace, hospitality, retail and residential – as well as our inductees’ collective design work, which enhances the lives of their clients as well as the world around us,” said Cisco. “We are thrilled to welcome Sunbrella and Sunbrella Contract as integral partners and our major sponsor for another consecutive year, and look forward to celebrating their creative vision through the entry hall design.”
As in years past, proceeds from the event are donated to support the Council for Interior Design Accreditation, the Alpha Workshops, and Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS (DIFFA).
Tickets for the event may be purchased through Regina Freedman by calling 917-934-2835 or emailing [email protected].
About This Year’s Inductees: This year, each inductee has been recognized for their specific contribution in the industry, the work that they have done and the impact made on the design community.
Robin Klehr Avia, Gensler (Leadership): Since joining Gensler in 1980 as the 24th employee of the New York office, Robin’s contribution to the firm is part of the many reasons that Gensler now employs more than 5,200 people in 44 offices around the world, and is constantly applauded for its excellent culture and distinguished service to the profession and community. Robin has helped lead Gensler into new markets in Canada, and Central and South America from a single office to over 1,200 professionals in seven offices. Robin has guided some of the most respected international organizations through major workplace revitalizations including Condé Nast and The New York Times. Her projects have won countless design awards, and her leadership and work have been featured in numerous high-profile publications. She was recently profiled in “The Power Architects That Are Reshaping New York City,” part of Commercial Observer’sannual Power 100 list, and she was elected to the IIDA’s College of Fellows, the association’s highest honor, in 2000.
Peter Q. Bohlin, Bohlin Cywinski Jackson (Architecture): Peter is one of the founding principals of Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, which began practice as Bohlin and Powell in 1965. The firm’s success, and the professional recognition it has attained, are in large measure attributable to his design insights and unflagging dedication to setting the highest standards for all design work produced by the firm. His leadership and inspiration have established a culture of thoughtful, thorough design thinking throughout the practice, and he remains keenly interested in both broad conceptual thinking and detail expression, reviewing the development of design and documentation regularly with project teams. In 2010, the American Institute of Architects awarded Peter with the Gold Medal, the highest honor for an individual in the profession.
Lidewij Edelkoort, Trend Union (Influence): Lidewij Edelkoort is arguably the world’s most famous trend forecaster. Founded in 1986, her company Trend Union produces trend tools for strategists, designers and marketers at brands from Zara to Prada. She is also a publisher, humanitarian, educator and exhibition curator. In 2011, she launched an interactive online trend forum called Trend Tablet. In 2015, her much-talked-about ANTI_FASHION Manifesto was the first to raise awareness about the shifts and upheavals currently experienced in the global fashion industry, and she became Dean of Hybrid Studies at The New School, Parsons School of Design. In September 2016, as part of her deanship, Edelkoort founded New York Textile Month, a city-wide program featuring 70 events at museums, galleries, stores, showrooms, colleges and textile studios. She has recently worked with the weavers of the Yamanashi region in Japan to develop an innovative collection of beautiful textiles.
Mark Zeff, MARKZEFF (Design): Mark Zeff is the founder of MARKZEFF, an interdisciplinary architecture and design firm that emphasizes innovation and originality in every project. Founded in 1985 and based in Dumbo, Brooklyn, the firm has created extraordinary environments all over the world, including luxury residential, hospitality, and retail to high-end real estate development, product and brand development, and super yacht design. Attention to detail in every project is paramount to the company’s success and is a characteristic the firm has retained since its incipience. Their original and distinctive environments seamlessly integrate the highest quality craftsmanship, handmade items, custom furniture, lighting, and hardware with the latest technology. Each project tells its own story, and it is through the design they enable their clients’ visions to shine through. The company’s services include interior design, architecture, yacht design, product design, custom furniture and lighting, branding, graphic design, and strategy.
I.M. Pei (Special Tribute): Internationally celebrated for such iconic designs as the Louvre Pyramid in Paris and the Bank of China Tower in Hong Kong, I.M. Pei founded the firm now known as Pei Cobb Freed & Partners in 1955 with Henry N. Cobb and Eason H. Leonard, providing vigorous leadership for thirty-five years, until his retirement in 1990. Born in Guangzhou, China, in 1917, Ieoh Ming Pei came to the United States at the age of seventeen to study architecture. He received a bachelor’s degree from MIT in 1940 and a master’s degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Design in 1946, where he served as an assistant professor until 1948. He holds honorary doctorates from Harvard, Columbia and Brown, among other universities and abroad, and his numerous contributions to the profession have been recognized with the Pritzker Architecture Prize, the AIA Gold Medal, and the Royal Gold Medal of the Royal Institute of British Architects, among many other honors.
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About Interior Design:
Interior Design is the leading global brand that informs, connects and influences design professionals, business leaders and industry experts through engaging content and a comprehensive platform of products, tools and services. A trusted resource for design innovation, design solutions and design experiences, Interior Design offers more than a point of view; it is the transformative voice of design.
About Hall of Fame Awards:
Interior Design’s Hall of Fame, established in 1985, recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the design industry, in areas such as architecture, interior design, furniture design and product design. Previous inductees include such legendary figures as Albert Hadley, Frank Gehry, Clodagh, Antonio Citterio, Lauren Rottet, Robert A.M. Stern, David Rockwell, Philippe Starck and many more. For more information, visit interiordesign.net/halloffame.
About Hall of Fame Sponsor Sunbrella® Fabrics:
Sunbrella® has revolutionized the way the world thinks about how beautiful fabrics look, feel and perform. With an inspired palette of colors, styles and textures, premium Sunbrella fabric gives consumers, designers and architects the material they need to create the extraordinary in marine, shade, residential/upholstery, commercial and contract applications. Versatile in style and function, Sunbrella fabrics create welcoming spaces indoors and out, offering durability, fade resistance and ease of cleaning. They also offer peace of mind; Sunbrella fabrics have achieved GREENGUARD GOLD certification as contributing to healthy indoor air quality.
Introduced in 1961, Sunbrella fabrics are manufactured and marketed by Glen Raven, Inc., a 135-year-old family-owned company based in North Carolina with operations worldwide. For more information on Sunbrella, including inspiration, fabric collections and where to buy, visit sunbrella.com.
About Sunbrella® Contract Fabrics:
Sunbrella® has revolutionized the way the world thinks about how beautiful fabrics look, feel and perform and Sunbrella® Contract fabrics are no exception. With sophisticated styles, beautiful color palettes, soft feel and ultimate cleanability, Sunbrella Contract fabrics give commercial interior designers the material they need to create the extraordinary. The Sunbrella Contract line of fabrics includes two equally impressive Contract-grade fabrics: Sunbrella Contract for the hospitality, office and education markets and Sunbrella Contract with Defiance® for the healthcare market, engineered with anti-microbial properties. Versatile in style and function, Sunbrella Contract fabrics offer world-renowned durability, fade resistance and ease of cleaning while also offering peace of mind; Sunbrella Contract fabrics exceed ACT heavy-duty standard and Sunbrella Contract with Defiance passed the AATCC’s 100 Antibacterial and 30 Antifungal Part 3 tests.
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