Since 2000, the Seattle Design Commission has recognized excellence in public design through its bi-annual awards. Award winning projects are those that further the Commission’s mission to:
- Champion design excellence in the public realm;
- Promote design practices that serve as a catalyst for innovative sustainable development, equal opportunity and social inclusion; and
- Ensure that the city’s built environment makes Seattle a world-class example of sustainable urban design that strengthens community, public life and economic prosperity.
Selection Criteria
Winning projects were selected from the many public buildings, parks, open spaces, and vision plans completed in Seattle in the two years preceding the awards. They were chosen because they promoted the mission and exemplified the values of the Design Commission: inspired design, contextual integration, innovative sustainability, social inclusion, exemplary partnerships, effective investment, and impeccable execution. The 2010-2011 Awards included for the first time an “In the Works” award for a project that has not been constructed, but had an exemplary design process and holds outstanding potential.
Values
- Inspired Design – Grounded in a unifying and inspiring concept, embodying state-of-the-art design practices and elevates the experience of the public realm
- Contextual Integration – Connects seamlessly to and enhances its immediate context and neighborhood
- Innovative Sustainability – Delivers tailored solutions to minimize environmental impact and provide long-term self-sufficiency as an aspirational model for Seattle
- Social Inclusion – Invests to elevate the quality of life of those in underserved areas and is culturally relevant to the populations it serves
- Exemplary Partnerships - Breaks down silos; creates partnerships; and leverages public, community and private resources through its design, implementation and operations
- Effective Investment – Provides excellent value for the investment; thoughtfully considers multi-use flexibility, longevity, and total life-cycle cost
- Impeccable Execution – Meets expectations and achieves design goals in project delivery; showcases quality finish work and craft across disciplines
See the Design Excellence Award winners:
Past Awards
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Commission issued a series of awards called Designs That Work:
- 1994 Streets That Work
- 1993 Urban Neighborhoods That Work
- 1991 Housing Designs That Work
- 1989 Neighborhood Designs That Work
- 1988 Urban Designs That Work
