- Thoughts
What We've Learned From Submitting Hundreds of Award Entries
When people think about design awards, they often picture the final moment: a project announced on stage, a trophy on a shelf, or a badge added to a website. What they don't see is everything that comes before it- and that’s where my team comes in. Behind every submission is a deeper exercise in reflection. It's an opportunity to step back, revisit the original challenge, measure a project's impact, and distill years of work into a single story. It's one of my favorite parts of my job.
Every submission gives me the chance to sit down with our designers and ask one simple question: Why? Why this idea? Why this material? Why was this challenge worth solving? Those conversations reveal far more than the finished project ever could. Over time, one thing has become remarkably clear: the projects that consistently stand out aren't necessarily the biggest, the boldest, or the most expensive. They're the ones that solve a problem with intention- and tell that story well.
After three years and more than 200 award submissions, I've come to realize that every project has a story the finished photographs can't tell. I've heard about the ideas that almost didn't make it into the final design, the client conversations that challenged the team to think differently, and the details debated for weeks that ultimately became the defining moments of a space. Preparing submissions across hospitality, retail, workplace, higher education, and food/beverage has only reinforced one truth: great design isn't defined by recognition. More often than not, recognition is simply the result of great design.
Beyond the Brief, The Brant Nantucket
Take The Brant Nantucket. Before I ever helped write an award submission for the project, I visited the hotel on a gray, rainy day in May. By all accounts, it should have felt quiet. Instead, it felt warm. Inviting. Like a place you'd want to stay long after checking in. From the welcoming coastal barn at the heart of the property to the cozy fire pits, expansive lawn, and thoughtfully designed guest rooms, every detail worked together to create a true sense of home. That experience taught me something no project description ever could: award-winning design isn't about luxury-it's about emotion. The best projects make you feel something the moment you walk through the door.
Experiencing the Space- Tree House Saratoga
Tree House Saratoga taught us a different lesson. When you're designing a destination spread across 11 acres, it's easy to focus on scale. But the story wasn't the size of the brewery-it was the moments within it. From the custom topographic map anchoring the taproom to the 360-degree fireplace built with native Saratoga granite and the subtle Julius orange "easter eggs" woven throughout the space, every detail reinforced the brand's identity and sense of adventure. In fact, when it came time to prepare award submissions, we didn't just tell the story of the project as a whole-we highlighted individual elements like graphics and lighting because sometimes it's the smallest, most thoughtful details that capture a jury's attention. Those details demonstrated how thoughtful design shapes the overall experience.
Finding the Story- Willow & Ivy
Willow & Ivy reinforced perhaps the biggest lesson of all: originality often comes from honoring what's already there. Rather than erase the history of the 125-year-old Lenox Hotel, the design team embraced it. Original columns were preserved, historic molding was restored, and a white mosaic floor discovered in a forgotten closet became the inspiration for the restaurant's new tilework. Even the palette drew from the surrounding Back Bay, with subtle nods to the Public Garden and the spirit of Isabella Stewart Gardner woven throughout the space. When it came time to prepare award submissions, those weren't just beautiful design details-they were the story. They proved that authenticity can't be added at the end of a project. It's built into every decision from the beginning, and that's exactly what juries remember.
My Final Tips
1. Experience the project beyond the page.
It creates an entirely new relationship with the project. From the ride there to the atmosphere and the way the floor creaks, it all adds to the details that ultimately fine-tune your story.
2. Look beyond what immediately demands attention.
Sometimes, the smallest details create the biggest themes in your stories. It’s more than the statement wall or the large, arched windows. Sometimes, it’s the tile in the janitor’s closet.
3. Forget what you think you already know.
Set aside any prior knowledge you have, or think you have, about the project. A clean slate and a fresh perspective allow the space to speak for itself.
People often say it's the little things that count. After years of preparing award submissions, I think they're right. It's the mosaic tile tucked away for nearly a century. The subtle lighting detail that quietly guides a guest through a space. The rainy-day visit that somehow still felt warm and welcoming. The custom map, the hidden brand references, the restored molding, the conversations, sketches, revisions, and decisions that happen long before a photographer captures the finished project. Awards may recognize the final result, but what they're really celebrating are all of those moments that came before it. The curiosity to ask why. The willingness to challenge an idea. The patience to refine it until every detail has purpose. The best projects aren't remembered because they chased recognition. They're remembered because they solved a problem, made people feel something, and told a story that couldn't have been told any other way.
Great design isn't built around a single grand gesture.
It's built through thousands of thoughtful ones.