Starnet Design Awards 2023:

By Jennifer Bardoner

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Starnet Design Awards. In addition to innovative use of flooring materials resulting in engaging commercial spaces, this year’s award-winning projects also highlight more nuanced aspects of commercial projects these days, like how, following the sequestration and gloom that came with the pandemic, people are seeking connection through color in their surroundings, whether to the outside world through earthy colors or to their own unique style through bold hues.

The pandemic also fueled a desire for flexible functionality and a sense of coziness in our spaces, and corporate environments are responding with reconfigurations that offer a multitude of homelike settings for large- and small-scale collaboration, as well as solo work. Several of this year’s winners reflect these trends.

This year’s grand prize winner is Commercial Flooring Systems, awarded for its work on the Hubbard Center for Children at the Children’s Hospital & Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska. Rather than a sterile-feeling environment, the flooring contractor sought to create an inspiring place of healing through a vibrant blend of colors, creative patterns and innovative elements that promote comfort and create a welcoming atmosphere for children and their families to relax and recover. The project involved the construction of a new nine-story tower and a 55,000-square-foot renovation of the existing hospital.

“It has a bold use of color that you don’t usually see well done in many places, especially healthcare,” says Paige Ofield, one of this year’s four judges. “I have been working on the topic of healthcare in my thesis, and this is very different from anything I have seen.”

Similarly, this year’s People’s Choice award-winning project, Image Flooring for the Flint Hills Discovery Center Playscape, utilized bold, earthy colors in conjunction with an abstract topographical map flooring layout with curved geometrics, connecting the students with the natural world.

Gold in the Corporate category went to DCO Commercial Floors for its work in creating an inspiring work environment that promotes collaboration at The Battery Atlanta. The forward-thinking design was a joint venture between DCO Commercial Floors and fellow Starnet member Occupied Renovations, which provided finish design services and acted as owner liaison between the client and architectural firm.

A similar theme is seen in the Canadian Project of the Year, Groupe Legault–Mondou’s corporate headquarters. Couvre-Planchers Labrosse was presented the award for creating a distinctive and unifying workspace to foster collaboration.

“It is always exciting to see the high-quality work being delivered by Starnet flooring contractors,” says Mark Bischoff, president and CEO of Starnet Commercial Flooring. “Our members enable the success of so many organizations through the built environment. Beautifully designed projects are executed by the Starnet members using the overwhelming power of industry collaboration. The awards highlight the true value of delivering world-class commercial interiors and the positive impact on society that our members have each day.”

GRAND PRIZE WINNER Gold in Healthcare MEMBER: Commercial Flooring Systems PROJECT: Hubbard Center for Children ARCHITECT: HDR STARNET PREFERRED VENDORS: AHF, Altro, Ardex, Armstrong Flooring, Futura Industries, Henry Adhesives, J+J Flooring, Johnsonite by Tarkett, Measure Square, NeverStrip Floor Coatings, Spec-Intel, Tarkett, XL Brands

Category Winner-Corporate MEMBER: DCO Commercial Floors PROJECT: The Battery Atlanta Office FINISH DESIGNER: Occupied Renovations STARNET PREFERRED VENDORS: Altro, Armstrong Flooring, Chapco, Daltile, J+J Flooring, Johnsonite by Tarkett, Mannington Commercial, Mapei, Milliken Commercial, Mohawk, RFMS, Spec-Intel, Uzin Utz North America, XL North

Category Winner-Education MEMBER: DCO Commercial Floors PROJECT: University of Georgia Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall Renovation DESIGNER: HOK STARNET PREFERRED VENDORS: Altro, American Olean, Daltile, Johnsonite by Tarkett, Mapei, Measure Square, Mohawk, RFMS, Spray-Lock, Taylor Adhesives, TEC, Uzin Utz North America

Category Winner-Hospitality/Public Space MEMBER: Consolidated Flooring PROJECT: LaGuardia Terminal B DESIGNER: HOK STARNET PREFERRED VENDORS: Ardex, Armstrong Flooring, Bostik, CMP Specialty Products, Johnsonite by Tarkett, Schönox, Tarkett

Category Winner-Mixed Use Developments; Unique Installation MEMBER: Flooring Central PROJECT: 331 Pine Street DESIGNER: Builder Design STARNET PREFERRED VENDORS: Armstrong Flooring, Daltile, GrassTex, J+J Flooring, Johnsonite by Tarkett, Mapei, RFMS, XL Brands

Category Winner-Unique Installation Challenge MEMBER: Wall 2 Wall Floorcoverings PROJECT: Brighton High School DESIGNER: MHTN Architects STARNET PREFERRED VENDORS: Ardex, Armstrong Flooring, Mannington Commercial, Mohawk, Roppe, TEC, Tarkett, Wagner Electronics, XL North

Category Winner-Canadian Project of the Year MEMBER: Couvre-Planchers Labrosse PROJECT: Groupe Legault – Mondou STARNET PREFERRED VENDORS: Ardex, Johnsonite by Tarkett, Mohawk

Category Winner-People’s Choice MEMBER: Image Flooring PROJECT: Flint Hills Discovery Center Playscape DESIGNER: BBN Architects STARNET PREFERRED VENDORS: Ardex, Mapei, Mohawk, RFMS, Roppe

Category Winner-Single Source Interior Contractor MEMBER: Consolidated Flooring PROJECT: Adler Planetarium STARNET PREFERRED VENDORS: J+J Flooring, Johnsonite by Tarkett, Milliken Commercial, Uzin Utz North America, XL Brands