Shaping Beauty

Michael Graves, MOS Architects and Stephen Burks are among the 11 winners of the prestigious 2015 National Design Awards, given annually by the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum in New York.

In its 16th year, the awards program recognises outstanding achievements by American designers working in various disciplines, including architecture, products and fashion.

img.0Still from TOPO-GRAPHIC. Photograph by Brian Gonzalez

Cooper Hewitt director Claudia Baumann said this year's winners "represent the pinnacle of innovation" in their respective fields. The recipients demonstrate a focus on "collaboration, social and environmental responsibility, and the fusion of technology and craftsmanship," she added.

The White House launched the National Design Awards in 2000 as a way to underscore the critical role design plays in shaping our world and daily lives. First Lady Michelle Obama is serving as the honorary patron for the 2015 awards program.

img.1Contemporary buildings for art, architecture, graphic design, and photography. Photograph by Florian Holzherr

The winners are chosen by a jury of leading designers and educators, with nominations submitted by the general public. A series of events, from workshops to panel discussions, are held each year in conjunction with the awards.

img.2Spinning whistle teakettle for Target by Michael Graves, 2000. Photograph courtesy of Michael Graves Architecture & Design

The Lifetime Achievement Award was bestowed upon the late architect and industrial designer Michael Graves. He established his eponymous practice in 1964 and served as principal until his death in March. His robust portfolio includes a number of seminal postmodernist buildings, along with products for Alessi, Target and other retailers.

img.3Louwman Museum, The Hague, by Michael Graves 2010. Photograph courtesy of Michael Graves Architecture & Design

In later years, Graves focused on healthcare, with projects ranging from hospital furniture to housing for disabled military veterans. Graves taught architecture at Princeton University for 39 years.

img.4Winters Studio, New York, by MOS Architects, 2009. Photograph by Michael Vahrenwald

MOS Architects, a New York-based studio, won for architecture. Founded in 2005, the firm has designed cultural, educational, and residential projects spanning the globe, from the US to Denmark and Nepal.

img.5Element House, New Mexico, by MOS Architects, 2014. Photograph by Florian Holzherr

Firm principals Hilary Sample and Michael Meredith teach at Columbia University and Princeton University, respectively. "Their academic research occurs in parallel to the real-world constraints and contingencies of practice, informing and elevating both," said the museum.

img.6Ace Hotel restoration and interior, Los Angeles, by Commune, 2014. Photograph by Spencer Lowell

LA-based studio Commune has won the interior design award. Founded in 2004 by Roman Alonso, Steven Johanknecht, Pamela Shamshiri, and Ramin Shamshiri, the collaborative firm is known for "its eclectic assemblages that work in harmony with their surroundings, while paying homage to historical, traditional and international design."

img.7Farmshop restaurant interior, California, by Commune, 2013. Photograph by Mariko Reed

The studio's portfolio includes residential, commercial, and hospitality projects worldwide, along with lifestyle products and branding concepts.

img.8Speckmann House, Minnesota, by Coen + Partners, 2008. Photograph by Paul Crosby

The landscape architecture award has gone to Coen + Partners, a renowned practice based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Founded in 1991 by Shane Coen, the studio's projects are described by the museum as progressive and timeless.

img.9Warroad Land Port of Entry, Minnesota, by Coen + Partners, 2010. Collaborators: Snow Kreilich Architects and the U.S. General Services Administration. Photograph by Paul Crosby

"Through a process of collaboration, experimentation, and questioning, the firm's work embraces the complexities of each site with quiet clarity and ecological integrity," said the museum.

img.10Stephen Burks: Man Made, solo exhibition at the Studio Museum in Harlem, New York, 2011, produced in collaboration with artisans from Dakar, Senegal. Photograph by Daniel Hakansson

In the product design category, the award has been given to Stephen Burks, who runs an eponymous studio in New York. For more than a decade, Burks has "dedicated his work to building a bridge between authentic craft traditions, industrial manufacturing and contemporary design," said the museum.

img.11Dala, Dedon, outdoor lounge seating and accessories collection by Stephen Burks, hand-woven in the Philippines, 2012–13. Photograph courtesy Dedon

He consults with a variety of charities, including Aid to Artisans and the Nature Conservancy, to produce distinctive furniture, lightning and exhibitions for clients such as B&B Italia, Boffi, Dedon and others.

img.12The John and Jill Ker Conway Residence developed by Rosanne Haggerty, scheduled for completion 2016. Project partner and Co-developer: McCormack Baron Salazar. Architect: Sorg Architects. Photograph courtesy of Sorg Architects

Rosanne Haggerty, known for her humanitarian efforts, has won the Design Mind award, which recognizes individuals who have made a significant impact on the design profession. Based in New York, Haggerty has worked for three decades to help lift people out of poverty.

img.13The Rosa F. Keller Building, New Orleans, developed by Rosanne Haggerty, 2012. Project partners: UNITY of Greater New Orleans and HCI Architecture. Photograph courtesy of UNITY of Greater New Orleans

She founded Common Ground Community, an organisation that was "a pioneer in the development of supportive housing and research-based design practises to end homelessness," according to the museum. Currently, Haggerty presides over Community Solutions, a charity she established to assist marginalised communities throughout the US.

img.14Summer seasonal bud vases by Heath Ceramics, 2007. Photograph by Jeffery Cross

Heath Ceramics won in the corporate and institutional achievement category. Founded in 1948 in California, the company produces ceramic tableware and architectural tile that enhances "the way people eat, live, and connect," said the museum.

img.15Tile as functional art, mural pattern in rhythm by Heath Ceramics, 2014. Photograph by Mariko Reed

Catherine Bailey and Robin Petravic, who purchased Heath in 2003, have maintained its handcrafted techniques while placing a strong emphasis on design.

img.16The Future Is Not What It Used To Be: 2nd Istanbul Design Biennial identity for Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts by Project Projects, 2014. Photograph courtesy of Project Projects

The Communication Design award was given to Project Projects, a graphic design studio in New York focused on art, architecture, and culture.

img.17Building for Brussels printed material for Architecture Workroom Brussels and BOZAR by Project Projects, 2010 and 2012. Photograph courtesy of Project Projects

img.18Tree of Life, digital runway collection, Spring Summer 2015 by threeASFOUR. Model: Grace Bo. Photograph by Jeffrey Hagerman

img.19inSALAAm inSHALLOm, exhibition of Spring Summer 2012 collection at Beit Ha'ir Center for Urban Culture by threeASFOUR. Photograph by Tamara Weber

img.20TAMPER, gestural remix tool for cinema. Photograph courtesy of Oblong Industries

img.21Oblong Industries research and development by John Underkoffler, 2005. Photograph courtesy of Oblong Industries

img.22Round Tower by Jack Lenor Larsen, 1970. Photograph by Matt Flynn, courtesy of Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum

img.23Bojangles by Jack Lenor Larsen, 1967. Photograph by Matt Flynn, courtesy of Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum

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Via Dezeen