Recap: 2026 IIDA RMC BEST Awards
- Jun 10
- 5 min read
The BEST Awards is a design excellence awards program that recognizes interior design projects that go beyond a pretty picture and truly encompass Brilliantly Executed Spaces and Thinking. We recognize that successful interior design requires collaboration between many disciplines, consultant teams, project managers, vendors, contractors, manufacturer reps, etc.; therefore, the awards will acknowledge all who contribute to the project's success.
We commemorated the legacy of past years while looking ahead, celebrating the sophistication, daring, and enduring designs of the Rocky Mountain design community.
Chroma
For the IIDA RMC 15th Annual BEST Awards, we celebrated the emotional power of color and inviting you to do the same!
BEST Maker
Confidential Client
M Moser Associates
Carving Connection: A landscape Reimagined. At the heart of the headquarters expansion, a sculpted topographic installation rises beside the interconnecting stair, transforming circulation into connection. Fabricated by Denver artisans at Artcraft Sign Company, the piece abstracts active field sites within a Texas basin, translating the terrain that sustains the company’s work into a shared architectural language.
BEST Moment
Museum of Nebraska Art (MONA)
BVH Architecture
At the Museum of Nebraska Art (MONA), the ceiling becomes a narrative surface—quietly expressive, deeply rooted in place. Inspired by the Sandhill crane migration across the Nebraska plains, its folded geometry evokes both the flight patterns of these iconic birds and the delicate, abstracted form of an origami crane—a symbol of transformation and grace. This bespoke wood ceiling embraces the material language of the region, referencing the textures, shadows, and layered beauty of the prairie.
Heal - Healthcare
Kaiser Permanente Lakewood Medical Office Building
Gresham Smith
To support the expanding Lakewood, Colorado community, Kaiser Permanente elevates its standard of care through the development of a multi-specialty medical office building to replace the existing West Alameda Avenue facility. This design emphasizes a cohesive aesthetic across multiple floors and care experiences by maximizing natural light and integrating thoughtfully selected colors and wood elements to create a warm, inviting atmosphere.
Live - Multi-Family
Hub Bloomington
DLR Group
Hub Bloomington transforms student living into a warm, storied “living time capsule” where Midwest hospitality and Indiana University pride show up in every detail—from athletic striping and trophy moments to library-inspired craftsmanship and an elevated, hand-me-down mix of vintage finds.
Live - Residential
Dahlia Residence
Architectural Workshop
The Dahlia Residence renovation reclaims underutilized spaces within a Mid Century Modern home to create a tailored environment for working, living, and aging in place. By redistributing the home’s layout and adding essential functional zones, the design restores balance, improves daily flow, and revitalizes the home's architectural character.
Play: Customer Spaces, Shops, Financial Retail Branches
Four Seasons Ski Chalet
Oz Architecture
Renovation of the existing ski club for guests and residents of the Four Seasons focused on improved guest experience, a higher luxury feel, and operational improvements.
Play: Restaurants, Bars, Wineries, Breweries
Tavernetta Vail
Oz Architecture
Transforming the existing restaurant of the Four Seasons for MSD&BDT, East West Design and Construction Management, and Frasca Hospitality Group to Tavernetta Vail is rooted in the charm of an Italian trattoria, paired with the natural beauty of its alpine surroundings. The renovation aimed to achieve a balance between refined luxury and the inviting comfort of a favorite dining destination.
Play: Sports and Recreation
Steamboat Ski Resort Base Village - The Range
Gensler
Steamboat Ski Resort Base Village is a vibrant social and recreational hub—a dynamic, year-round destination designed to bring people together through dining, events, and outdoor adventure. At the heart of the reimagined village is The Range. Inspired by Steamboat’s ranching heritage, community spirit of perseverance, and a deep appreciation for the surrounding natural landscape, The Range serves as the central gathering point for ice skaters, skiers, summer plaza activities, concerts, and year-round events, offering family-friendly dining and the area’s premier après-ski.
Serve: Government, Institutional, Airports, Religious, Museums
Museum of Nebraska Art (MONA)
BVH architecture
The interior transformation of the Museum of Nebraska Art (MONA) centers on expanding access to art, to light, and to community. Housed in a historic 1911 post office, the reimagined museum weaves a contemporary mass timber addition into the fabric of the original structure, using interior architecture as a means of cultural and civic renewal.
Serve: Higher Education
Dr. Allen and Charlotte Ginsburg Human-Centered Computation Hall
HOK
This computation hall integrates all computer science programs into a transformative seven-story structure that improves and benefits society through areas including artificial intelligence, machine learning and robotics.
Serve - K-12
Laurel Intermediate School
A&E + SMA Design
Anchored by a light-filled central commons, layered learning neighborhoods, integrated indoor-outdoor spaces, and place-based graphic storytelling, the design of Laurel Intermediate School delivers a highly adaptable interior shaped for diverse learning styles, evolving needs, and long-term community growth.
Serve - Non-Profit and Community Based Projects
Cleo Parker Dance
Fentress Architect
The Cleo Parker Robinson Center for the Healing Arts is a rhythmic intersection of heritage and innovation. This 25,000-square-foot expansion harmonizes high-performance dance architecture with Five Points’ historic legacy, creating a sustainable, light-filled sanctuary for movement, education, and community.
Stay: Full Service Hospitality Hotel
Hyatt Regency Denver - Guestroom Renovation
DLR Group
Hyatt Regency Denver’s renovated guestrooms reinterpret a downtown landmark as a restorative pause within the city, expressing “Slow & True”—Denver’s energized urban rhythm balanced by the stillness of its surrounding landscapes. From softly lit corridors that slow the pace to tactile, layered materials and a calm, timeless palette, each arrival feels like stepping out of the skyline and into personal ease.
Workplace – 15,000 SF or below
Harris Law Firm Denver Office
Clic Design Studio
Modern heritage: uniting architectural history with the modern roots of family law.
Workplace – 15,000 SF – 30,000 SF
United States Air Force Academy Foundation & Association of Graduates Wecker Hall
RTA Architects
Wecker Hall is a timeless, high-performance workplace where legacy and innovation converge. Home of the U.S. Air Force Academy Association & Foundation, the interior design balances privacy, focus, and collaboration. Daylit commons and thoughtfully integrated sustainable strategies create a timeless, mission-driven environment that honors tradition while advancing the future of workplace design.
Workplace – 30,000 SF – 60,000 SF
Undisclosed Law Firm
Stantec
This San Francisco law firm office renovation reflects the firm’s culture and its connection to the surrounding city by featuring natural materials and warm finishes with organic architectural elements.
Workplace – Above 60,000 SF
Molson Coors Headquarters
Gensler
The new Molson Coors Chicago headquarters bridges generations of craft while creating an authentic, social environment that supports a diverse workforce and a flexible work culture.
Student
Jaspora - African American Research Library & Cultural Center
This concept envisions an African American research library and cultural center in Denver, Colorado created to uplift and support the underrepresented African American community in the region.
Professional Achievement Awards
Ridgeline Award
Merit: Katie Casebier, DLR Group
Winner: Emilie Diggs, Apogee Consulting Group
The Ridgeline Award honors emerging professionals and students who are already making a meaningful impact on the interior design profession. Positioned between the valley and the peak, a ridgeline represents momentum, visibility, and forward progress. This award recognizes early leadership, advocacy, and design contributions that demonstrate a strong trajectory toward shaping the future of the profession. Recipients show promise through thoughtful engagement, influence within their communities, and a clear commitment to advancing interior design through action, voice, and vision.
Peak IMPACT Award
Winner: Katie Chapman, Scala Studio
Inspired by the Rocky Mountain region, the Peak IMPACT Award represents the highest level of professional achievement. This honor recognizes individuals whose sustained leadership and body of work have meaningfully advanced the interior design profession. Honorees demonstrate lasting influence through advocacy and policy efforts, mentorship, sustainability, and design excellence, with work that has positively impacted people and communities over time. This award celebrates industry leaders and established designers, who continue to pave the way through ongoing advocacy and leadership efforts.
