Every year, the International Interior Design Association — North Pacific Chapter holds a design competition, INawards, celebrating projects created by design firms in Alaska, Idaho, Washington, Alberta and British Columbia.

There are eight different categories, six which you can submit for: INpublic, INhealthcare, INhospitality, INmass, INconcept & INhome. The other categories which all projects are eligible for are People’s Choice and INstory.

The Rainforest Arts Center was submitted to INpublic category and was selected for the INstory award.

INstory recognizes a project from any category that has overcome challenges, was built under extraordinary circumstances and/or has a particularly captivating narrative.

The story and community involvement in this project won the jurors over instantly and they felt like they were connected to the space.

The jurors were impressed with how much community involvement there was in the process and design execution.

One juror stated, “What it really exemplifies is our ability to engage the community. This resonates to the civic duty in the way that citizenship and design does. How we designed it by incorporating the region with materiality and literally having the community build the objects themselves … that is interiors on a whole other level.”

Quotes from the jury:

“How the building filled a void that was missed”

“Physical motion that was happening, swirling throughout it, that was reminiscent of the activities and various levels that would be happening in here. It wasn’t just the humans that wouldn’t be moving into the space, it felt like the building was moving, too. Keeping that motion alive.”

“This is a journey in the story that each of these citizens will always remember and continue to see its inheritance grow.”

“It really defines ownership.”

“Warm and friendly.”

“Great contextualization.”