IDSA IDEA Awards
Projects by sparks+sullivan at two Portland landmarks recognized by the International Design Excellence Awards with gold and silver last week in New York City
Washington Park and Portland International Airport recognized for design innovation
We received two International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) for our innovative strategy and brand work at Portland’s iconic Washington Park and the beloved Portland International Airport.
The Washington Park project, a strategic experience plan, won a gold award in the Design Strategy category. The project integrated human-centered research and design thinking to create a people-first operations strategy for Explore Washington Park, who manages access and visitor experience in the Park. The project included close collaboration with the Oregon Zoo, Portland Japanese Garden, Hoyt Arboretum, World Forestry Center, Portland Parks & Recreation, TriMet and Travel Portland.
Design jury member Marc Greuther, Chief Curator at The Henry Ford Museum, said, “We were particularly impressed with this strategy—the way it was organized, thought through, articulated… absolutely beautiful infographics. As a design object in itself it was absolutely exquisite as a way of conveying ideas.”
The project at Portland International Airport, a brand identity and experience strategy for PDX Next, won a silver award in the Branding category. The brand system helps guide travelers and employees through several disruptive, multi-year construction projects at the airport, with humor, passion and creativity.
Both projects, chosen from over 2,000 entries, were announced as winners on Wednesday, August 23 at the IDEA Award Ceremony in New York City. The IDEA is “one of the longest running and most prestigious design awards programs in existence,” says the Industrial Designers Association of America (IDSA), which has run the program for the past 43 years. Initially focused on industrial design, the program has expanded to include human-centered branding, strategy and environments.
