Photo by Kendall McCaugherty
Design serves as a beautiful form of expression, but it also has capabilities of impacting individuals and communities on a deeper level. This idea is exemplified in the 2024 American Society of Interior Designers’ (ASID) National Awards, where top talent in interior design is recognized for innovation, dedication, and commitment to elevating the industry. Minnesota-based AJ Paron, Lucy Interiors, HGA, and Shelter Architecture were among the award recipients, celebrated for not only their quality of work but also their impacts on the community. “The ASID National Awards program proudly recognizes interior designers and their role in inspiring innovation and progress throughout our profession,” said Khoi Vo, chief executive officer of ASID. “Through their work—including projects, advocacy, and volunteering—each of these winners has exhibited the highest caliber of design excellence through a fierce dedication to interior design.”
The awards span three categories: Legacy Awards, Annual Awards, and FOCUS Awards—each of which celebrates distinct design achievements. Minnesota-based Design Futurist AJ Paron, Hon. FASID, Associate Member IIDA, Associate AIA, LEED AP ID+C, WELL AP, was honored with the Steward of Distinction Legacy award for her decades-long commitment to using design as a catalyst for positive change. Also a recipient of two USGBC Minnesota Chapter Circle of Excellence awards, Paron is known for her advocacy in sustainability and equitable design—partnering with leading design organizations to address climate, health, and equity issues. Most recently, she developed FutureGen, a program aimed at fostering the next generation of design professionals.
Community Impact of the Year, one of the Annual Awards, was granted to Lucy Interiors and TDM Designs for their Make-A-Wish Minnesota project, Isaac’s Treehouse, which also happened to win the “Residential Specialty” category in the 2023 ASID MN Interior Design Awards. With goals of transforming an empty backyard into a daily escape for a 10-year-old boy living with cystic fibrosis, Make-A-Wish Minnesota assembled a dedicated team of designers, builders, architects, and nonprofit specialists—including Lucy Interiors, Joy Collaborative, TDM Designs, Gardner Builders, and MSR Design—to turn his dreams into reality. The treehouse is complete with personalized elements such as a crest, interactive games, and a secret room. “It is a special honor for our amazing teams to win the ASID National Community Impact award,” says Lucy Interiors’ Founder and Principal Lucy Penfield, Allied ASID. “Watching Isaac and his brother use the zip line, climb up the ladder to the reading nook, and find the secret door behind the bookshelf was a joy to witness. It’s not every day we get to make wishes come true!”
In the FOCUS category, two Minnesota companies were honored, including architecture firm HGA Minnesota for its Blake Early Learning Center (ELC) project, which was recognized as the FOCUS Sustainability Merit Recipient in the Large Firm category. This project is the first all-electric, fossil fuel-free school in the state. Currently seeking LEED Gold certification, the ELC uses its innovative design as a teaching tool, enhancing its educational program by focusing on lessons in conservation and the environment.
Meanwhile, Shelter Architecture’s winning projects were recognized in the Community and Wellness FOCUS categories, the first of which was its Luminary Arts Center project. Home of the Minnesota Opera, the 8,000-square-foot space was renovated to exemplify the center’s goals: “Inspire hope, empower all voices, and strengthen bonds between people of all backgrounds and identities.” To achieve this, Shelter Architecture sought to maintain the structure’s history while also improving accessibility, safety, and inclusion.
Likewise, the firm’s River Prairie Wealth Partners project won the Wellness FOCUS award, bringing to light its focus on user health and wellness. With goals of designing a productive, nourishing environment that defied the typical office aesthetic, the team prioritized biophilic elements, natural light, and cozy spaces for people to gather. The resulting design is warm, welcoming, and comfortable, reflecting the client’s holistic approach to wellbeing. “It’s an honor to be recognized at a national level for advancing design in these focused categories,” says Jackie Millea, AIA, ASID, LFA, president and founding partner at Shelter Architecture. “It elevates and calls out Shelter’s work and the impact that thoughtful design can make in the world. Great design changes lives for the better.”
