2025 Student Design Excellence Awards

The Wisconsin Chapter of ASID 2024 Student Design Excellence Awards

GENERAL INFORMATION

Competition Schedule

• 01/14/2026: 8:00 AM CST: Start of competition
• 02/27/2026: 11:59 PM CDT: Deadline for entries
• 03/02/2026: Project judging process begins
• 03/23/2026: Project judging process completed
• 05/07/2026: The ASID WI 2024 Design Excellence Awards Gala - In Person

Eligibility

1. Student applicant must be a student member of the Wisconsin Chapter of ASID in good standing.
2. Students must be enrolled in a school that offers Interior Design as a major in the State of Wisconsin’s certified College, University, or Technical College program.
3. Project(s) must have been completed after September 30, 2024. (exception in Portfolio category)
4. A maximum of (5) five projects may be entered by an ASID Wisconsin Student Member.
5. A project may only be submitted in (1) ONE category, PLUS the Impact of Design category if appropriate.
6. Projects submitted in a previous year’s competition that did not win an award may be re-submitted, provided they fulfill the above requirements.
7. For students ONLY, computer rendered images are allowed.
8. For the categories of Commercial, Residential, and Impact of Design do not reveal your school's name or the designer's name on any submitted documents (photos, drawings, presentations, board images).
9. Portfolio submissions can reveal your school's name and/or your name on their portfolio submission.
10. Please follow the guidelines set by ASID National for portfolio submission criteria [https://www.asid.org/resources/awards/student-portfolio-competition-criteria].
11. If all requirements above are not met, the entry will be disqualified.
12. In addition to the ASID WI Design Excellence Awards Student Competition, we encourage students to also submit their portfolio in the ASID National Portfolio Competition.

Entry Fees

• ASID Student Member submissions are FREE of charge.
• Maximum of (5) five projects may be entered by any individual.

Awards: Commercial, Residential, Portfolio, Impact of Design

A maximum of three awards (Gold, Silver, and Bronze) may be determined for every award category. While we do strive to award student designers for their work, it is not always possible to award projects at each level in all categories. Only (1) ONE award may be presented at each level in each category – no ties are allowed. 

Categories & Prize Amounts

Commercial Projects

·        Gold – $300

·        Silver – $200

·        Bronze – $100

 Residential Projects

·        Gold – $300

·        Silver – $200

·        Bronze – $100

 Portfolio Competition - $750

The ASID Student Portfolio Competition generates the best collection of student design projects across the State. Submissions will be evaluated on conceptual thought, content of work submitted, and the student's record of achievement. 

Please Note: Submissions should be made by recent graduates or those graduating in 2025 and 2026. Portfolios should reflect an entire educational experience and can include all types of work (conceptual, residential, and commercial). We will accept portfolios completed in the previous three years (2025, 2024, and 2023). This award is separate from all other categories.

Additionally: Please view National's requirements for portfolio when submitting. We encourage you to submit your portfolio to BOTH Wisconsin and National's competition. ASID National Student Portfolio Competition Criteria

 Impact of Design (Student) - Addressing Climate, Health & Equity - $350

Design Prompt: What unique challenges and/or barriers have you faced to pursue an education in the field of design? How has that shaped who you are now and what you hope to achieve in your career?

Project Prompt: Consider ASID National's stance on designing for Climate, Health, and Equity. https://www.asid.org/about How does your project align with these goals?

Entry Submission process

All entries will be submitted electronically via CPJ Association Management entry system. You may revise your project submittal information until the entry management system closes on 02/27/2026 at 11:59 PM. This means you may go back and edit your project on demand until closing.

REGISTER – Click the blue register button on this page. Sign in with your existing username and password, or create a new account if you have not used the platform before. You may now select the awards categories for which you plan to submit a project. 

PROJECT ENTRY – Select “Entries” to complete entry forms and upload project files and documents. Preferred file size is 4MB, with 2 MB minimum and 10 MB maximum.

• Complete Entry Forms 

1. 1. Project Description
   2. Design Concept Statement- 500 words or less. Do not include student or school name in the design concept statement.
   3. Awards Information

• Upload Project Color Boards, Renderings or Photos – Minimum of (1) and maximum of (5). Project Photograph #1 or Rendering #1 will represent your project at the Awards presentation.
• Upload Project Drawings: Floor Plan, Furniture Plan, Reflected Ceiling Plan, Detail Drawings, Etc. – Minimum of (1) and maximum of (5).

Judging Criteria

Each project will be reviewed based on how the presented design solution meets the challenges described in the project statement, using the following categories of consideration:

1. Appropriate Design Solution – How well does the design solution meet the challenge outlined in the project statement?
2. Functional Use of Space – Did the designer develop a functional solution to achieve the goals as stated in the project statement?
3. Innovation & Creative Use of Space – Did the designer use an innovative and creative approach to achieve their goals?
4. Scale & Proportion – Is the design proportional to the scale of the space?
5. Color & Composition – Are color and composition used appropriately to achieve the goals of the project statement?
6. Design Elements – Do the included materials, lighting, and furnishings assist in solving the design challenge effectively?

JUDGING PROCESS

All projects are judged by a panel of ASID Members from within the ASID WI Chapter, and are awarded based on highest score format.

• The jury may award ONE Gold, Silver, and Bronze award for each commercial and residential category.
• The jury may award ONE Best in Show award and One Honorable Mention Award for the Portfolio category.
• The jury may award ONE Best in Show award for the Impact of Design category, if the jury determines a project meets the criteria.
• There will be NO TIES allowed within any category. If a tie is produced once scores are combined for a category, the judges of that category will convene to determine the category's final award recipients.
• The jury reserves the right to withhold awards in categories where entries do not meet the defined criteria.
• While we strive to award student designers for their work, it is not always possible to award projects at each level in all categories. 

AWARDS PRESENTATION

• Awarded projects will be announced at the Wisconsin Chapter of ASID’s 2024 Design Excellence Awards Gala.
• Refer to the Chapter website’s Events Page for event details.
• Students will be contacted if they are going to be receiving an award prior to the Gala, and are encouraged to attend.