Last Friday evening more than 400 guests — made up of designers, industry partners and design lovers — packed into the Crystal Ballroom at the historic Millennium Biltmore hotel in downtown Los Angeles for Celebration – The ASID Design Awards. Hosted by Emmy Award-winning television host Mark Brunetz, the evening honored the recipients of the 2013 ASID Design Awards and the inductees to the 2013 ASID Class of Fellows.
“This year’s awards gala was an evening to remember and I was so thrilled to be a part of honoring these amazing designers and our community,” says ASID President Barbara Marini, FASID, IDEC. “It was wonderful to share this event with so many friends, colleagues” and members of the design community.”
Upon arrival, guests walked the red carpet and enjoyed cocktails under the stars before being escorted to the lavish ballroom, which needed little extra décor thanks to the hotel’s 1920s art deco interior. “The Biltmore recalls a design age of the past that inspires us for the future,” shares Marini. As guests made their way into the ballroom, whether on the main floor or the ornate balcony, they were met by a team of dancing flappers, upbeat jazz music and a series of “olden day” ASID photos that flashed across two large screens.
As guests dined on a three-course meal, the evening’s honors began with the presentation of the Student Design Competition Award. On behalf of the competition’s media partner HGTV, Laurie March, Associate ASID, presented the award to Molly Sherman, for her “RePurpose for Today” project, which explored the potential impacts of design on a relevant social issue. Next, ASID President-elect Rachelle Schoessler Lynn, FASID, introduced the five winners of the inaugural Elevate Awards and ASID Fellows Committee chair Bruce Goff, FASID, inducted the 2013 Class of ASID Fellows: Julie Schulte, FASID; LuAnn Thoma-Holec, FASID; Barbara Barry, FASID (who was represented by Lloyd Arnold and Jennifer Giuliano); and ASID CFO Rick Peluso, Hon. FASID.
Before moving on to the evening’s highest honors, the audience dug deep into their pockets for a live auction put on by the ASID Foundation. Auction items included weeklong stays in Italy, Spain and Mexico — so popular it sold twice! — and a weekend in a posh NYC apartment. A total of $30,000 was raised over the course of the evening — including through a silent auction — and will be donated to one the Foundation’s partners, The 1% program of Public Architecture, winners of last year’s ASID Design for Humanity award.
The culmination of the evening occurred when Marini presented the 2013 ASID Awards to four deserving honorees: Linda Sorrento received the Nancy Vincent McClelland Merit Award; The Health Product Declaration Collaborative received the Innovation Award; MASS Design Group received the Design for Humanity Award and Robert Wright received the Designer of Distinction Award.
Afterward, attendees made their way to the Biltmore Bowl for a lively afterparty, where they danced into the early morning, enjoyed a 1920s photo booth (what happened in the booth stays in the booth!) and kicked back with acquaintainces both old and new. It was surely a night honoring high achievement in design and high energy on the dance floor. Stay tuned in the next week for more photos of the red carpet, after party and more on the ASID Facebook page.
