Woman selecting fabric swatches from a wall display in a design studio

2023 Design Awards Judges

It is our foundation to celebrate the optimism of design, and its ability to positively impact our communities and our planet. Now in its 18th year, the Shaw Contract Design Awards program is our chance to look through the Design Optimist lens at spaces that inspire new ways of working, learning, healing, and thriving. 

Stay tuned for when winners will be announced in September!

Meet the Judges from the Best of Canada Panel

These judges will be looking through the Design Optimist lens at spaces that represent the best of design from their region, along with those that consider our four People Together Planet Forever ambitions - Material Health, Circular Economy, Carbon Impact and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.

 

Anthony Orasi

iN Studio | Partner
Toronto, ON

Man in a black cable-knit sweater with arms crossed

Anthony Orasi is one of the four founding partners of iN STUDIO and is defined by creative excellence—he is a true designer’s designer.

He is a firm believer in co-creating with his team and his clients, having worked and delivered complicated and thought-provoking solutions around the world. As a complement to his creative drive, Anthony’s ability to connect with his clients and forge long-lasting relationships has been a key factor in iN STUDIO’s success.

Brooke Anderson

HOK | Interior Designer
Toronto, ON

Woman in floral dress standing on a balcony with cityscape in the background

Brooke is a passionate designer who loves to connect with her peers and get exposed to new and exciting ideas. She has diverse experience working in an array of industries, including workplace, aviation and hospitality, as well as government, justice and healthcare. She is active in the design community currently as a member of the ARIDO Communications Committee and mentors ARIDO interns studying for their NCIDQ exams.
 
Brooke is detail-oriented, well-versed technically and a strong communicator, enabling her to effectively lead teams of designers and subconsultants to deliver projects successfully. She believes that recognizing other individual’s passions for interior design, architecture and engineering is a key component to creating strong teams that deliver exceptional projects.

Christine Stochl

Kasian | Interior Designer
Toronto, ON

Flooring brand image with orange border

Coming from a background in business and interior design, Christine’s passion for design ultimately stems from her passion for people. She approaches each project with an open mind, a creative spirit, and a focus towards building a strong, positive and collaborative team dynamic.

She believes the most meaningful designs are born from a deep level of understanding - not only of the project and its objectives, but of the people being designed for and beyond.

Stephanie Panyan

B+H Architects | Principal, Interior Design
Toronto, ON

Woman in black dress standing in front of a large map mural

Stephanie describes herself as a mother, designer, and lover of Boston cream donuts. But as soon as you meet her you know there is a lot more to her. Immensely creative, you might be surprised to learn she started out studying biology before shifting to interior design.

Her past in biology is still evident in her approach to design, however, as she draws inspiration from nature on a regular basis. She is passionate about using translate biomimicry to the built environment in forms and systems.  Stephanie never stops learning, and is excited by the evolution of interior design.  This evolution for Stephanie includes utilizing more workplace strategy in her designs. She takes the time to understand her clients inside and out, their issues and their targets. She is never prouder than when a client sees their new space for the first time and says, “This feels like us”.

Stephanie is warm, bright, and deeply focused on people – her clients, her team, and her family. She brings these traits to every project, ensuring they meet and exceed expectations.

Tara Mackenzie

BGIS | Director Programs, BGIS Direct Interiors
Toronto, ON

Framed black and white portrait with a red border

Tara is a skilled business leader overseeing a team of Designers, Project, and Relocation Managers to BGIS clients. Tara has over 25 years of experience in the real estate industry including Interior Design, Project Management, Change Management and Business Transition/ Move Management. She provides the strategic planning and leadership required to make projects of any size and complexity, smooth and risk-free while tailoring her approach to meet the unique needs of each client, business type and space.


Tara sees each challenge through multiple lenses, enabling her to deliver value-add solutions to clients in a variety of industry sectors bringing insight and management skills to all aspects of a project. Tara’s broad experience includes all phases of the project process as well as the development and management of numerous businesses. Tara’s unique combination of skills helps clients clearly define project goals and objectives along with developing an effective project structure and methodology that ensures all projects exceed client expectations.


Tara's education includes formal training in Interior Design ( BID ) , Project Management ( PMP) and Change Management ( CMP ) as well as continuing education in business and entrepreneurial processes

View all judges from each Best of Region panel around the globe!

These judges will be looking through the Design Optimist lens at spaces that represent the best of design from their region, along with those that consider our four People Together Planet Forever ambitions - Material Health, Circular Economy, Carbon Impact and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.

 

Best of Asia

WATG and Wimberly Interiors
Creative Director
Singapore

 Sennex Consultants
Director – Principal
Singapore

 MEC Design International
Design Director
Japan

 Steven Leach
Studio Director
Malaysia

 Orbit Design Studio
Head of Design
Thailand

Best of Australia & New Zealand

Wardle
Associate Principal
Melbourne, Australia

Cox Architecture
Associate Director
Sydney, Australia

M Moser Associates
Director - Head of Australia
Melbourne, Australia

Mostra Design
Design Director
Christchurch, New Zealand

Best Of Canada

Man in a black cable-knit sweater with arms crossed

iN Studio
Partner
Toronto

Woman in floral dress standing on a balcony with cityscape in the background

HOK
Interior Designer
Toronto

Flooring brand image with orange border

Kasian
Interior Designer
Toronto

Woman in black dress standing in front of a large map mural

B+H Architects 
Principal, Interior Design
Toronto

Framed black and white portrait with a red border

BGIS
Director Programs BGIS Direct Interiors
Toronto

Best of India

Textured wall paneling in a modern interior setting

SWBI Architects
Associate Director, Design
Delhi, India

Professional woman in business attire with arms crossed

SPACE MATRIX
Studio Director Bangalore 
Bangalore, India

Flooring product swatch with a red border

BEYOND DESIGN ARCHITECTS & CONSULTANTS
 Co Founder & Director Design
Mumbai, India

Man wearing a black polo shirt with "CONCEPT" logo standing outdoors with greenery in the background

Concept Consilio
  Director Design & Project
Mumbai, India

Professional man in a suit with a striped shirt and patterned tie

  Colliers
National Director
Interior Design Services
Bangalore, India

Best of Greater China

  CCD
Exective Vice President
Shenzhen, China

Professional woman in black attire sitting on a chair with a red border frame

  ArchitectureFARM
Design Director & Partner
Shanghai, China

Professional woman in a blue striped shirt and dark vest against a dark background

  Virtuarch
Interior Design Department Director
Shanghai, China

Best of Latin America

  USOarquitectura
Partner / Director
CDMX, Mexico

Black and white image of a woman sitting against a plain wall with an orange border

  LP+A arquitetura
Principal, Creative Director
São Paulo, Brazil

Professional woman in a black blazer with an eye-shaped brooch

  Marriott International
Interior Design Manager CALA Region
Lima, Peru

Woman wearing a light-colored jacket and hoop earrings

  MUSSA ARQUITECTOS
SOCIA FUNDADORA
Santiago, Chile

Professional man in a suit standing outdoors with blurred background

  Gensler LATAM
Design Director
San Jose, Costa Rica

Best of Middle East & Africa

Modern office setting with textured wall background

  Swiss Bureau Interior Design Company Dubai
Design Director
Dubai

Office environment with blurred background and red border

  Gulf Consult Kuwait
Senior Interior Designer
Kuwait

Professional man in a suit with a paisley tie

KOC University
Architect
Istanbul

Best of UK & Continental Europe 

Professional man in a suit standing in front of a modern building

Colliers
Senior Architect
Czech Republic

Woman sitting at a desk in a modern office setting with bookshelves in the background

Michael Laird Architects
Director Interior Design
Scotland

Black and white image of a woman wearing a patterned dress with a geometric design

DDock
Senior Interior Designer
Netherlands

Modern office reception area with sleek white counter and storage cabinets

Habitaction
Lead Creative
United Kingdom