Geoffrey Beene Universally recognized for his unparalleled craftsmanship and excellence in clothing design, Geoffrey Beene has maintained his strong, singular vision—unmoved by the whims of trends—throughout his 50 years in American fashion. Having originally studied medicine, he has a unique perspective on the human body and, throughout his career, has returned again and again to...

André Balazs André Balazs has created some of the most innovative and widely imitated hotels in the world. Focused on the narrative of the individual experience, Balazs works closely with architects and designers to create a unique look and feel for each hotel. His hotels range widely from luxury boutique hotels like The Mercer, in...

Whirlpool Corporation Whirlpool Corporation uses design as a strategic tool to produce high-quality, innovative appliances that meet the needs of a broad range of American households. Whirlpool strives to achieve both business value and consumer solutions through design and consistently reinvents mass-market appliances. The recent development and introduction of a new youth brand, Pla (pronounced...

New York City Housing Authority The New York City Housing Authority, the largest public housing authority in the United States, has become a model for the construction and rehabilitation of quality, innovative housing and other facilities for low-income families. The playgrounds, police stations, and community centers built by the agency serve over half a million...

Steven Holl Since establishing Steven Holl Architects in New York in 1976, Holl has earned a reputation as one of the most brilliant pure designers in America. Holl’s spare yet beautiful architecture originates from the architect’s geometric rigor, attention to detail, and belief in the integrity of craft. Rather than carrying one signature style to...

Lucille Tenazas Lucille Tenazas is the principal and creative force behind Tenazas Design, a San Francisco-based communication, graphics, and design firm founded in 1985. Her work, spanning 20 years, lies between the rigor of design and the freedom of art and achieves an effective symbiosis of rationality and creativity. Tenazas’s interests in language and the...

James Carpenter James Carpenter has spent his career in the arena of public art and architecture, pushing the boundaries of light and glass technologies in large environmental spaces. The primary focus of his work is the exploration of the natural phenomenon of light and structure as they influence built space. Carpenter’s original approach to glass...

Niels Diffrient A pioneer of ergonomic design, Niels Diffrient is driven by the need to improve the way existing products work. For Diffrient, product ideas originate from the specific human factors relevant to the product at hand. He delays giving his designs a distinct physical form until all relevant ergonomic factors are considered—an approach that...

Lella and Massimo Vignelli Lella and Massimo Vignelli live and breathe design. Born and trained in Italy, they started their own office in Milan in 1961, and co-founded Vignelli Associates in New York ten years later. Their diverse design contributions have brought each of them international acclaim and numerous honors. Pursuing a multidisciplinary practice on...

Ieoh Ming Pei Ieoh Ming Pei’s long and distinguished career as one of our century’s most important architects began when he moved to the United States from his native China to study architecture at the age of 17. Since then he has completed a vast range of iconic designs for many powerful international clients, including...

DESIGN PATRON This award was created in 2001 to recognize outstanding support and patronage within the design community. Unlike the jury-selected National Design Awards, the recipient of the Design Patron Award was chosen each year by the Museum’s director. Gordon Segal When Gordon and Carole Segal returned from their honeymoon in 1961, they wondered why...

Target Target’s corporate emphasis on good design and aesthetics is central to its success as a business and a brand. As a “curator” of good design, the company commissions product lines by some of the most talented designers today – including Michael Graves, Philippe Starck, Isaac Mizrahi and Stephen Sprouse — to expand the store’s...

Billie Tsien and Tod Williams Billie Tsien and Tod Williams have worked together since 1977 and have deliberately stayed small, focusing on a few projects at a time and choosing to work slowly in a world characterized by speed. Their architectural designs are based on a profound sense of optimism and the conviction “that is...

Robert Greenberg A giant in his industry, Robert Greenberg keeps in tune with the constant evolution of the communications field and consistently maintains the highest standards of excellence and innovation. In 1977 when he co-founded his company, R/GA, with his brother, it was the first firm to bring print, television commercials and feature films under...

SPECIAL COMMENDATION FOR CORPORATE ACHIEVEMENT This award was given by the Jurors in recognition of outstanding achievements in the design stewardship of the public realm. General Services Administration’s Design Excellence Program The U.S. General Services Administration’s Design Excellence Program will be awarded a Special Commendation in the Corporate Achievement category. In 1961, Daniel Patrick Moynihan...