3.1.11 | Chicago, IL | The International Interior Design Association (IIDA) is pleased to announce its involvement in 2011 with two design competitions in Dubai: The Decade of Design Competition and The Middle East Office Awards. IIDA will partner with The Office Exhibition 2011, the Middle East’s premier trade event for office fit-outs, for both competitions in addition to serving as the Official Knowledge Partner for the trade show. For both competitions, the deadline to request an entry kit is 16 March, 2011 and the deadline to submit entries is 30 March, 2011.

The first annual Decade of Design Competition seeks to recognize outstanding interior design in corporate/commercial, healthcare, hospitality, and retail projects in the UAE. The competition seeks to highlight the significant impact that design has had on the changing landscape and working environment of the UAE. Any UAE-based project completed between 1 January, 2000 and 31 December, 2010 is eligible to enter the competition.

Commenting on the competition, Cheryl Durst, Executive Vice President/CEO, IIDA said: “Great design knows no boundaries and at IIDA we believe that interior design has a profound impact on the human condition. It affects how we interact and perform in all environments. Through the Decade of Design we aim to recognize and honor those commercial spaces that are effective, efficient and exceptional.”

The Middle East Office Awards is an annual product design competition awarding new commercial and hospitality interiors products. The competition showcases products celebrated for their innovation, function, and outstanding aesthetic advancements. All products submitted must be displayed in the manufacturer’s stand during The Office Exhibition 2011. Products designed for a commercial or a hospitality installation, which are offered for sale or use after 1 February 2010, are eligible for the competition.

The winning projects and products for both competitions will be selected by a panel of design professionals. All winning projects, products, manufacturers and design firms will be featured on The Office Exhibition website and the IIDA website.

Winners of The Decade of Design Competition will be announced at the Decade of Design Ceremony at The Office Exhibition, on 17 May 2011. The shortlisted entries in Decade of Design Competition will be displayed at The Office Exhibition 2011, which runs from 17 – 19 May at the Dubai World Trade Centre. Winners of The Middle East Office Awards will be announced at the Middle East Office Awards Ceremony on 17 May 2011.

Companies interested in participating in either competition should contact Jenny Palmer at [email protected] or visit http://iidadesigndubai.com/ to download the Entry Form.

About International Interior Design Association

The International Interior Design Association (IIDA) is a professional networking and educational association with more than 13,000 Members practicing worldwide in more than 50 countries. IIDA is committed to enhancing the quality of life through excellence in interior design and advancing interior design through knowledge, value and community. IIDA advocates for interior design excellence; nurtures a global interior design community; maintains high educational standards; and supports its Members and the Profession with visionary leadership. For more than 37 years, IIDA has helped reveal new Design talent through a variety of educational initiatives and Interior Design/Architecture competitions honoring local talent, including the Global Excellence Awards with BMW, Interior Design Competition, Smart Environments Awards and Sustainable Leadership Awards. www.iida.org.

About The Office Exhibition

The Office Exhibition is the Middle East’s premium showcase for high-end products and services which combine to create outstanding working environments. Organized by DMG Events, the show attracts thousands of top tier architectural and interior design firms and end-users from the Middle East and beyond.

Now encompassing a wider range of products and services to reflect the ever expanding market and with the addition of the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) as official knowledge partner in 2011, the event has become the most important exhibition for commercial interior design professionals in the GCC region.