The latest design competition to hit the Web amidst a slew of recent online contests is Shaw Contract Group's fifth annual "Design Is..." People's Choice Award. The contest, now in its fifth year, invites all visitors to the Shaw Contract Group Web site to cast their vote for the best of 12 finalist projects.

The winning project will be promoted in Shaw Contract Group marketing materials, media outreach, and an advertising campaign in leading A&D publications. A “Design Is...” Award sculpture will be presented to the winners, and a $2,000 student scholarship will be awarded in the firm's name to promote design education.

The 12 finalists are:

•    Collins Woerman (Seattle) with Software Company
•    Brayton Hughes Design Studios (San Francisco) with Venture Capital Firm
•    Westparks + Associates (Thornhill, Ontario) with Cara Corporate Headquarters
•    Dekker/Perich/Sabatini (Albuquerque) with Thornburg Campus
•    Kraaijvanger Urbis (Rotterdam, Netherlands) with Unive/VGZ/IZA/Trias
•    id+s Design Solutions (Montreal) with Heenan Blaikie
•    Rottet Studio (Houston) with Mattel Design Center
•    Perkins + Will (Woodbury, Minnesota) with Technology Company
•    Ewing Cole (Philadelphia) with Atlantic Care Oncology Center
•    Bowie Gridley Architects (Washington, DC) with Mollie Dodd Anderson Library
•    Cynthia Urbanik Interiors LLC (Charlotte) with Dress for Success
•    Richard + Bauer (Phoenix) with Prescott Valley Library + Yavapai Community College

Finalists were selected from over 250 entries from 11 countries by a judging panel, which included Christine Hester Devens of Ellerbe Becket, Inc.; Daniel Huntsman of Huntsman Architectural Group; Jennifer L. Nye of KlingStubbins; and Martin Smith of Savannah College of Art and Design.

The public voting process will remain open through July 2 at shawcontractgroup.com. Results will be announced Aug 6.

The annual "Design Is..." People's Choice Award, hosted by Shaw Contract Group, aims to show that the concept of design is for everyone. Entrants are challenged to explain their definition of design and submit a project that features Shaw Contract Group products as the main flooring in the space. Participants are also required to describe the challenges, processes, and results of their project. The competition is open to all professional interior design and architecture firms.