The Association of Registered Interior Designers of Ontario (ARIDO) recently returned to its in-person format for the first time since 2019 to recognize 14 interior design projects by their members during their 40th awards gala.
Over 650 individuals in the interior design and construction industry were in attendance at this year’s edition of the ARIDO Awards Gala, which took place at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto on October 5, 2023, and recognized top interior design projects completed in 2021 and 2022.
This year’s awards program highlighted completed interior design projects in the awards categories CARE (healthcare and wellness spaces), EAT + STAY (restaurants, bars, hotels, nightclubs), LEARN (education spaces including postsecondary facilities), and WORK (commercial offices spaces from 0 to 50,000 square feet), DISTINCT, and CRAFT.
The 14 projects highlight the talent and solutions which Registered Interior Designers deliver for clients in various fields such as banking, tech, education, and construction, as well as local restaurants, and healthcare facilities. Additionally, they put a spotlight on innovative design solutions including The Hive installation which is the first 3D printed wall in Canada, in a collaboration by ARIDO interior designers Joanne Chan, Bruce Freeman and Glenn Cheng, with students and faculty at Western University.
All the winning projects of 2023 ARIDO Awards can be seen in the Awards Magazine below, published by Canadian Interiors.
Milestones from ARIDO’s history were celebrated during the gala, including the first awards gala celebration in 1981 as the ‘Interior Designers of Ontario’ or IDO, as well as the official formation of the association in 1984.
The passing of Bill Pr6 or the ARIDO Act in the Ontario Legislature, which legislated the protection of the title ‘Interior Designer’ in the province of Ontario in 1999 was also celebrated.
This year’s gala also marked the return of the Gary Hewson Scholarship which invites one student from each ARIDO recognized post-secondary interior design program to attend the event. The Scholarship is named after a former ARIDO President (2005-6), Gary Hewson, who was a pillar of the ARIDO community. Founded in 2018, the scholarship recognizes students who follow in his path of giving back to their communities.
The scholarship was awarded this year to Brooke Hebner (Georgian College), Dhvani Savaliya (Yorkville University), Feiga Werner (Toronto Metropolitan University), Jenny Bae Huggon (Sheridan College), Kirpa Channa (OCAD University), Madalynne Bouwmeester, (Conestoga College), Mélissa Marchand (Algonquin College), Rozlyn Mead (Humber College), and Victoria Newman ) Fanshawe College).