HELLO

THE BIG EMBRACE

Last December, I stood in a hotel ballroom, tears streaming down my cheeks as I watched two GRAY Awards winners embrace in the most epic, seemingly never-ending bear hug of all time. In that moment, it made everything we did to present the 2021 GRAY Awards in person all the more worthwhile.

GRAY presents just 11 trophies to the best and brightest in the design world each year, so winning one—a global distinction that reflects hours of hard work, passion, and purpose—can be emotional. In this case, the embrace I witnessed was one of mutual respect, appreciation, love, and pride shared by designers Ben Boutros (above, left) and Cedric Hudson (above, right) for each other and for the men and women their Greensboro Chair, which pays homage to the historic 1960 Greensboro sit-ins, represents.

Held in Seattle on December 10, 2021, the GRAY Awards party revealed that year’s winning projects and introduced the 2021 Legacy honoree, interior designer Susan Marinello. The evening was punctuated by performances by Seattle String Quartet, Mak Fai Kung Fu Dragon and Lion Dance Association, and the GRAY Band (of designers), as well as a dance party led by the official GRAY Awards DJ, Bamboo Beats.

Thank you to everyone who participated in this important event, and for allowing GRAY to be part of such an inspiring design community.

Cheers,

Shawn Williams, GRAY founder and CEO

THANK YOU 2021 GRAY AWARDS JUDGES, SPONSORS, AND INDUSTRY PARTNERS

Judging panelists Jonathan Adler, Gabriele Chiave, Kathryn Gustafson, India Mahdavi, Thom Mayne, and Brigette Romanek. Sponsors Design Within Reach, Marvin, Seattle Design Center, AIA, Arcade, Bamboo Beats, Dezeen, Design Milk, The Fix Photo Group, Henry Art Gallery, Interior Design Show (IDS), IDSA, National Etching, Ontario Association of Architects, Popfetti, and Westin Seattle. GRAY Band members Amy DeVall, Jim Friesz, Eddie Peraza Garzon, Tom Ghilarducci, Charlie Hellstern, Jeff Kovel, Nita Posada, and Conor Wood. Trophy designer John Hogan.

Read about the winning projects and see more photos at graymag.com/awards To make a charitable contribution to the Block Project, visit the-block-project.org/donate

Photograph above: GRAY founder and CEO, Shawn Williams (center), with designers Ben Boutros (left) and Cedric Hudson (right). The pair claimed the Product Design: Lighting, Furniture trophy for their Greensboro Chair, which was inspired by the historic 1960 Woolworth lunch counter sit-ins in Greensboro, North Carolina, and honors the men and women who, by choosing to sit down, stood up for so much. Read more at graymag.com. Photographed by THE FIX PHOTO GROUP