Shaw Names 2026 Best of Globe Contract Design Winners
The 21st annual Shaw Contract Design Awards honor projects selected from nearly 550 global submissions.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Remote Work
The Shaw Contract Design Awards have named their 2026 Best of Globe winners, selected from the programme's Best of Region winners. The winners include projects in the US, Japan, India and the UK.
Why it matters
The awards recognise commercial interior and architectural projects judged on whether their stated design intent is visible in the finished space. Winners gain global media exposure, giving the selected designers and firms wider visibility across the contract design sector.
Nearly 550 global submissions were judged for the 2026 awards, now in their 21st year. The Diageo office in India covers 7,700 square metres and houses 300 employees across three floors, though the source does not give the total number of Best of Globe winners.
The players
Shaw Contract Design Awards
An annual international awards programme recognising commercial interior and architectural design, now in its 21st year.
Christner Architects
An architecture firm that overhauled the St Louis Symphony Orchestra's Powell Hall, a Best of Globe winner.
HOK
A global architecture firm that completed the Missouri Athletic Club project, a Best of Globe winner.
Okamura
A Japanese office furniture manufacturer that designed the We Labo 25F workspace in Japan.
Sheppard Robson Architects
A UK architecture practice that designed the DLA Piper workplace, a Best of Globe winner.
The details
The jury, which included architects and designers, selected Best of Globe winners from the programme's Best of Region winners. Interior design students also joined the jury as part of Shaw's commitment to supporting emerging design talent.
Timeline
2026: Best of Globe winners named at the Shaw Contract Design Awards
Market Landscape
The Shaw Contract Design Awards run a two-tier process in which Best of Region winners advance to a global Best of Globe selection, now in its 21st year. The 2026 cycle's nearly 550 submissions show the programme's continued draw for commercial design projects across regions.
For professionals in commercial design and workplace planning, the awards signal which office projects are setting global benchmarks. Employees working in redesigned offices may see changes in layout and amenities that reflect these design approaches.
The takeaway
Well-designed workspaces are increasingly judged on whether their intent is clearly realised in the completed building. Organisations planning offices can use that test to evaluate whether a design delivers what it promises.
Further reading
Explore how workplace design shapes Remote Work arrangements and the office spaces companies are building.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Dezeen.
