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The Fin Awards are Back!

We’re pleased to announce that our internal design competition, the NELSON Fin Awards program, has returned for 2024 and beyond.

At its core, the FIN awards embody our steadfast commitment to our purpose of “boldly transforming all dimensions of the human experience” by illuminating brilliance and fostering innovation in design. They empower and inspire our teams, encouraging recognition of the outstanding throughout our organization, igniting a culture of creativity and celebration within our firm.

For details on how to enter, submission criteria, and judging process and criteria, scroll to the bottom on the page or click here. Have other questions? We’re here to help! Drop us a line at connect@nelsonww.com. We’ll respond within 1-2 business days.

Submit today! Simply complete the form below.

Dang – you missed it! Don't worry, there will be another opportunity to submit projects coming up soon. Stay tuned!

Submission Criteria

  • Unbuilt concepts, projects on the boards, or completed projects may be submitted.
  • Project should represent the most recent work from each practice.
  • Project statement must identify project/client goals and objectives and explain how we met them, as well as explain/identify the challenges and problems the design solved for. (Challenging space or site, limited budget, unusual client request or programs, or market disruption.)
  • Submission must include supporting imagery (photos/renderings) and plans as defined in the “How to Enter” instructions below.

How to Enter

  1. Enter submission contact details and basic project detail. Use the submission form as your guide.
  2. Include a project statement, 250 words or less, that provides a brief explanation of the project with emphasis on the client objective, design solution provided/proposed, and the project’s alignment with NELSON’s purpose and vision.
  3. Attach supporting project imagery (photos/renderings) and plans as outlined below:
    1. For interior projects, include up to three floor plans plus 5-10 color images (renderings/photographs) to illustrate the overall design.
    2. For exterior projects, include site plans and elevations plus 5-10 color images (renderings/photographs) to illustrate the overall design.
    3. For EGD or Brand Identity & Communications projects, include up to three concept phase documents and 5-10 color images (renderings/artwork, etc.) to illustrate the overall design.

Judging Process & Criteria

  • All submissions will be judged through a peer-to-peer review process. Teammates will judge based on the following criteria on a scale from 1-5 (Strongly Agree, Agree, Neutral, Disagree, Strongly Disagree).
    • The submission effectively and creatively solved for the client goals and objectives as defined in the project statement.
    • The submission aligns with NELSON’s vision of being purpose-led.
    • The submission aligns with NELSON’s vision to be design-driven.
    • The submission aligns with NELSON’s vision of being performance-focused.
  • Note: Only submitted projects with a profitability multiplier of 3 or higher will be considered in the final judging process. The multiplier will be verified at the time of judging and will not impact the project’s eligibility to be featured during Town Hall meetings.