IIDA Awards 2026
WHLC Interior Design Studio brings home three awards!
On September 19, 2026 the Delta Regional Chapter of the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) held the 2026 Interior Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) Banquet in New Orleans, La.
Designers across Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi submitted projects for consideration. The Interior Design Studio at WHLC Architecture is proud to be recognized with three awards. This year’s award winning projects include:
Cajun Industries, Employee Training and Conference Center
- Award of Recognition for Corporate over 7,500 s.f.
Cajun Industries' new employee training and conference center is designed to support the their ongoing commitment to employee development, engagement, and well-being. Strategically located on an existing campus, the center will serve as a dynamic hub for training, collaboration, and community building within the company.
Cajun’s primary goal was to create an employee-centered space that gives back to the people who power the company. Their vision was to create a collaborative, enriching, and future-ready workplace for all employees. The interior design blends modern forms with industrial-inspired details, paying homage to the client’s history and expertise in construction. The use of durable materials and expressive elements reflects both functionality and craftsmanship.
North Oaks Health, COB II
- Award of Excellence for Healthcare over 7,500 s.f.
The concept of the North Oaks Health Clinic Building reimagines the clinical office building as a bright, welcoming hub rather than a maze of corridors. Situated in the heart of campus, it prioritizes daylight, transparency, and intuitive circulation, achieved through open concourses, glass-walled retail spaces, and ramps. Throughout, a clean modern palette of terrazzo flooring, warm woods, white solid surfaces, cove-lit walls, and large-format acoustical ceilings brighten the environment. Biophilic accents, including sage-green tones and large-scale regional nature photography, soften the setting and connect it to the surrounding landscape, framed by windows on every side. The resulting environment resembles premium retail and hospitality more than a typical medical office building. Carefully selected finishes and thoughtful layouts create bring the campus into the next decade.
BRAF Office at I Rivermark Centre
- Award of Recognition for Corporate over 7,500 s.f.
Communal hospitality meets corporate office in the Baton Rouge Area Foundation's new office in the 1960’s-era high-rise tower. Anchoring varied spaces around a two-story, central commons, provided ample space for social gatherings and community events.
Surrounding the atrium are colorful furnishings, glazed private offices, collaboration stations, a boardroom, and catering kitchen, all organized around this shared space. The design preserves the exposed structural character of the 1960s-era high-rise while introducing contemporary furnishings, blending reused and new elements to support both workplace and hospitality functions.
We would like to thank Cajun Industries, North Oaks Health, and the Baton Rouge Area Foundation for their collaboration and confidence in WHLC to bring their goals to reality. We couldn't have done it without our dedicated design staff and an excellent team of consultants and vendors. Go team!
About the Interior Design Excellence Awards:
The Delta Regional Chapter's Annual Awards Gala provides a forum for recognizing excellence in interior design within the region of Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. The competition’s purpose is to celebrate outstanding examples of designed interior spaces, demonstrate design professionals’ impact on the health, safety, and wellbeing; balancing passion for good design and strategy for best business practices.
