Starnet names 2026 Design Awards winners

By AI, Created 5:31 PM UTC, May 18, 2026, /AGP/ – Starnet Commercial Flooring announced the winners of its 2026 Design Awards on May 19, recognizing commercial flooring projects across the U.S. and Canada. F1 Arcade Philadelphia took the Grand Prize as the annual program highlighted work that turns flooring into a core part of the design story.

Why it matters: - The Starnet Design Awards spotlight how flooring can shape wayfinding, brand identity and the overall built environment. - The 2026 program recognized projects across eight categories in the U.S. and Canada. - The awards also elevated craftsmanship and technical precision across commercial flooring jobs in healthcare, education, hospitality, corporate and mixed-use spaces.

What happened: - Starnet Commercial Flooring announced the winners of the 2026 Starnet Design Awards on May 19, 2026. - The winners were celebrated at the Starnet Design Awards Gala on April 24, 2026. - F1 Arcade Philadelphia won the Grand Prize. - The competition included the Rob Starr People’s Choice Award, a peer-voted honor for Starnet Members and Preferred Vendor Partners. - Gold, silver and bronze honorees were recognized at the gala.

The details: - F1 Arcade Philadelphia was installed by James Floor Covering in a 19,200-square-foot retail shell in Philadelphia. - The project used precise cuts, bold pattern transitions and performance materials to define racing bays, bar zones, dining areas and social spaces without physical barriers. - Pavement-style markings and geometric abstraction were used to orient guests inside the space. - The project’s materials were designed to handle heavy foot traffic under dramatic lighting. - The Grand Prize judges said the floor gave the arcade a clear sense of place, balanced pattern and negative space, and helped define each area’s purpose. - The project team included GMA Architects. - Starnet Preferred Vendors for the Grand Prize project were ARDEX, Daltile, Mapei, Mohawk Group, Pliteq, TEC Specialty Products, Tarkett and Uzin Utz North America. - Additional 2026 gold winners were Consolidated Flooring for Corporate; Antex Western for Education; James Floor Covering for Hospitality & Public Spaces; M. Frank Higgins & Co., Inc. for Healthcare; Capital Carpet & Flooring Specialists for Unique Installation; H.J. Martin & Son, Inc. for Mixed-Use Developments; Antex Western for Canadian Project of the Year; Ruggieri Brothers for Single-Source Interior Contractor; and Capital Carpet & Flooring Specialists for the Rob Starr People’s Choice Gold. - Twenty-six awards were presented across eight categories this year. - Projects were judged on innovation, craftsmanship and contribution to the built environment. - Gold category winners advanced to Grand Prize consideration. - The judging panel included Brent Otsuka of Fentress Studios, Caleb Salomons of HOK, Liz Sims of Michael Graves and David Gross of INSTALL as honorary judge for Unique Installation. - The competition recognizes work across the United States and Canada.

Between the lines: - The awards show Starnet pushing a broader message: flooring is not just a finish, but a design tool that can carry narrative and function. - The Grand Prize winner stands out because the floor does more than decorate the room. It organizes the space and reinforces the brand experience. - The inclusion of a peer-voted award suggests the program values industry relationships and contractor recognition, not just visual impact.

What’s next: - Starnet is directing readers to the Design Awards website at designawards.starnetflooring.com to view the full list of winning projects. - Starnet continues to position its member network and vendor partners around high-performance commercial flooring work across North America.

The bottom line: - The 2026 Starnet Design Awards framed commercial flooring as a central part of architecture, not a supporting detail.