James Hardie Building Products Inc., the leader in fiber cement siding, announced today the start of their 2017 HardieDesign Contest for multi-family and commercial architects. The contest will showcase top architectural multi-family and commercial projects that feature James Hardie fiber cement siding products. 
The HardieDesign Contest not only provides architects with the opportunity to showcase their great work, it offers a grand prize that includes a full-page ad in Dwell magazine and a custom video shoot. The winner will be able to leverage that custom video on their firm’s website and throughout marketing materials to gain exposure. 
Five projects will be selected as finalists and put up for public vote to decide on the grand prize winner. Four runners-up will also be chosen, and each will receive custom photo books featuring their submission as well as other examples of their work. Additionally, notable projects will be highlighted as honorable mentions on JamesHardiePros.com. 
Judges will select five finalists based on their aesthetic allure as well as the original use of James Hardie fiber cement siding products. Only photos that have been submitted by the architect or architectural firm that designed the project will be considered. 
“Our fiber cement products are used in so many creative ways to deliver unique and inspirational buildings with both traditional and modern designs,” said Jeff Kemerley, Multi-Family / Commercial Business Manager at James Hardie. “The HardieDesign Contest provides a showcase for these designs and recognizes the talented architects who use James Hardie products in innovative ways.” 
In 2014, Cordogan Clark & Associates won for the traditional design of the Sugar Grove Library in Chicago, and PSL Architects took home the top spot in the modern category that same year for its visually impactful senior housing project in Los Angeles. 
Contest entries will be accepted through Friday, Feb. 24. The winner will be announced at the American Institute of Architects (AIA) show on April 24. 
To learn more about the HardieDesign Contest and to submit photos of a multi-family or commercial project, visit JamesHardiePros.com/HardieDesign.  
 About James Hardie Building Products Inc.
James Hardie is the global leader in fiber cement technology, and has been furthering founder James Hardie’s innovative, entrepreneurial legacy around the world for more than 125 years. It invented fiber cement siding products in the early 1980s as a durable, lower-maintenance alternative to wood and vinyl. Its products combine innovation and versatility to offer a variety of design possibilities, matched with specific performance attributes relative to the climate where the product is being used. Currently installed on more than 5.5 million homes in North America, James Hardie has earned a favorable reputation within the industry and has been specified in some of the country’s most prestigious projects. For more information about James Hardie, visit jameshardie.com.