Public art work benefits everyone. But have you ever thought it deserved more? One Wisconsin-based organization did, and developed the CODA Awards to acknowledge commissioned work in public spaces that's turning heads. Founded by CODAworx – Collaboration of Design and Work – the inaugural awards were led by Interior Design editor-in-chief Cindy Allen. Her team sifted through more than 300 entries from 18 countries in 10 categories. The results are stunning, but I'll just highlight my favorites. 

In the healthcare category, Catherine Widgery and Isadore Michas transformed the Oregon State Hospital in Junction City, into an ethereal experience. "Passing Storms" is powder-coated aluminum cut by water jet into cumulus clouds, with rain approximated by stainless-steel cable.

At a restaurant in Singapore, EDG Interior Architecture and Design and Mohammed Zulkarnaen Othman wanted to capture the essence of a quintessential izakaya – a Japanese drinking bar that also serves food. The globally-inspired setting is a 1,550-square-foot space that harnesses the buzz and energy of the people, capturing the izakaya essence with a gritty urban twist.

And then in the residential category, check out Pavarini Design's and ZeroLUX Lighting Design's sculpture that turned a former garment factory into a home. The centerpiece aimed to reflect the history of the region, tying in the homesite's Kansas City's proximity to Tornado Alley. Falling Sticks evokes debris swirling around the atrium as if strewn