Honored with the inaugural Legacy Leadership Award for his contributions to shaping the glass industry
Glass Magazine’s editorial staff is pleased to announce the winners of the 2026 Glass Magazine Awards, the long-running glass industry competition. This year’s awards program recognizes the best projects, products, programs and personnel in the glass industry.
Two new award categories were introduced to the program this year. The new Legacy Leadership Award shines a light on individuals who make this industry so exemplary. Those nominated for this award are glass industry veterans whose work, leadership and expertise have helped to shape the glass industry. This year’s competition also included a new category: “Architect’s Choice.” A panel of judges, all architects, had the opportunity to select their superlative project from among 77 project nominations.
“From groundbreaking projects to the products, programs and people driving us forward, these honorees represent the very best of what makes this community superlative,” says National Glass Association president and CEO Lakisha A. Woods. “This year’s addition of two new categories is a great reminder that this industry is always growing, and that there are so many ways to recognize the people and work that make it exemplary. The Architects’ choice award demonstrates how critical glass is to the successful performance of the built environment. To all the winners: thank you for raising the bar and inspiring the rest of us. I can’t wait to celebrate you at GlassBuild America!”
The competition’s eight winning projects and nine winning products, programs and personnel, will be featured in the August issue of Glass Magazine. Winners will also be recognized at a ceremony at GlassBuild America in Las Vegas, Sept. 23-25. Projects and personnel will be honored on Sept. 23 from 8:40 A.M. to 9 A.M. and products and programs will be honored on Sept. 24 from 8:40 A.M. to 9 A.M.
The 2026 Glass Magazine Award Winners are:
Winning Projects
Project of the Year and Best Feat of Engineering
Glasshouse Theatre | Brisbane, Australia
Nominating company: Kuraray
Project of the Year Runner-Up, Best Green Project and Architects’ Choice Winner Shanghai Greenhouse Garden | Shanghai, China
Nominating company: Kuraray
Best Decorative Glass Application
Metro D Line Subway Extension | Los Angeles, California
Nominating company: Aragon Construction
Best Retrospective Project
Bob R. Brooks Jr. Justice Building | Little Rock, Arkansas
Nominating companies: Infor, Quaker Commercial Windows & Doors Best Specialty Glazing Project
Grund Hall | Cambridge, Massachusetts
Nominating company: Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope
Best Protective Glazing Project
Mobile International AL Airport | Mobile, Alabama
Nominating company: Innovation Glass LLC
Best Project Team
Heartland Whole Health Institute | Bentonville, Arkansas
Nominating company: Ace Glass
Best Glass Interior
270 Park Ave | New York, New York
Nominating companies: Lafayette Metal & Glass Company, Kuraray and New Hudson Facades
Winning personnel, program and products
Legacy Leadership Award
Oliver Stepe
Nominating company: YKK AP America Inc.
Best Internal Training Program
TIG University
Nominating company: Thompson Innovative Glass
Best Hardware Product or System
Aspire HD High Performance Insulating Glass Entrance System
Nominating company: FHC Frameless Hardware Company
Best Innovation for Installers
Hydraulic Series Shower Hinge
Nominating company: FHC Frameless Hardware Company
Best Innovation for the Factory
FeneVision Tracking — Web-Native Mobile App
Nominating company: Cyncly
R&D
ColorQuant Solar Design Technology
Nominating company: Glass Coatings & Concepts
Best Digital Tool
Glass Wall Designer
Nominating company: Smart Glazier Software
Best Framing System or Component
Series 3000XT
Nominating company: Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope
Best Glass or Glass Component
Pilkington SuperWhite
Nominating company: Pilkington North America
About Glass Magazine
Glass Magazine is the leading trade publication of the flat glass industry, serving the commercial, retail and fabrication segments. The official magazine of the National Glass Association, it provides subscribers informative coverage of glass industry news, trends and analysis; product introductions; and best business practices; in addition to glass industry statistics and supplier resource guides. Published eight times a year, Glass Magazine also offers Glass Magazine Weekly, an electronic newsletter dedicated to glass industry news. Glass Magazine is an official publication of GlassBuild America, the largest trade show in North America devoted solely to the glass, window and door industries.
