Gresham Smith is proud to be recently honored at the 2026 Illuminate Design Awards, hosted by IIDA North Florida, for both professional leadership and design excellence. Senior Interior Designer and Studio Operations Leader Mary Couch, NCIDQ, IIDA, LEED AP BD+C, was named 2026 Designer of the Year, and the firm’s design for the UF Health North Inpatient Tower in North Jacksonville, Florida, earned the Healthcare Award in the Extra Large category. The Illuminate Design Awards are the highest honor the IIDA North Florida can bestow upon a design team, recognizing design excellence, creativity and the efforts to continuously push boundaries and exceed expectations in the industry.
The UF Health North Inpatient Tower received the Healthcare Award in the Extra Large category, which recognizes specific facilities that provide short- and long-term care dedicated to the health and welfare of the public. Developed as the third phase of UF Health’s master-planned North Jacksonville campus, the 124-bed, 174,000-square-foot tower expands acute care and adds rehabilitation and concierge medicine. Inspired by the intracoastal waterway, the hospitality-forward design prioritizes comfort and connection to nature through daylight and scenic views, and includes 76 acuity-adaptable patient rooms, a 48-bed rehab unit with a two-story rehab gym, shared amenities, an outdoor rehab terrace, and a healing garden.
Mary Couch was recognized as the 2026 Designer of the Year, honoring exceptional creativity, leadership and impact in the field of design. A longstanding leader in the interior design community, Mary served on the IIDA North Florida Chapter Board for seven years, including positions as chapter president and director of advocacy. In that advocacy role, she helped mobilize efforts to protect interior design licensure in Florida, organizing outreach to legislators and reinforcing the profession’s role in safeguarding public health, safety and welfare. In her role as Senior Interior Designer and Studio Operations Leader in Gresham Smith’s Healthcare market, Mary is able to take her diverse project experience and tailored client approach to win repeat business from national clients. Her deep ties to Jacksonville’s built environment include designing offices for Fortune 500 companies such as CSX, The City of Jacksonville, and major healthcare systems including Ascension and Baptist Health Jacksonville. She is also a champion of sustainable design through her involvement with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and her work at Gresham Smith advising teams on LEED and Green Globes documentation for certification and strengthening sustainable specifications across projects.
