The Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) has announced top candidates for its 2016 International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA). Here are some of the candidates’ most interesting product designs. Take a look and pick your favorite.
 

Using shipping containers as something other than cargo carriers is a very popular idea these days. They are perfect for temporary facility like, for example, vacation rentals. They are cheap and can be installed only a few meters away from the beach. Plus they can be modified in different creative ways and look awesome. This one is a perfect example of it.

Polish designer Szymon Hanczar lives in a tiny apartment of only 13 square meters (140 square feet) in the city of Wroclaw, Poland. However, he managed to squeeze all the essential things he needs for living as well as to carve spaces for a bedroom, bathroom, kitchenette, living area and a storage closet. His apartment looks very cozy, bright and airy.

The design studio with clever name Fallen Furniture uses the parts of old civilian and military aircrafts to create their amazing pieces of furniture that are both elegant looking and functional. All pieces are custom-made to order.

If we talk about castles, we would most likely think about Europe. But there's a The Old Montreal Castle in Canada that is called Chateau Vieux Montreal and it's right downtown. If you look at these pics you'll see that it is pretty epic too.

This old barn in Albany, NY was built in 1860 and it was really worn down and almost crumbling. So, the owners not only fixed it up but they transformed it beyond recognition turning it into an amazing house.

Apparently, these female alternatives for man caves are called “she-sheds.”  Check them out, they are really looking great.

“Flower+ Kindergarten” is a kindergarten located in Seoul, South Korea. This project was designed to go beyond the typical kindergartens of the city, since numerous kindergartens in the city are built in the small and dense site conditions of poor architectural design.

This building is a former windmill built by Franciscan monks in 1761. The tower sits on a hill overlooking the harbor of the island of Hvar situated in the Adriatic Sea. But it has been neglected for a long time and started to fall apart until a new owner acquired it and turned it into a cozy little house which can be rented on Airbnb.

This shabby looking house in New Orleans will make your jaw drop when you walk inside. If you like modern and old combined together, this house is for you.

To each their own, of course, but if you like rustic style, you'll definitely like this one.

This Stockholm barge was lovingly renovated into a modern and tasteful home that anyone would love to own.

Aldana Ferrer Garcia is an Argentinian architect responsible for the “More Sky” window, which is a perfect addition to small apartments as it extends outside the window frame giving the room an increased view of the outside world and allowing for more natural light to enter the home at the same time!

The Ellis Residence Mansion was built in Laguna Beach, California in 2014 and is the work of the McClean Designs studio. This 325 square meter home sits on a hill that provides amazing views of the city below.