Broward County Convention Center terrazzo project wins NTMA Job of the Year

By AI, Created 7:36 PM UTC, June 02, 2026, /AGP/ – Creative Terrazzo Systems and artist Martin Donlin turned the Broward County Convention Center’s East Expansion in Fort Lauderdale into a 34-color terrazzo installation celebrating South Florida’s coast. The project won the National Terrazzo & Mosaic Association’s 2026 Job of the Year, the industry’s top annual honor.

Why it matters: - The Broward County Convention Center installation shows how public art and durable building materials can shape a regional identity in a major convention venue. - The project also earned the NTMA’s top annual award, underscoring terrazzo’s continuing role in high-profile civic and hospitality spaces.

What happened: - Creative Terrazzo Systems won the National Terrazzo & Mosaic Association’s 2026 Job of the Year for its installation at the Broward County Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale. - The award was presented at the NTMA annual convention on May 13. - The project, called “Flora and Fauna,” covers the convention center’s pre-function spaces with a 34-color terrazzo composition. - British artist Martin Donlin was selected through Broward County Public Art & Design’s call for artists to help shape the installation’s story.

The details: - Brent Otsuka, associate principal and interior design manager with Fentress Studios in Denver, said terrazzo was chosen for durability and for its ability to connect the design to the region. - Broward County’s public art program directs 2% of capital construction budgets to artist-led work. - The design draws on Caribbean-inspired colors and forms, marine life, nautical cues and South Florida coastal rhythms. - Donlin’s concept includes fish, coral formations, tidal patterns and refracted light. - Sunrise, sunset and moon motifs appear throughout the sequence of spaces. - A globe centered on Fort Lauderdale and a compass motif help orient visitors across the large venue. - Precast terrazzo letters and waterjet-cut brass text incorporate a poem by Fort Lauderdale poet Darius V. Daughtry. - The design uses curved forms across the 34-color composition, with straight divider runs limited to doorways. - In the globe imagery, landforms were completed without traditional metal divider strips. - Waterjet-cut high-density foam served as temporary pour stops, then was removed after curing to create crisp transitions. - Creative Terrazzo Systems produced the CAD drawings, coordinated the layout from fragmented design information and executed the installation with waterjet-cut stencils. - Poured-in-place terrazzo plinths beneath escalators extend the radial floor patterns vertically. - NTMA judges cited the project’s purposeful curves, restrained graphics and lush color palette. - The NTMA also selected a Creative Terrazzo Systems installation at a Miami residence for an Honor Award this year. - Creative Terrazzo Systems was founded in 1988 and operates throughout Florida.

Between the lines: - The award marks a second consecutive NTMA Job of the Year tied to Fentress Studios’ Denver office, after Orlando International Airport won in 2025. - Otsuka’s earlier NTMA-recognized work includes the Miami Beach Convention Center and an airport project in Charleston, South Carolina. - The project reflects a broader trend in convention design: using floors as wayfinding tools, art platforms and regional storytelling devices at the same time. - The NTMA’s recognition also signals technical precision as a competitive advantage, not just aesthetic ambition.

What’s next: - The NTMA will continue honoring standout terrazzo projects through its annual awards program. - A full list of this year’s Honor Award recipients is available at ntma.com. - The NTMA says technical guidance, specifications support and AIA-registered education remain available to architects and design professionals.

The bottom line: - “Flora and Fauna” turned a convention center floor into a regional landmark, and industry peers judged the technical execution worthy of the NTMA’s highest honor.