While thousands of attendees perused the show floor, the sixth annual Million Dollar Pool Design Challenge crowned its newest winner in front of a live audience at the Pool Spa Patio Expo in Las Vegas. After viewing video presentations from each of the five finalists to detail their designs, and conducting a live vote, the first place prize and sizable check went to Kirk Bianchi of Bianchi Design.
Organized by Mike Farley and Reid Schindler, the Million Dollar Pool Design Challenge presents a simulated real- world scenario, complete with a large list of client requirements, for designers to take on. The idea is to see designers of all skill sets put together their best design without the restraints of a budget.
“When you get it just right, it’s like composing music,” Bianchi says.
As a seasoned designer with an architectural background dating back to the 1980s, the real challenge for Bianchi was seeing how the project unfolded as he approached his design. “At first, you think, ‘Oh, how hard can it be? This project is similar in scale to this other project,’” he says. “And then you get into it, and you realize that it’s a whole other animal. The only way to finish it is to keep pushing ahead.”
This year, the scenario featured a married couple whose wishes aligned with wellness and relaxing getaways. Multiple guest houses and a wellness center were part of the design scope, rather than a simple pool design and backyard renovation; this made the task much broader. Including a clash of aesthetics — Rocky Mountain rustic versus mid-century modern — and requests for a front-entry motor court revamp, an outdoor pool pavilion with a bath and shower, a pool for the primary home and a separate exercise pool for the master, this year’s challenge was incredibly demanding.
Still, Bianchi wasn’t deterred. “This year was inspiring because it was a beautiful home with an architectural aesthetic,” he explains. “It wasn’t a ‘McMansion,’ if you will. The features already in place spoke my language. I knew I could make something beautiful here.”
When describing his approach, Bianchi leans fully into his musical comparison. “It’s like you’ve assembled a whole bunch of instruments that must work together to create a symphony,” he says. “When you write music, you come up with a melody or chorus that moves through the entire piece. That becomes your motif — it must hold steady throughout the design. If a divergent idea pops into your head, don’t just add it to the mix. You save it for a ‘different song’ for another project.”
To preserve that “melody” in this project, Bianchi focused on elements that already existed on the property. “There was already a beautiful language in the house,” he explains. “I didn’t want to deviate from the beauty that was already there, because the principle of continuity is the core essence of intentional design.”
Per the rules of the contest, five finalists are chosen from the pool of applicants to share their designs at the PSP Expo each year. This opportunity is paired with a free two-night hotel stay, a free super pass badge for the Expo and some guaranteed prize money, ranging from $500 for fifth place to the grand prize of $10,000 for first place.
Alongside Bianchi’s winning project were spectacular designs from four other talented finalists (listed in descending order of their final ranking): Carly McCoy of Backyard Oasis; Brent Dutton of Poolhaus Design Collective; Anibal Lopez of Worthey Aquatics; and Greg Farley of Edgerock Landscape Design.
What’s next for Bianchi? “Beyond creating beautiful projects for my clients,” he says, “I’ve had several mentors over the years. And now, I love sharing my design process with those that want to go to the next level. I’m just one person. I need to pass on the methods that I have cultivated so others can do more than I can alone. If you want to join me in the conversation, sign on for my Atelier at kirkbianchi.com. On the events page, you’ll see when I’m teaching next with GENESIS.”
Bianchi joins the ranks of five previous winners of the Million Dollar Pool Design Challenge, and looks forward to being on the judges’ panel for next year’s voting ceremony, as is customary for the winner. In its sixth year, the Million Dollar Pool Design Challenge is only growing larger, on the hunt for the most innovative designers in the game.
This article first appeared in the January 2026 issue of AQUA Magazine — the top resource for retailers, builders and service pros in the pool and spa industry. Subscriptions to the print magazine are free to all industry professionals. Click here to subscribe.
