The profession came together for the first time in nearly two years at Visions for Architecture on Nov. 5, 2021 to hear a talk by 2020 AIA Gold Medal winner Marlon Blackwell, FAIA and to celebrate the AIA Virginia Honors Awards and Design Awards. Photos by Yuzhu Zheng.
Marlon Blackwell, FAIA
Small Projects Awards
Adaptive or Continued Use Awards
Historic Preservation Award
Contextual Design Award
Residential Design Awards
Unbuilt Work Awards
Architecture Awards
Presidential Citation
Test of Time Award
AIA Virginia Honors
Honorary Membership
Virginia Emerging Professional Awards
Award for Distinguished Achievement
Architecture Medal for Virginia Service
William C. Noland Medal
2020 Honors Awards Recipients
Visions for Architecture 2021 was generously sponsored by the following:
AIA Virginia is pleased to announce the 2020 Awards for Excellence in Architecture. Also known as the Design Awards, these honors celebrate projects no older than seven years that contribute to the built environment and are clear examples of thoughtful, engaging design. Award categories include Architecture, Contextual Design, Historic Preservation, Interior Design, and Residential Design. Within each of the 5 categories, consideration was given to sustainability, affordability, social impact, innovation, durability, addressing the natural and built context, and meeting the specific needs of the client.
From a field of 180 entries, only 33 were selected by the jury for recognition. These few projects stood above the rest as particularly notable. A project is recognized with an Honorable Mention for incorporating approaches that advance the profession. Awards of Merit are presented to those project worthy of recognition and an Award of Honor is reserved for those projects deemed by the jury to be truly exceptional.
In the ARCHITECTURE category
The jury considers aesthetics, adherence to the client wishes, proven and projected building performance, and concept development during its deliberations.
Awards of Honor
Foreign Affairs Security Training Center (Blackstone, Va.)
Architecture Firm: KieranTimberlake Owner: U.S. Department of State and the U.S. General Services Administration, Public Buildings Service Mid-Atlantic Region Contractors: Hensel Phelps and Mortenson Construction Photographer: Tim Griffith Drone Photography: AECOM – FASTC Office Rendering: Brooklyn Digital Foundry Jury Comments: This project has inventive qualities. The jury noted that this submission was among the strongest in the category.
Museum at the Lumpkin’s Slave Jail Site / Devil’s Half Acre (unbuilt)
Architecture Firm: SmithGroup Owner: City of Richmond, Va. Consulting Architect, Interior Design: KEi Architects Landscape Architecture: Mikyoung Kim Design Civil Engineering: Greening Urban Archaeology and Cultural Historic Preservation: Gray & Pape Museum Planning and Development: Chora Visitor Experience Planning: Gallagher & Associates Jury Comments: The jury particularly appreciated this design as an appropriate response to the history of the site. They are looking forward to seeing the completed project.
Awards of Merit
The Aya (Washington, D.C.)
Architecture Firms: Studio Twenty Seven Architecture with Leo A Daly (joint venture) Owner: District of Columbia Department of General Services Photographer: Hoachlander Davis Photography Structural Engineer: Silman Associates MEP Engineer: SETTY & Associates Civil Engineer: A. Morton Thomas Geotechnical: ECS Capitol Services Cost Estimate: TCT Cost Consultants Land Use Attorney: Holland & Knight Archeologist: John Milner Associates Acoustical Engineer: Acoustical Design Collaborative Jury Comments: This is a commendable affordable housing project. There is a nice relationship between façade and volume and the standard dwelling units are well designed.
New River Train Observation Tower (Radford, Va.)
Designers: Virginia Tech faculty and students led by Prof. Kay Edge, RA, and Prof. Edward Becker, Intl. Assoc. AIA Owner: Radford Heritage Foundation Contractors: Edward Becker, Intl. Assoc. AIA and Kay Edge, RA Photographer: Kay Edge, RA Jury Comments: As a prototype, this nicely articulates a collaborative, exploratory research-based process. The team is to be commended.
Greer Environmental Sciences Center at Virginia Wesleyan University (Virginia Beach, Va.)
Architecture Firm: VMDO Architects Owner: Virginia Wesleyan University Contractor: Hourigan Construction Photographer: Alan Karchmer Jury Comments: The commitment to sustainable strategies coupled with the overall quality of the exterior and interior design is notable.
Honorable Mention
Marvin Gaye Recreation Center + Trail (Washington, D.C.)
Firm Name: ISTUDIO Architects Owner: DC Department of General Services Contractor: MCN Build Photographer: Hoachlander Davis Photography Jury Comments: The jury particularly appreciated the passive strategies. The design team clearly accomplished a lot with this project
DC Water Headquarters (Washington, D.C.)
Architecture Firm: SmithGroup Owner: DC Water and Sewer Authority Contractor: Skanska USA Building Inc. Photographers: Alan Karchmer Photography, Emily Hagopian Photography Landscape Architecture: OEHME van Sweden | OvS Structural Engineering: The SK&A Group Associate Architects/Associate Structural Designers: Leuterio Thomas, LLC Associate MEP Engineers: JVP Engineers PC (now part of Ameresco) Civil Engineering: Wiles Mensch Corporation Commissioning: SETTY & Associates Traffic Consultants: Gorovo/Slade Associates, Inc. Program Managers: Samaha Associates, PC Furniture, Fixtures, and Equipment Consultant: Studio of Sandra Raan Owner’s Representative: Constance Schwartz Jury Comments: For a municipal infrastructure project on an unusual site, this LEED Platinum water plant was particularly notable.
FutureHAUS (Blacksburg, Va.)
Design Team: Students and Faculty from Virginia Tech Center for Design Research Owner: Virginia Tech Photographer: Erik Thorsen Jury comments: The jury was impressed with this solar-powered, net-positive concept home. It brought together a series of environmental strategies without looking like a pastiche. They also appreciated the plug-and-play cartridge construction which allowed the project to be easily shipped, assembled, and disassembled.
Co|Lab (Falls Church, Va.)
Architecture Firm: William McDonough + Partners Owner and Contractor: HITT Contracting Photographer: John Cole Photography Jury comments: The jury appreciated the lifecycle thinking and the use of CLT, noting that this project was designed for disassembly. “We need more of this,” they said.
In the CONTEXTUAL DESIGN category
The awards for contextual design are chosen based on outstanding architecture that perceptibly reflects the history, culture, and physical environment of the place in which it stands and that, in turn, contributes to the function, beauty, and meaning of its larger context.
Award of Honor
Masoro Health Center (Republic of Rwanda)
Architecture Firm: General Architecture Collaborative Owner: Masoro Health Center Contractor: Structure Stone Photographers: James Setzler, Yutaka Sho, Leighton Beaman Jury Comments: The jury agreed, as a whole, that this project was exemplary — it was their top choice. The site plan, in particular, was very well conceived.
Awards of Merit
American Civil War Museum (Richmond, Va.)
Architecture Firm: 3North Owner: American Civil War Museum Contractor: Whiting-Turner Contracting Company Photographer: Keith Isaacs Associate Architects: Madge Bemiss Architects and Robert Mills Architects Structural Engineer: Balzer and Associates, Inc. MEP Engineer: Lu+Smith Engineers Civil Engineer: Draper Aden Associates Exhibit Designer: Solid Light, Inc. Jury Comments: In the U.S., it’s still a little contentious to bring together glass boxes with historical ruins, and this project does this quite effectively.
Honorable Mention
Capital Yacht Club (Washington, D.C.)
Architecture Firm: Cunningham | Quill Architects PLLC Owner: Capital Yacht Club Contractor: Clark Construction Group, LLC Photographer: ALAN KARCHMER | PHOTOGRAPHER Jury Comments: The jury appreciated this project’s relationship to a maritime motif. The designers did a good job of incorporating the exterior existing fabric into the design.
Carlton Union Building Renovation at Stetson University (Deland, Fla.)
Design Architect/Architect of Record: Hanbury Owner: Stetson University Contractor: Williams Company Photographer: Keith Isaacs Jury Comments: “Talk about contextual,” the jury exclaimed. The design team stitched together a variety of different spaces very successfully.
In the HISTORIC PRESERVATION category
The historic preservation category focuses specifically on excellence in strategies, tactics, and technologies that advance the art, craft, and science of preserving historically significant buildings and sites. The jury takes into consideration adherence to local, state, and national criteria for historic preservation.
Awards of Honor
Carr’s Hill Renovation at University of Virginia (Charlottesville, Va.)
Architecture Firm: Glavé & Holmes Architecture Owner: University of Virginia Associate Architect: John G. Waite Associates Contractor: Alexander Nicholson Photographer: Virginia Hamrick Photography Landscape Architect: Wolf Josey Landscape Architects Jury Comments: This project was really well done. “The details are amazing,” remarked the jury.
Folger Shakespeare Library (Washington, D.C.)
Architecture Firm: MTFA Architecture Owner: Folger Shakespeare Library Contractor: Dan Lepore & Sons Company Photographer: Prakash Patel Photography Jury Comments: This was an excellent example of materials conservation. The cleaning and color-matching are textbook examples of preservation.
Honorable Mention
Richard Neutra Renovation (Richmond, Va.)
Architecture Firm: 3North Owner: David and Christy Cottrell Contractor: Mako Builders, Inc. Photographer: Ansel Olson Structural Engineer: Ehlert Bryan Consulting Interior Designer: Todd Yoggy Jury comments: Though this was submitted in a different category, they jury thought this project was notable enough to warrant recognition in the historic preservation category for its respect of the original design and the sensitive preservation of character and materiality.
Note: This project was also recognized with an award in the Residential category.
In the INTERIOR DESIGN category
Interior design projects are judged on mastery of composition, functionality, material and color palettes, and well-integrated adherence to the highest levels of accessibility, health and safety, environmental, and occupant-comfort considerations, standards, and regulations.
Award of Honor
Quirk Hotel (Charlottesville, Va.)
Architecture Firm: ARCHITECTUREFIRM Owner: Quirk Charlottesville, LLC Contractor: Martin Horn Photographer: James Ewing / JBSA & Kate Thompson Jury Comments: Though the spaces vary in scale, there is a consistency throughout. The treatment of the arched windows, the view to the streetscape, the hallway, and the accents: they’re are all well done. “I thought this was just outstanding,” said one juror.
Awards of Merit
McKinnon and Harris Flagship (New York, N.Y.)
Architecture Firm: Architecture AF Owner: McKinnon and Harris Contractor: Tribeca Restoration Photographer: Ashok Sinha Lighting Designer: Ventresca Design Jury Comments: Through embracing the company’s all-white branding, the designers created a very pleasing space, bringing focus to the products in this retail environment. The stair and railing are very nice, as is the detailing. “It’s just beautifully put together,” the jury said.
ASLA Center for Landscape Architecture (Washington, D.C.)
Architecture Firm: Gensler Owner: ASLA Center for Landscape Architecture Contractor: Coakley & Williams Construction, Inc. Photographer: Halkin Mason Jury Comments: The jury was impressed by the spirit of landscape carried throughout the building, from the handling of beacon signage focusing on green vegetation at the exterior to the careful handling of rainwater-harvesting and irrigation on the roof.
Potter’s Craft Cider at Neve Hall (Charlottesville, Va.)
Architecture Firm: Studio FIGURE Owner: Dan Potter and Tim Edmond Contractor: Evergreen Builders Photographer: Nick Brinen Photography Jury Comments: This project has a subtlety to it. It’s a really nice retrofit. Instead of tearing things down, the designers showed a balanced restraint – even the lighting isn’t intrusive. “I want to be in this space,” said one juror.
Honorable Mention
Subterranean Studio (Charlottesville, Va.)
Architecture Firm: mcdowellespinosa architects Owner: Seth and Megan McDowell Contractor: mcdowellespinosa architects Photographer: mcdowellespinosa architects Jury Comments: While hesitant to elevate a project with little natural light, the jury particularly appreciated the lighting treatment and ceiling design which brought an organizing element to this subterranean space.
National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (Washington, D.C.)
Architecture Firm: OTJ Architects Client: NCARB Tenant Brokerage and Project Management: Cresa Contractor: Bognet Construction Photographer: Trent Bell Photography Jury Comments: The details on this project are well conceived and history has been incorporated in a clever way. The jury was pleased that NCARB is “walking the talk” and earning LEED Gold and Fitwel certification for the space.
Waterview Condominium (Arlington, Va.)
Architecture Firm: Robert M. Gurney, FAIA, Architect Project Architect: Nicole Dejong Owner: withheld Contractor: Peterson and Collins Inc. Photographer: Maxwell MacKenzie Interior Designer: Baron Gurney Interiors Structural Engineer: Tadjer Cohen Edelson Associates Inc. Jury Comments: The jury appreciated the rigor of the ceiling’s folded planes and lighting plan.
Offices for an Investment Firm (Bethesda, Md.)
Architecture Firm: Robert M. Gurney, FAIA, Architect Project Architect: Claire Andreas Owner: withheld Contractor: Bognet Construction Photographer: John Cole Photography Interior Designer: Baron Gurney Interiors Jury Comments: “Organizing the offices around the curving steel wall was a compelling move,” the jury remarked.
In the RESIDENTIAL DESIGN category
Aesthetic appeal and functionality are two long-established criteria for home design, as are affordability and resource efficiency. The jury looks at each submission in its totality toward meeting those goals.
Award of Honor
Richard Neutra Renovation (Richmond, Va.)
Architecture Firm: 3North Owner: David and Christy Cottrell Contractor: Mako Builders, Inc. Photographer: Ansel Olson Structural Engineer: Ehlert Bryan Consulting Interior Designer: Todd Yoggy Jury Comments: This was a careful and surgical upgrade to a modernist masterpiece. It was just plain inspiring in its rigor. Exquisite.
Awards of Merit
3131 CBR (Washington, D.C.)
Architecture Firm: David Jameson Architect Owner: withheld Contractor: Ally DC Photographer: Paul Warchol Photography Jury Comments: Beautiful clean lines and use of materials.
3333 Q St. (Washington, D.C.)
Architecture Firm: Robert M. Gurney, FAIA, Architect Project Leads: Kara McHone and Mateusz Dzierzanowski Owner: withheld Contractor: Commonwealth Building and Design Photographer: Maxwell MacKenzie Architectural Photographer Interior Designer: Baron Gurney Interiors Engineer: Robert Silman Associates Landscape Architect: Campion Hruby Landscape Architects Jury Comments: The use of the open corner facade to orient to the landscape and pool is exceptional. The clever use of glazing, doors, and the site created spaces that flow between interior and exterior.
Franzen House (Bethesda, Md.)
Architecture Firm: Robert M. Gurney, FAIA, Architect Project Leads: Sarah Solander and Nicole Dejong Owner: withheld Contractor: Commonwealth Building and Design Photographer: Anice Hoachlander Engineer: United Structural Engineers Jury Comments: Great use of the site section to create high internal volume and views out to the surrounding tree canopies. The balance between the front and rear façades is impressive
Honorable Mention
Hither Hill Residence (Montauk, N.Y.)
Architecture Firm: ARCHITECTUREFIRM Owner: Withheld Contractor: Forden & Co. Builders Photographer: James Ewing / JBSA Jury Comments: Each building on the site is done with care to proportion and detail and eloquence. The two volumes are carefully and well-sited in the surrounding landscape.
Vapor House (Bethesda, Md.)
Architecture Firm: David Jameson Architect Owner: withheld Contractor: Ally DC Photographer: Paul Warchol Photography Jury Comments: There is a nice contrast between that textured, reflective quality of the cladding and the flat matte panels that define the programmatic volumes. This play between the surfaces helps to breakdown the massing.
Duvall Court (Washington, D.C.)
Architecture Firm: KUBE architecture PC Owner: ANND LLC Contractor: OPAL CUSTOM HOMES and RENOVATIONS LLC Photographer: Greg Powers Photography Jury Comments: A very clever project with clean lines. It’s a great model for the development of alley lots.
Alley Armor (Washington, D.C.)
Architecture Firm: KUBE architecture PC Owner: Dean Storer & Lamar Whitman Contractor: Milloy Carpentry Photographer: Paul Burk Photography Steel Fabricator: Metal Specialties Jury Comments: This adaptive reuse really works within an existing urban fabric. The small outdoor space is magical. Natural light and perforated and angled-metal and wood slats create privacy and atmosphere – all above a mundane garage.
Renovation 1662 (Washington, D.C.)
Architecture Firm: Robert M. Gurney, FAIA, Architect Project Architect: Claire Andreas Owner: withheld Contractor: Washington Landmark Construction Photographer: Anice Hoachlander Landscape Design: Campion Hruby Landscape Architecture Structural Engineer: United Structural Engineers, Inc. Jury Comments: A bright, clean, and lofty addition to what would be a typical dark and cramped row house.
All entries must be the work of architects who have an office in Virginia or are members of AIA Virginia. The location of projects is not restricted, but any built work submitted must have been completed after January 1, 2012. Un-built work was also considered, as long as it was commissioned by a client as opposed to hypothetical work completed in the mode of research or academic training.
Gardner takes a serious interest in the nexus of architecture and art — one of long-standing importance to both his professional practice and his writings. He is committed to practicing architecture as a socially beneficial art form.
Jaklitsch / Gardner Architects is an award-winning design practice with an international reputation for design excellence, material research, and its exacting commitment to craft. The firm has won an AIA National Honor Award and numerous AIANY, NOMA, and Architizer design awards. The practice is currently working with a non-profit partner on a Honey Bee Study Center in Dodoma, Tanzania.
Gardner is the Assistant Professor of Architectural Practice and Society at the School of the Constructed Environments, Parsons the New School. He’s on the Board of Overseers for the University of Pennsylvania Weitzman School Of Design, where he is helping the school study issues of diversity and inclusion. He also currently serves on the board of the Youth Design Center (YDC), a nonprofit on a mission to reduce the number of disconnected youth in Brownsville, Brooklyn by lowering their barriers to entry to the STEAM professions and increasing their relevant experience in the innovation economy.
He is Past President and former Advocacy Chair for nycobaNOMA, the New York Chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architects. He is a member of the AIANY Exhibition Committee and Past Co-Chair and current member of the AIANY Diversity & Inclusion Committee. He is Vanguard Member of the Van Alen Institute’s Board of Trustees and a Fellow of the Urban Design Forum.
About the Design Awards
AIA Virginia’s Awards for Excellence in Architecture recognize outstanding design, built and unbuilt, from the past eight years. The location of projects is not restricted, but any built works submitted for consideration must have been completed after January 1, 2012.
There are five categories in the Awards for Excellence: Architecture; Historic Preservation; Interiors; Contextual Design; and Residential Design.
Each entry will be judged on how successful the project is in meeting its individual requirements, with particular emphasis on design excellence. In each category, consideration is given to aesthetics, social impact, innovation, context, performance, and stewardship of the natural environment.
AIA Virginia’s Awards for Excellence in Architecture recognize outstanding design, built and unbuilt, from the past eight years. Also known as the Design Awards, the program is juried by a team of esteemed practitioners. No specific number of awards is set, and the program is open to all categories of building as well as interiors projects. The location of projects is not restricted, but any built works submitted for consideration must have been completed after January 1, 2012. Enter online.
There are five categories in the Awards for Excellence: Architecture Historic Preservation Interiors Contextual Design; and Residential Design.
Each entry will be judged on how successful the project is in meeting its individual requirements, with particular emphasis on design excellence.
In each category, consideration is given to aesthetics, social impact, innovation, context, performance, and stewardship of the natural environment.
Entries are due by 5 p.m. on Thursday, July 16, 2020.Note: You should be prepared to submit your concealed ID and project submission upon entry.
Entry fees AIA Virginia members: $190 for first project; $160 for additional projects AIA Virginia Associate members: $85 for each project Non-member w/ office in Virginia: $245 for first project; $220 for additional projects
Note that you must be a member or associate member of the AIA Virginia to receive a member discount. Only members of AIA Virginia are eligible for the discounted member rate, regardless of your national AIA member status.
AIA Virginia is pleased to announce the 2019 Awards for Excellence in Architecture. Also known as the Design Awards, these honors celebrate projects no older than seven years that contribute to the built environment and are clear examples of thoughtful, engaging design. Award categories include Architecture, Contextual Design, Historic Preservation, Interior Design, and Residential Design. These 22 projects will be celebrated at the Visions for Architecture gala on Friday, Nov. 8, 2019, at the Hilton Downtown Richmond. Jury Chair Ann Beha, FAIA, will offer insights from the jury at Architecture Exchange East at 2:45 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 8.
In the ARCHITECTURE category
The jury considers aesthetics, adherence to the client wishes, proven and projected building performance, and concept development during its deliberations.
Awards of Honor
Blue Ridge Orthodontics (Ashville, N.C.) This project brings an infusion of well-considered craft and good planning into the medical office building type. Light materials convey cleanliness without being institutional and the views to the outdoors convey a sense of tranquility.
Architecture Firm: Clark Nexsen Owner: Blue Ridge Orthodontics Contractor: Beverly-Grant, Inc. Photographer: Mark Herboth Photography, LLC
Google at 1212 Bordeaux (Sunnyvale, Ca.) This thoughtfully-planned project is well connected to its compact setting. The materials and bridges help achieve unity and visibility in this highly-collaborative office space.
Architecture Firm: Parabola Architecture Owner: Google Contractor: Devcon Construction, Inc. Photographers: Prakash Patel Photography (featured) and Kevin Burke Photography
Rhodes College Robertson Hall (Memphis, Tn.) This was an appealing, engaging response to a clear historic context. The architects “pushed it” despite prescriptive exteriors. Fewer materials make the project more coherent and more powerful.
Architecture Firm: Hanbury Owner: Rhodes College Contractor: Grinder Tabor & Grinder Photographer: Robert Benson Photography
Awards of Merit
The Brendan Iribe Center for Computer Science and Engineering (College Park, Md.) As a campus gateway, this succeeds in place-making. It showcases “the arrival” with a strong, contemporary statement. The interiors are varied and welcoming, legibly emphasizing STEM education.
Architecture Firm: HDR Architecture, Inc. Owner: University of Maryland Contractor: Whiting-Turner Contracting Company Photographer: Dan Schwalm | HDR
Elon W. Rhodes Early Learning Center (Harrisonburg, Va.) The scale is good and the planning is extremely strong. Public circulation is active and the adjacencies and flexibilities will make this a long-term asset to the school system.
Architecture Firm: VMDO Architects Owner: Harrisonburg City Public Schools Contractor: Nielsen Builders Photographer: Alan Karchmer
Hotels at The Wharf – Canopy by Hilton & Hyatt House (Washington, D.C.) An Urbanistic success! The simple, slender façade and skillful massing create active, outdoor spaces which are full of life and urban vitality. The podium and geometries are considerate of site, scale, and marketplace conditions.
Architecture Firm: SmithGroup Owner: Hoffman-Madison Waterfront Contractor: Donohoe Construction Company Photographers: Hoachlander Davis Photography (featured), Photofusion Media, Alex Fradkin
Howard University Interdisciplinary Research Building (IRB) (Washington, D.C.) This project makes a strong, simple statement. It is powerful yet restrained in composition with a clear and dynamic street presence.
Architecture Firm: HDR Architecture, Inc. Owner: Howard University Contractor: Turner Construction Photographer: Ari Burling | Architectural Photography
WTCC Parking Deck 2 (Raleigh, N.C.) As a parking garage at community college, this really is a good citizen. The cladding and crenellations are good solar control strategies and the views and daylight promote safety and clear wayfinding.
Architecture Firm: Clark Nexsen Owner: Wake Technical Community College Contractor: SKANSKA Photographer: Mark Herboth Photography, LLC
In the CONTEXTUAL DESIGN category
The awards for contextual design are chosen based on outstanding architecture that perceptibly reflects the history, culture, and physical environment of the place in which it stands and that, in turn, contributes to the function, beauty, and meaning of its larger context.
Awards of Merit
550 East Water Street (Charlottesville, Va.) This project claims its own identity while still successfully responding to its site between the rail tracks and street. It’s a wonderful example of good urban infill.
Architecture Firm: Formwork Design Office, LLC Owner: 550 E. Water St., LLC Contractor: Martin Horn, Inc. Photographer: Kevin Blackburn Photography and Michael Stavaridis (featured)
Claude Moore Education Complex (Roanoke, Va.) With its simple streetscape and successful interior kitchen and training facilities, this is architecture that respectfully contributes to the neighborhood’s vibrant history.
Architecture Firm: Spectrum Design, PC Owner: Roanoke Higher Education Authority Contractor: Avis Construction Photographer: Boyd Pearman Photography
Re-Imagining Benefield (Richmond, Va.) This is a successful representation of how an engaged design team and a participatory community can work together to create a design that reflects a neighborhood’s values while pushing it to be all it can be.
Architecture Firm: HKS, Inc. Owner: Boaz & Ruth Contractor: Urban Core MEP: Integral Group Structural Engineer: Dunbar Milby Williams Pittman & Vaughan, PLLC Renderings: HKS, Inc.
In the HISTORIC PRESERVATION category
The historic preservation category focuses specifically on excellence in strategies, tactics, and technologies that advance the art, craft, and science of preserving historically significant buildings and sites. The jury takes into consideration adherence to local, state, and national criteria for historic preservation.
Award of Honor
Spencer Carriage House Deep Energy Retrofit (Washington, D.C.) This is a robust example of repurposing that is both sensitive to history and appealing to a contemporary audience. Balancing the client’s net-zero energy goals with responsible historic preservation is well-documented and laudable.
Architecture Firm: Peabody Architects, Building Envelope and Restoration Owner: Lew Hages and Gerard Boquel Contractor: Ari Fingeroth Interiors Architect: Yoko Barsky, Deco Design Studio Photographer: David Peabody, Buzz Photo (featured)
Awards of Merit
The Cavalier Hotel Rehabilitation (Virginia Beach, Va.) The design confirms the connection between the hotel and its rich history. Structural solutions are well considered and very innovative.
Architecture Firm: Hanbury Owner: Gold Key / PHR Contractor: W.M. Jordan Co. Photographer: Robert Benson Photography
The Lockkeeper’s House (Washington, D.C.) The exterior, interior, and landscape are all well executed — it feels like welcoming back a lost treasure.
Architecture Firm: Davis Buckley Architects and Planners Owner: National Park Service Client: Trust for the National Mall Contractor: Hensel Phelps Photographer: Michael Ventura Photography
In the INTERIOR DESIGN category
Interior design projects are judged on mastery of composition, functionality, material and color palettes, and well-integrated adherence to the highest levels of accessibility, health and safety, environmental, and occupant-comfort considerations, standards, and regulations.
Awards of Merit
118 East Main St. (Charlottesville, Va.) The small footprint feels airy and enlarged. The simple, disciplined approach optimizes the two windows and is an excellent example of understated elegance.
Architecture Firm: Bushman Dreyfus Architects Owner: West Cote Properties, LLC Contractor: Longview Management & Construction Co., LLC Photographer: Virginia Hamrick
San Francisco Tech Company (San Francisco, Ca.) The efficient, modular approach celebrates the steel frame. The industrial ambiance and mezzanine are very successful and the floor trenching creates future flexibility.
Architecture Firm: Parabola Architecture Client Liaison and Project Management: Alex Neuhold Consulting Contractor: Devcon Construction, Inc. Photographers: Prakash Patel Photography (featured) and Kevin Burke Photography
Watergate 502 (Washington, D.C.) This is a reinstatement and enlargement of thoughtful modernism. The curved element, integrated columns, and angularity of the plan are well-handled.
Architecture Firm: Robert M. Gurney, FAIA, Architect Owner: (Withheld) Contractor: Added Dimensions, Inc. Interior Design: Baron Gurney Interiors Photographer: Hoachlander Davis Photography
In the RESIDENTIAL DESIGN category
Aesthetic appeal and functionality are two long-established criteria for home design, as are affordability and resource efficiency. The jury looks at each submission in its totality toward meeting those goals.
Awards of Honor
Chapman Stables Housing (Washington, D.C.) The design offers hints at the structure’s history, expressing how the building has evolved over time. The massing and site planning are notable.
Architecture Firm: Studio Twenty Seven Architecture Owner: 57 N Street LLC Contractor: GCS | Sigal Photographer: Hoachlander Davis Photography Civil Engineer: Christopher consultants Structural Engineer: Ehlert Bryan MEP Engineer: Meta Engineers Landscape Engineer: Clinton & Associates
Mid Century Modern Residence (Bethesda, Md.) This design respected the form of the original house and amplified it. The new co-exists harmoniously with the original. The composition is clear and the landscape is elegantly integrated.
Architecture Firm: Studio Twenty Seven Architecture Owner: Tori and Sam Wales Civil Engineer: Christopher consultants Structural Engineer: Ehlert Bryan MEP Engineer: Provectus Contractor: Washington Landmark Construction Photographer: Hoachlander Davis Photography
Mossy Rock (Free Union, Va.) This simple new construction features clean lines and beautiful use of materials. The scale of the outdoor porch is appealing and well-connected to the landscape.
Architecture Firm: Bushman Dreyfus Architects Owner: Anonymous Contractor: Dammann Construction Photographers: Stephen Barling (featured), Will Kerner
Awards of Merit
AUTO-haus (Washington, D.C.) The spatial properties of the existing condition were optimized to create a courtyard-like feel. The industrial vocabulary was consistent and clever.
Architecture Firm: KUBE architecture PC Owner: Nick Rubenstein & Jennifer Hsu Contractor: ThinkMakeBuild Photographer: Hoachlander Davis Photography
Lyon Park House (Arlington, Va.) This light-filled renovation recalls the original while still being adventurous. It conveys a message about future possibilities while still being a good contextual neighbor.
Architecture Firm: Robert M. Gurney, FAIA, Architect Owner: (Withheld) Contractor: Arta Construction Structural Engineer: D. Anthony Beale LLC Photographer: Hoachlander Davis Photography
About the Jury
Ann Beha, FAIA, Jury Chair, Principal at Ann Beha Architects Rodrigo Abela, ASLA, PLA, LEED AP BD+C, Principal at Gustafson Guthrie Sara Caples AIA, LEED, Principal at Caples Jefferson Architects Anthony Pangaro, Partner at Millennium Partners (retired) James Elmasry, AIA, LEED AP, Senior Program Planner at Yale University
All entries must be the work of architects who have an office in Virginia or are members of AIA Virginia. The location of projects is not restricted, but any built work submitted must have been completed after January 1, 2011. Un-built work was also considered, as long as it was commissioned by a client as opposed to hypothetical work completed in the mode of research or academic training.
AIA Virginia is pleased to announce the jury members for the
2019 Design Awards program. The Design Awards program recognizes outstanding
design — both built and unbuilt — from the past eight years. Five categories
are considered by the jury: Architecture, Historic Preservation, Interior
Design, Contextual Design, and Residential Design.
The awards are expected to be announced in the fall and will be celebrated during Architecture Exchange East and at Visions for Architecture on Nov. 8, 2019.
Beha is Principal of Ann
Beha Architects, a Boston practice known for its exploration of heritage in
dialogue with contemporary design. She founded ABA to focus on preservation and
adaptive re-use, and has led ABA to honors for new design and construction and
planning, extending its reach nationally and internationally.
She has been Design Principal at the University of Chicago,
Princeton University, Cornell University Law School, Yale University, and MIT.
Her civic projects include the United States Embassy in Athens, Greece, and
projects at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History,
Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts, and at the Newberry Library in Chicago.
Beha received a Master of Architecture from MIT, an undergraduate degree from Wellesley, was a Loeb Fellow at
the Graduate School of Design at
Harvard University, and Distinguished Visiting Professor of Design at
the City College of New York. She
is a member of Harvard University’s Design Advisory Council, received the 2018
Award of Honor from the Boston Society of Architects and the 2019 Honor Award
from the State Department’s Bureau of Overseas Building Operations Industry
Advisory Group.
Rodrigo Abela, ASLA, PLA, LEED AP BD+C Principal at Gustafson Guthrie
Rodrigo Abela is the principal in charge of GGN’s Washington, D.C. office and leads national
and international projects. His award-winning work is recognized for its
striking clarity in form, materials, and purpose.
Abela holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Cornell University and a Master
of Architecture and a Master of Landscape Architecture from the University of Virginia. His award
winning projects include the landscape at the National Museum of African
American History and Culture, CityCenterDC, and the winning design for the
National Mall Design Competition for Union Square.
Sara Caples AIA, LEED Principal at Caples Jefferson Architects, New York
Founder of New York architecture firm Caples Jefferson Architects with Everado
Jefferson, Sara Caples is committed to designing cultural, educational and
community facilities for neighborhoods underserved by the design professions.
She frequently lectures at schools, community, and professional events, and has
served as the Louis
I. Kahn Visiting Assistant Professor of Architecture at Yale School of Architecture;
Visiting Critic at University of Miami
and Syracuse University; and lecturer at
many more colleges and universities. Her passion for design is embodied in the
tenets of her firm: Architecture must communicate; Architecture must deal with
social issues & cultural context and Architecture must have formal
coherence. “We try to make each project very specific to what it is,” says
Caples. “That means that the aesthetic development of each project [differs],
and it also means, in a way, that each project is its own artistic statement.”
Anthony Pangaro has transformed the Boston skyline with his
building projects. An architect by trade and a former Loeb Fellow at Harvard University’s Graduate School of
Design, Pangaro’s career in development has included residences, downtown
development, and the comprehensive redevelopment of the historic Filene’s
department store in Downtown Crossing. He has served as the Manager of the
Southwest Corridor Transportation Redevelopment Project for Massachusetts,
advisor to the Government of Puerto Rico, and the New York State Urban
Development Corporation. His passions
for history, contemporary design, neighborhood revitalization, and service to
the community, have been the hallmark of his distinguished career.
James Elmasry, AIA, LEED AP Senior Program Planner, Yale University
As a Senior Program Planner for Yale University, Jim oversees many of Yale’s
largest projects, capitalizing on his passion and success in designing and
implementing creative solutions to complex problems. Representing multi-faceted
client groups, Elmasry’s expertise in programming and design has informed and
enabled remarkable outcomes for Yale and its stakeholders, as well as the
architects who he directs.
His projects reflect the extensive design and project
management experience he developed while working on dozens of award-winning
higher education, civic and performing arts projects along the East Coast
during his 26 years with Newman Architects.
Elmasry was a director of the Connecticut Building Congress and received
his Master of Architecture, Bachelor of Architecture and Bachelor of Studio
Arts Degrees from Tulane University.
AIA Virginia is pleased to announce that Ann Beha, FAIA
will chair the 2019 Design Awards jury.
Beha is Principal of Ann Beha
Architects, a Boston practice known for its exploration of heritage in
dialogue with contemporary design. She founded ABA to focus on preservation and
adaptive re-use, and has led ABA to honors for new design and construction and
planning, extending its reach nationally and internationally.
She has been Design Principal at the University of Chicago,
Princeton University, Cornell University Law School, Yale University, and MIT. Her
civic projects include the United States Embassy in Athens, Greece, and
projects at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History,
Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts, and at the Newberry Library in Chicago.
Beha received a Master of Architecture from MIT, an undergraduate degree from Wellesley, was a Loeb Fellow at the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University,
and Distinguished Visiting Professor of Design at the City College of New York. She is a member
of Harvard University’s Design Advisory Council, received the 2018 Award of
Honor from the Boston Society of Architects and the 2019 Honor Award from the
State Department’s Bureau of Overseas Building Operations Industry Advisory
Group.
The Design Awards program recognizes outstanding design —
both built and unbuilt — from the past eight years. All entries must be the
work of licensed architects who have an office in Virginia OR are members of
AIA Virginia. The deadline is June 17,
2019. Learn more about the Call for
Entries or submit
your entry online.
AIA Virginia’s Awards for Excellence in Architecture recognize outstanding design, built and unbuilt, from the past eight years. Also known as the Design Awards, the program is juried by a team of esteemed practitioners. No specific number of awards is set, and the program is open to all categories of building as well as interiors projects. The location of projects is not restricted, but any built works submitted for consideration must have been completed after January 1, 2011. Enter online.
There are five categories in the Awards for Excellence: Architecture
Historic Preservation
Interiors
Contextual Design; and
Residential Design.
Entry fees AIA Virginia members: $190 for first project; $160 for additional projects AIA Virginia Associate members: $85 for each project Non-member w/ office in Virginia: $245 for first project; $220 for additional projects
Note that you must be a member or associate member of the AIA Virginia to receive a member discount. Only members of AIA Virginia are eligible for the discounted member rate, regardless of your national AIA member status.
Not an AIA Virginia member? Apply for unassigned membership.
Visions for Architecture, created in 1998, is AIA Virginia’s annual Honors and Awards gala.
Visions celebrates the achievements of those whose work makes especially strong contributions to society and celebrates the recipients of AIA Virginia’s Honors Awards and the Awards for Excellence in Architecture.
