2015 Design Awards Announced

Posted on by cguske

Virginia Architects are honoring the very best work by designers working in Virginia in the 2015 Awards for Excellence (also known as the Design Awards). These awards celebrate projects no older than seven years that contribute to the built environment and are clear examples of thoughtful and engaging design. This year juries have identified 8 Honor Awards, 13 Merit Awards and 8 Honorable Mention Awards. Award categories include Architecture, Contextual Design, Historic Preservation, Interior Design and Residential Design.

These projects will be on display at The Branch Museum of Architecture in Design in Design 2015: A Retrospective of Winning Work, Oct. 29, 2015–Jan. 3, 2016. 

(image galleries follow each category announcement)

In the ARCHITECTURE category

The jury considers aesthetics, adherence to the client program, proven and projected building performance and concept development during its deliberations.

Architecture Honor Award Recipients:

  • Woodside Residence (Woodside, Ca.) by David Jameson Architect, Inc.
    “The richness of its materials and textures contributes significantly to the overall character,” says the jury.
  • East Servery (Houston, Tx.) by Hanbury Evans Wright Vlattas + Company
    The jury stated, “This is a great ‘people space,’ beyond any expectations for an academic dining facility.”

Architecture Merit Award Recipients:

  • Calcagnini Contemplative Center (Bluemont, Va.) by Dynerman Architects, PC
    The jury commented, “The design for this spiritual retreat is carefully composed collection of buildings that creates a campus that is as charming in character as it is well organized.”
  • EAGLE ACADEMY Public Charter School at McGogney (Washington, D.C.) by Shinberg.Levinas Architects
    The jury liked the “use of the polycarbonate material that allows the spaces to be filled with daylight but also turns the building into a glowing jewel at night.”
  • Research and Education Building (Wanchese, NC) by Clark Nexsen
    “Not only do they achieve a LEED Gold rating, but they also demonstrate numerous innovative features that help protect the land, water and other natural resources,” commented the jury.
  • La Casa Permanent Supportive Housing (Washington, D.C.) by Studio Twenty Seven Architecture | Leo A Daly JV
    The jury said, “The architecture presents a residential building full of life and hope and should be regarded as a positive example for the building type.”
  • 10th & G Street Offices and First Congregational United Church of Christ (Washington, D.C) by Cunningham | Quill Architects, PLLC
    The jury noted, “The subtle distortions in the shape of the office tower as it floats above the base are effective in softening the building form in a varied urban context while also expanding diagonal views past the structure.”

Architecture Honorable Mention Recipients:

  • The Shenandoah Valley Discovery Museum (Winchester, Va.) by Reader & Swartz Architects, P.C.
    The jury commented, “The Discover Museum has reclaimed an existing structure and filled it with new life, energy … and fun!”
  • bm Modular One (Bethesda, Md.) by Robert M. Gurney, FAIA, Architect
    “This house presents a well-executed advance in modular design,” said the jury.
  • The Cube (Blacksburg, Va.) by College of Architecture and Urban Studies, School of Architecture + Design, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.
    “This educational project is a very thoughtful exercise that reveals the possibilities and limitations of materials,” commented the jury.

 

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.

Contextual Merit Award Recipients

  • Citizen 6 (Richmond, Va.) by Burt Pinnock, Baskervill
    “These townhouses successfully present a contemporary way to relate to a historical context while confidently adding another layer to the neighborhood history,” remarked the jury.
  • Seaside Hall, Virginia Institute of Marine Science (Wachapreague, Va.) by VIA Design Architects, P.C.
    The jury commented, “The design for this highly contextual project is directly influenced by the vernacular traditions of wood-framed buildings that are typical in this seaside marshland region.”

Contextual Honorable Mention Recipients

  • Chatham County Courthouse (Savannah, Ga.) by Dewberry Architects Inc.
    “It is difficult to design a contemporary program that requires a building larger in scale than the historic neighborhood, but this project has made the historic neighborhood a priority and resulting design celebrates the context,” noted the jury.

 

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.

Residential Design Honor Award Recipients:

  • Riggins House (Cabin John, Md.) by Robert M. Gurney, FAIA, Architect.
    The jury noted that “The house maximizes interconnections between living spaces and the natural environment and offers tantalizing glimpses of nature from circulation areas.”
  • Alexandria Residence by cox graae + spack architects
    “This house is a somewhat daring combination of modern and historical that is skillfully handled to achieve a highly refined residence,” noted the jury.

Residential Design Merit Award Recipients:

  • Orlean Americana (Marshall, Va.) by Reader & Swartz Architects, P.C.
    “The plan of this large house is nicely organized while the articulation of the plan and the overall massing takes great care in reducing the apparent size and scale of the house in every way,” commented the jury.
  • Twining Road Renovation (Potomac, Md.) by Robert M. Gurney, FAIA, Architect
    The jury said, “This project involves a remarkable transformation of a fairly typical suburban house. The primary living spaces flow together in a new open plan that works very well.”

 

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.

Historic Preservation Honor Award Recipient:

  • The Birch Bayh Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse (Indianapolis, Ind.) by EYP, Inc.
    The jury commented, “This is a masterful restoration and an aggressive upgrade of a great historic building to meet contemporary standards for safety, accessibility, and environmental responsibility.”
  • The VCU Depot (Richmond, Va.) by Commonwealth Architects
    “Not only did the design team for VCU uncover a gem of a historic building that had been hidden from the public for decades, they also knit together several neighboring buildings to create a new school for the arts and a center for the community,” commented the jury.

Historic Preservation Merit Award Recipients:

  • Smithsonian Institution Arts & Industries Building Revitalization – Shell Exterior and Structural Improvements (Washington, D.C.) by SmithGroupJJR
    The jury noted, “The many improvements to the interior and structure replace former less respectful adaptations and return the spaces to the original design intent.”
  • Tucker Hall (Williamsburg, Va.) by Cunningham | Quill Architects, PLLC
    “This project skillfully reintegrates the original features of the historic building in a manner that supports contemporary academic needs,” notes the jury.

Historic Preservation Honorable Mention Recipients:

  • East Feliciana Parish Courthouse (Clinton, La.) by John Milner Associates Preservation, a division of MTFA Architecture, PLLC
    The jury said, “This is an extraordinary building and the jury commends the act of preserving such a historic treasure.”
  • Glen Burnie Manor House (Winchester, Va.) by Reader & Swartz Architects, P.C.
    The jury noted, “The restoration and adaptive reuse of a historic house interestingly acknowledged the different periods of history that the house and its residents experienced.”
  • Restoration of Castlewood (Chesterfield, Va.) by Davis Buckley Architects and Planners
    “A beautiful restoration of a lovely vernacular structure,” commented the jury.

 

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.

Interior Design Honor Award Recipient:

  • Sherber + Rad (Washington, D.C.) by David Jameson Architect Inc.
    “The use of simple surfaces contrasted with interesting experiments in materials results in a simple, elegant, and somewhat spiritual series of spaces,” commented the jury.
  • Apartment 24 (Washington, D.C.) by Robert M. Gurney, FAIA, Architect
    The jury noticed, “The combination of materials and colors creates a warm, comfortable and beautiful palette.”

Interior Design Merit Award Recipient:

  • White House Visitor Center Rehabilitation (Washington, D.C.) by SmithGroupJJR
    The jury noted, “The exhibit design makes the grand historical space it occupies and the historic artifacts on display more spectacular by their constrast rather than by any sense of replication.”
  • LMI (Tysons, Va.) by Gensler
    The jury commented, “The use of a limited by well featured palette of materials contrasts with the white srufaces, and gives the interiors both richnoess and consistency.”

Interior Design Honorable Mention Recipient: 

  • Architectural Office (Washington, D.C) by SmithGroupJJR
    “This office design addressed the issue that office interiors often have a very high turnover, which has an impact on the building and environment. The fact that the project achieved LEED Platinum certification is a testament to the thoughtful investment made by the design team,” commented the jury.

 

About the Awards for Excellence in Architecture
All entries must be the work of architects who have an office in Virginia or are members of the AIA Virginia. The location of projects is not restricted, but any built work submitted must have been completed after January 1, 2008. Un-built work was also be considered, as long as it was commissioned by a client as opposed to hypothetical work completed in the mode of research or academic training.

About the AIA Virginia
AIA Virginia is a professional association representing nearly 2,500 members. Founded by 5 architects in 1914, AIA Virginia  has represented the professional interests of architects and allied professionals in the Commonwealth of Virginia for 100 years. For more information, contact us at (804) 644-3041 or visit www.aiava.org.

Design Awards Call for Entries

Posted on by cguske

The 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, 2008.

The Call for Entries for the 2015 Awards for Excellence in Architecture are now open through July 30.

For 2015 there are five categories in the Awards for Excellence: Architecture, Historic Preservation, Interior Design, Contextual Design, and Residential Design. Entries  and project submissions are due by 5 p.m. on July 30. See descriptions of the awards categories.

Awards certificates are presented each November at Architecture Exchange East, the AIA Virginia’s annual conference. They are also honored during the Visions for Architecture gala, and serve as the subject of an annual exhibition at the Virginia Center for Architecture.

Please see the complete regulations and frequently asked questions for more information.

2014 Design Awards Announced

Posted on by cguske

Virginia Architects are honoring the very best work by designers working in Virginia in the 2014 Awards for Excellence (also known as the Design Awards). These awards celebrate projects no older than seven years that contribute to the built environment and are clear examples of thoughtful and engaging design. This year juries have identified 12 Honor Awards and six Merit Awards. Award categories include Architecture, Contextual Design, Historic Preservation, Interior Design and Residential Design.

These projects will be on display at the Virginia Center for Architecture in Design 2014: A Retrospective of Winning Work, Oct. 30, 2014–Jan. 4, 2015. 

(image galleries follow each category announcement)

In the ARCHITECTURE category

The jury considers aesthetics, adherence to the client program, proven and projected building performance and concept development during its deliberations.

Architecture Honor Award Recipients:

  • 4 Springs Lane (Rappahanock, Va.) by Robert M. Gurney, FAIA, Architect
    “Beautifully composed on the site,” says the jury, “with a logical, clear floor plan that embraces and frames views of the landscape.”
  • Smith Creek Park (Clifton Forge, Va.) by the design/buildLAB
    “The beautiful, sculptural forms relate strongly to the site and amplify the sound of the creek,” comments the jury.
  • NOAA Center for Weather & Climate Prediction (College Park, Md.) by HOK
    “It houses a federal agency – and the design relates to and beautifully reflects their mission,” notes the jury.
  • Catherine Burrow Refectory Renovation & Addition (Memphis, Tn.) by Hanbury Evans Wright Vlattas + Company
    “This project rises to the challenge of expanding an existing building on a campus with a strong historic character,” the jury remarks.
  • St. Ignatius Chapel at The Calcagnini Contemplative Center (Bluemont, Va.) by Dynerman Architects pc
    The jury notes the “incredibly warm and inviting interior space.”
  • Union Station Bus Terminal (Washington, D.C.) by Studio Twenty Seven Architecture
    “With only a few moves, the architects enlivened what is for most people, a dreary commuting experience,” says the jury.

Architecture Merit Award Recipients:

  • NYU-DC (Washington, D.C.) by Hickok Cole Architects
  • DC Consolidated Forensic Laboratory (Washington, D.C.) by HOK

 

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.

Contextual Honor Award Recipients

  • Charlottesville Strategic Investment Plan (Charlottesville, Va.) by Cunningham | Quill Architects, PLLC
    The jury applauded the depth of this vision plan that addresses ecology, retail, community services and mixed-income housing.
  • Round Hill Farm Pavilions and Landscape (Orange, Va.) by Spatial Affairs Bureau
    “Reflects the agrarian sensibility and arrangement of a family farm without resorting to pastiche.”

 

 

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.

Residential Design Honor Award Recipients:

  • Hampden Lane House (Bethesda, Md.) by Robert M. Gurney, FAIA, Architect
    The jury notes the project’s “strong, simple forms and an elegant use of industrial materials.”
  • Komai (Alexandria, Va.) by Robert M. Gurney, FAIA, Architect
    “This is a textbook example of taking a severely constrained site and turning it into something noteworthy,” says the jury.

 

 

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.

Historic Preservation Honor Award Recipient:

  • The Beacon Theatre (Hopewell, Va.) by Commonwealth Architects
    The jury says “the renovation of the theater and the adaptive reuse of the adjacent building demonstrates comprehensive preservation – careful research, beautiful restoration and thoughtful adaptive reuse in support of new programmatic requirements and economic realities – which will serve as a catalyst for continued downtown revitalization.”

Historic Preservation Merit Award Recipients:

  • Sherman Building Reconstruction (Washington, D.C.) by Quinn Evans Architects
  • Roanoke City Market (Roanoke, Va.) by Cunningham | Quill Architects, PLLC
  • Gadsby’s Tavern Ice Well (Alexandria, Va.) by BELL Architects and Larson / Koenig Architects

 

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.

Interior Design Honor Award Recipient:

 

  • NOC Conversion (Washington, D.C.) by Robert M. Gurney, FAIA, Architect
    The jury says this project “made an undesirable unit very desirable. Difficult to achieve.”

Interior Design Merit Award Recipient:

  • Gallaudet University Student Housing Commons Interiors (Washington, D.C.) by Studio Twenty Seven Architecture

 

About the Awards for Excellence in Architecture
All entries must be the work of architects who have an office in Virginia or are members of the Virginia Society of the American Institute of Architects. The location of projects is not restricted, but any built work submitted must have been completed after January 1, 2007. Un-built work was also be considered, as long as it was commissioned by a client as opposed to hypothetical work completed in the mode of research or academic training.

The 2014 Awards for Excellence in Architecture are sponsored by Hanbury Evans Wright Vlattas + Company, GeoEnvironmental Resources, and Jack Davis, FAIA.

About the Virginia Society of the American Institute of Architects
The Virginia Society of the American Institute of Architects is a professional association representing nearly 2,500 members. Founded by 5 architects in 1914, the Virginia Society AIA has represented the professional interests of architects and allied professionals in the Commonwealth of Virginia for 100 years. For more information, contact the Virginia Society a (804) 644-3041 or visit www.aiava.org.

2014 Design Awards Jury Announced

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The Virginia Society AIA announces the jury chairs for the 2014 Awards for Excellence in Architecture. For 2014 there are five categories in the Awards for Excellence: Architecture, Historic Preservation, Interior Design, Contextual Design, and Residential Design. Entries will be accepted through 5 p.m. June 27 and project submissions are due by 5 p.m. on July 25.  See the Call for Entries for descriptions of each of the 5 awards categories. 

Ray Calabro, FAIA
Principal, Bohlin Cywinski Jackson
In his nearly 20-year career with Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, Ray Calabro’s work has emphasized the relationship of a building to its surrounding landscape. He believes that architecture is a thoughtful response to the culture and spirit of each place. This vision and commitment is most clearly demonstrated by the award-winning Grand Teton Discovery and Visitor in Jackson, Wyoming. Calabro regularly leads the Bohlin Cywinski Jackson team in a collaborative design process to achieve extraordinary, award-winning buildings including visitor centers, corporate headquarters, academic buildings for science and research, and private residences across the western United States and Canada.

Calabro frequently speaks at regional, national and international design conferences, and serves as a juror and design critic at leading schools of architecture and design.

Jean Carroon, FAIA
Principal, Goody Clancy
Jean Carroon leads Goody Clancy’s extensive preservation and renovation practice. She has received national recognition for her special expertise in applying sustainable design technology to historic buildings and has been appointed to Boston mayor Menino’s Green Building Task Force and the Advisory Board of the Green Roundtable’s Nexus Green Building Resource Center. Her book, Sustainable Preservation: Greening Existing Buildings, was published in 2010 by John Wiley & Sons. She is also a recognized expert in the design of accessibility solutions for historic buildings. She has led Goody Clancy’s restoration of some of the most distinguished landmark buildings in the country, including H.H. Richardson’s Trinity Church in Boston. She has also directed the renovation of a number of venerated buildings on historic university campuses throughout New England.

Carroon lectures frequently on preservation and sustainable design topics to local and national audiences, including the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C. She has participated in panels and symposia for the General Services Administration, AIA Livable Communities, the Association for Preservation Technology, and the Green Building Alliance, and is a member of the National Trust for Historic Preservation Sustainability Coalition. She earned a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Architecture at the University of Oregon.

Awards are presented each November at Architecture Exchange East. Winning projects are also honored during the Visions for Architecture gala, in Inform magazine, and serve as the subject of an annual exhibition at the Virginia Center for Architecture.

The 2014 Awards for Excellence in Architecture are sponsored by Hanbury Evans Wright Vlattas + Company, GeoEnvironmental Resources, and Jack Davis, FAIA.

Enter the 2014 Design Awards>>

Call for Entries: 2014 Design Awards

Posted on by cguske

Join the Virginia Society of the American Institute of Architects, the Virginia Center for Architecture, and Inform magazine in a celebration of the very best work from designers working from Virginia.

The Awards for Excellence in Architecture recognize outstanding design— both built and un-built — in five categories: Contextual Design, Residential Design, Architecture, Historic Preservation and Interior Design.  All entries must be the work of architects who have an office in Virginia or are members (including associate members) of the Virginia Society AIA. The location of projects is not restricted, but built work must have been completed after Jan. 1, 2007. Un-built work will also be considered, as long as it was commissioned by a client as opposed to hypothetical work completed in the mode of research or academic training.

Awards certificates are presented each November at Architecture Exchange East, the Virginia Society’s annual conference. They are also honored during the Visions for Architecture gala, in Inform magazine, and serve as the subject of an annual exhibition at the Virginia Center for Architecture.

The 2014 Awards for Excellence in Architecture are sponsored by Hanbury Evans Wright Vlattas + Company, GeoEnvironmental Resources, and Jack Davis, FAIA.

DEADLINES

Entries: 5 p.m. on July 7, 2014
Project submissions: 5 p.m. on July 25, 2014

FEES

VS AIA Members: $190 first project; $160 each additional project
Non-member Architects (with an office in Va.):  $245 first project; $215 each additional project
VSAIA Associate Members: $80 each project

CATEGORIES

[adrotate banner=”55″]Contextual Design
Buildings do not exist in isolation. The Award for Contextual Design recognizes 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. Evaluation criteria include:

  • Does the design contribute to the fabric of the surrounding physical context through tangible qualities such as scale, form, materials, and architectural vocabulary?
  • Does the design demonstrate an understanding of the history and culture of the place and embrace traditions relevant to its context?
  • Does the design creatively embody the identity or mission of the client?

Requirements for submission should include a description of the context and how this context is reflected in the design, as well as images (photographs or drawings; at least two) that distinctly reveal the surrounding context of the project.

Residential Design
Aesthetic appeal and functionality are two long-established criteria for home design. More frequently, especially in the last several years, families have also been looking for affordability and resource efficiency. The jury will focus on the issues of:

  • Design that suits the needs of the home owner or resident, regardless of any particular style, and is easily maintained, filled with adequate natural light and fresh air, energy and water efficient, and is universally accessible.
  • Community building, in that the residence is well-sited with respect to views and amenities such as transit, shopping, recreation, and congregation.

Submissions should include a description of the sustainability and community-building programmatic aspects of the residence, interior and exterior photographs, plans, and/or drawings, and a site plan.

Architecture
Designers may submit projects of all types (including residential) for consideration in the Architecture category. In their deliberations, the jury will consider aesthetics, adherence to the client program, proven and projected building performance, and concept development. As with all categories, entrants will submit a project description and five pages of illustration, each of which may contain plans, sections, renderings, photographs, and captions, as the entrant deems suitable to describe the outstanding elements of the project.

Historic Preservation
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 will also take into consideration adherence to local, state, and national criteria for historic preservation.

Interiors
Interior architecture projects of distinction will evince 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. Submissions will highlight accommodation of project goals, including the client’s specific programmatic requirements, in a single page of text supplemented with five pages of illustrations in PDF format.

The Juries

The juries for each of the five categories comprise architects, educators, and related professionals working outside the mid-Atlantic region who are well-recognized for their work pertaining to their particular categories.

Enter>>

Design Awards for 2013 Announced

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Across five award categories — Architecture, Contextual Design, Historic Preservation, Interior Design, and Residential Design — 29 projects were recognized for design excellence in 2013. Five separate juries identified 16 Honor Awards, 12 Merit Awards, and one special citation from a pool of 139 submissions. The awards recognize the very best work by designers working from Virginia. Held annually, the Awards for Excellence (also known as the Design Awards) celebrate projects no older than seven years that contribute to the built environment as clear examples of thoughtful and engaging design.

The 2013 Virginia Society AIA Awards for Excellence in Architecture presented by IMAGINiT Technologies, are sponsored by IMAGINiT Technologies, Donley’s, First Light VA, Hanbury Evans Wright Vlattas + Company, GeoEnvironmental Resources, Inc., Williams Mullen, and McPherson Design Group.

The winning projects will be the subject of an exhibition at the Virginia Center for Architecture called Design 2013: A Retrospective of Winning Work running Oct. 24, 2013–Jan. 5, 2014. The Opening Reception is Oct. 24 from 5:30–7:30 p.m.

Western Carolina University Health & Human Services by Clark Nexsen. Photo by Mark Herboth Photography.
Western Carolina University Health & Human Services by Clark Nexsen. Photo by Mark Herboth Photography.

In the ARCHITECTURE category

In deliberations, the jury—chaired by Thompson E. Penney, FAIA—considered aesthetics, adherence to the client program, proven and projected building performance, and concept development.

The three Architecture Honor Award recipients for 2013 are:

Western Carolina University Health & Human Sciences by Clark Nexsen
“A successful contrast to the natural setting out of which it grows, the building carefully pushes in the hillside contours, preserving a sensitive environment and gracefully stepping down the site,” noted the jury.

RdV Vineyards Winery by Neumann Lewis Buchanan Architects. Photo by Gordon Beall.
RdV Vineyards Winery by Neumann Lewis Buchanan Architects. Photo by Gordon Beall.

RdV Vineyards Winery by Neumann Lewis Buchanan Architects
“The structure is beautifully integrated with its spectacular site,” the jury said. “The interiors are quite bold and very well detailed and executed.

Buckingham County Public School by VMDO
“The masterful stitching together of two outdated mid-century schools into a new elementary school is very sophisticated, yet, at the same time, is very approachable for children,” said the jury.

The Architecture Jury also recognized four projects with Merit Awards:

Park Shops by Clark Nexsen

Buckingham County Primary and Elementary Schools by VMDO Architects. Photo by Alan Karchmer.
Buckingham County Primary and Elementary Schools by VMDO Architects. Photo by Alan Karchmer.

Tred Avon River House by Robert Gurney, FAIA

Verde Dining Facility by Hanbury Evans Wright Vlattas, and

Barcode House by David Jameson, FAIA

 

In the CONTEXTUAL DESIGN category

The awards for contextual design recognize 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.

The Context Jury, chaired by R. Randall Vosbeck, FAIA, awarded three projects with Honor Awards:

Holaday Athletic Center, U.S. Air Force Academy by Cannon Design
The project is notable“for its sustainable, contemporary design, which is most respectful of its well-known mid-century surroundings,” stated the jury.

Becherer House by Robert Gurney, FAIA, Architect
The jury noted the exquisite detailing and overall design as the deciding elements in convincing them that this project is relevant to its wooded setting.

Headquarters for Ruppert Nurseries by  Muse Architects
“This complex of new and remodeled buildings respects the 1898 Queen Anne Victorian farmhouse on the site,” said the jury of the nursery’s “overall agrarian character.”

The jury also awarded four projects with Merit Awards:

Duncan, McMurty, Baker & Will Rice Colleges of Rice University by Hopkins Architects, design architect, and Hanbury Evans Wright Vlattas, executive architect

E. Claiborne Robins Stadium, University of Richmond by BCWH, architect of record, and McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture, associated architect

Bedford Hall Visual Arts Building, Longwood University by Moseley Architects, architect, and HGA, consulting visual arts design architect

University of Mary Washington Residence Halls Renovation by Bowie Gridley Architects

Additionally, the jury recognized The One Nest by McGraw Bagnoli Architects, with a special citation as a clever interpretation of a rural farmhouse related to its countryside site.

 

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—chaired by 2014 national AIA Custom Residential Architecture Network Chair David Andreozzi, AIA—looked at each submission in its totality toward meeting those goals.

The Residential Design jury selected four projects for Honor Awards:

Three of those are by Robert Gurney, FAIA, Architect:

308 Mulberry, which the jury called “absolutely brilliant, a truly spectacular example of a minimally and expertly detailed project that respects the context of a site as well as the history of an existing structure.”

Difficult Run Residence which was called “a remarkable renovation,” by the jury. “Like the rolling landscape, the roof gracefully folds and rolls, thus unifying the house. It is quite an honor to the original architect.”

and

WISSIOMING2. “The lines of the house form a myriad of squares and volumes,” observed the jury. “Its connection to its vernacular is spellbinding from every direction.”

The jury also honored A Move to the City by Muse Architects. “This project’s exterior skin was restored from the last century, and its interior is transformed for the next century.”

The jury recognized Ocean Walk, by Studio Twenty-Seven Architecture, with a Merit Award.

 

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 took into consideration adherence to local, state, and national criteria for historic preservation.

The Historic Preservation jury—chaired by Associate Dean of the College of Fine and Applied Arts at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign Gaines B. Hall, FAIA—recognized one with an Honor Award.

For the Honor Award, the jury recognized the National Academy of Sciences restoration by Quinn Evans Architects, which they called “beautifully executed. It followed the best of preservation practice in an exemplary way. This is a first-rate renovation of a landmark building.”

They recognized three projects with Merit Awards:

The Restoration of the 1917 Chesterfield Courthouse by Davis Buckley Architects & Planners

The State Theatre Restoration by Hanbury Evans Wright Vlattas, and

The Pierce Mill Complex by Quinn Evans

 

In the INTERIOR DESIGN category

Interior design project of distinction evince 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.

The Interior Design Jury—chaired by Jose Castillo, cofounder of arquitectura 911sc in Mexico City—recognized five projects with Honor Awards; three by Robert Gurney, FAIA, Architect:

Lorber Tarler Residence, with its “clean palette of materials, finishes, and colors as well as the specific role the stair plays in organizing space and bringing in natural light.

Watergate Apartment, as “a clever use of geometry to achieve a better integration for what otherwise would feel like a small apartment. This space honors the legacy of Moretti’s 1960s masterpiece.”

and

5110-½ Offices, was lauded by the jury for how it draws light “into the deepest parts of the office. The organization in plan is warm, clean, and professionally formal.”

The jury also recognized the North Avenue Dining Hall at Georgia Tech by Hanbury Evans Wright Vlattas for “the way the project establishes a relationship between interior and exterior and between existing and new.

and

The Allsteel Showroom by Hickok Cole for its “sensitive integration of brand into physical space. The relationship between different ceilings, floorings, and lighting achieves an unmistakable identity and character.”

 

Jury Announced for 2013 Design Awards

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The Virginia Society AIA announces the jury chairs for the 2013 Awards for Excellence in Architecture.

Architecture Category Jury Chair: Thompson E. Penney, FAIA, Chairman/President/CEO of LS3P, headquartered in Charleston, S.C. He served as the 2003 AIA National President. Thom Penney is responsible for the overall firm management and organizational vision of his large firm as well as a design-review resource available to all project teams. He brings knowledge and familiarity with regional construction practices and extensive personal experience in design excellence.

Contextual Design Jury Chair: R. Randall Vosbeck, FAIA, was the 1981 AIA National President, cofounder of Vosbeck, Vosbeck, Kendrick & Redinger in the 1960s, worked with the Washington, D.C., office of DMJM, from which he retired and moved to Vail, Colo., in 1994. Randy Vosbeck has an abiding respect and devotion to the profession of architecture and a thorough understanding of the mid-Atlantic context.

Historic Preservation Jury Chair: Gaines B. Hall, FAIA, Associate Dean of the College of Fine and Applied Arts and the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign and professor of architecture within that college. He was Vice President of Kirkegaard Associates in Chicago for 21 years and served as an AIA National Vice President in 1984. Gaines Hall also recently completed a years-long restoration of Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1900 Bradley House in Kankakee, Ill.

Interior Design Jury Chair: Jose Castillo is cofounder of arquitectura 911sc in Mexico City. He also teaches at the Harvard GSD, where he received both his master’s and doctorate degrees in architecture, and has taught at the University of Pennsylvania, Tulane, and the Universidad Iberoamericana. He has curated exhibitions for the Venice, Rotterdam, and Sao Paulo Biennales and is on the advisory board of SciArc’s Future Initiatives program.

Residential Architecture Jury Chair: David Andreozzi, AIA, based in Rhode Island, will chair the national AIA Custom Residential Architecture Network in 2014. His firm’s design philosophy is to control and organize the design and construction of every aspect of his home designs, which have been featured extensively, including on HGTV and in House Beautiful and Better Homes and Gardens. He also chairs the selection team for an upcoming book, AIA/CRAN Residential Collection | Houses for All Regions.

The 2013 Design Awards are sponsored by Donley’s.  

Enter the 2013 Design Awards>>

10 Tips for Terrific Design Award Submissions

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2005 AIA Stock Images - Core - Cunningham & Quill - Hickok Warner Cole - HSMM - OTJ ArchitectsDoesn’t it sometimes seem as if you see the same firms receiving all the design awards year in and year out? It can be frustrating, especially when you know your own work is at least as compelling visually and functionally. So what’s the secret? As former Architecture Editor in Chief Don Canty used to say about getting published: “Do good work and tell us about it.” Okay, so you do good work, now here are a few tips on the most effective way to tell the jury about it in your awards submissions.

1) Keep it simple.

Your design solution is bound to be extremely involved … every project is, even seemingly simple ones. Jury members know this too. But put yourself in their shoes. In the first round of project reviews, they typically have only a minute or two to review each submission. There is often a certain feeling of sensory overload. Focus on no more than three outstanding features of your project that you feel will capture the jury’s attention (more on that in a moment) and focus your presentation on that.

 

2) Make it visual.

This might seem obvious, and it is. But you would not believe the number of entries that come in with no apparent attention given to the quality of the photographs and renderings. Some jury members are taken by whiz-bang CAD manipulations; some prefer hand-drawn design-development studies. Submit whichever you are strongest in. But do consider that when they see obviously altered images or poorly executed drawings, the odds are that they will skip to the next submission without digging any deeper into yours.

3) Keep it short.

Text is important in focusing a jury member on the impact of your project. But—especially in the first round—he or she isn’t going to want to read a dissertation. State your thesis and caption your illustrations, certainly, but do it in a way that it is most easily absorbed in a quick read-through.

 

4) Be positive.

Especially in effective interventions, some submissions give undue attention to what was being fixed. A “before” shot is best conveyed small and in black and white so that the “after” shots are what draw the eye. And as far as the impression you want to leave with the jury, every client, consultant, and regulator is always the best you’ve ever worked with. Leave the jury members believing that you enjoy what you’ve accomplished as part of a well-honed team.

 

5) Remember the client.

And speaking of the client, don’t forget to mention how the project makes life better for the owners and users of what you have created.

 

6) Remember the environmental impact.

It’s almost a cliché anymore, but do remember to mention—even if only in passing—those measures you have taken to reduce carbon emissions, manage storm water runoff, and, in general, be resource efficient.

 

7) Emphasize the context.

As one can see in some of the recent mega-projects in China, for instance, sometimes having no context is in itself a context. But if you don’t somehow explain the setting for your design solution—in pictures or text—and if the jury members are not able to visit the project (which is most often the case), then you are doing your work a disservice. Try to give the jury a sense of the experience of the building and how it fits into its place.

 

8) Think of resilience.

This element is fairly new as an expressed architectural concept. It has to do with how your project helps people recover from natural and anthropogenic disasters. It might not be part of the jury members’ conscious decision making, but if your project addresses resilience in a notable way, it’s a good thing to point to as one of your building’s outstanding characteristics.

 

9) Do some basic research.

If you can find out who the jury members are going to be, spend some time learning what kinds of projects they design and what kind of styles or features they highlight in their own projects. This isn’t cheating, it’s knowing your audience and focusing your message to capture their attention.

 

10) Give appropriate credits.

Giving credit is free. And, if your project does receive an award, your consultants and the people in your firm who were most involved and invested in the project will feel much more appreciated if their joint achievement is acknowledged. And remember, the design-team identification information is concealed from the jury (although with some high-visibility projects they are bound to know, of course). You have just as good a chance to be awarded as the firms you see in all the magazines … if you pay as much attention to your submission as you do to the projects of which you are most proud.

Now, get out there and create some winning entries! The 2013 Awards for Excellence in Architecture is accepting entries through June 28.

Call for Entries: Design Awards 2013

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Join the Virginia Society of the American Institute of Architects, the Virginia Center for Architecture, and Inform magazine in a celebration of the very best work from designers working from Virginia.

The Awards for Excellence in Architecture recognize outstanding design— both built and un-built — in five categories: Contextual Design, Residential Design, Architecture, Historic Preservation and Interior Design.  All entries must be the work of architects who have an office in Virginia or are members (including associate members) of the Virginia Society AIA. The location of projects is not restricted, but built work must have been completed after Jan. 1, 2005.

Awards certificates are presented each November at Architecture Exchange East, the Virginia Society’s annual conference. They are also honored during the Visions for Architecture gala, in Inform magazine, and serve as the subject of an annual exhibition at the Virginia Center for Architecture.

The 2013 Awards for Excellence in Architecture are sponsored by Donley’s.

DEADLINES for the 2013 Awards Program:

Entries are due June 28.

Project submissions are due July 26.

The fee schedule for the 2013 awards program is:

Virginia Society AIA Members—$190 for the first project and $160 for each additional project

Non-member Architects (with an office in Virginia)—$245 for the first project and $215 for each additional project

Virginia Society AIA Associate Members —$80 for each project

Contextual Design
Buildings do not exist in isolation. The Award for Contextual Design recognizes 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. Evaluation criteria include:

  • Does the design contribute to the fabric of the surrounding physical context through tangible qualities such as scale, form, materials, and architectural vocabulary?
  • Does the design demonstrate an understanding of the history and culture of the place and embrace traditions relevant to its context?
  • Does the design creatively embody the identity or mission of the client?

Requirements for submission should include a description of the context and how this context is reflected in the design, as well as images (photographs or drawings; at least two) that distinctly reveal the surrounding context of the project.

Residential Design
Aesthetic appeal and functionality are two long-established criteria for home design. More frequently, especially in the last several years, families have also been looking for affordability and resource efficiency. The jury will focus on the issues of:

  • Design that suits the needs of the home owner or resident, regardless of any particular style, and is easily maintained, filled with adequate natural light and fresh air, energy and water efficient, and is universally accessible.
  • Community building, in that the residence is well-sited with respect to views and amenities such as transit, shopping, recreation, and congregation.

Submissions should include a description of the sustainability and community-building programmatic aspects of the residence, interior and exterior photographs, plans, and/or drawings, and a site plan.

Architecture
Designers may submit projects of all types (including residential) for consideration in the Architecture category. In their deliberations, the jury will consider aesthetics, adherence to the client program, proven and projected building performance, and concept development. As with all categories, entrants will submit a project description and five pages of illustration, each of which may contain plans, sections, renderings, photographs, and captions, as the entrant deems suitable to describe the outstanding elements of the project.

Historic Preservation
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 will also take into consideration adherence to local, state, and national criteria for historic preservation.

Interior Design
Interior Design projects of distinction will evince 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. Submissions will highlight accommodation of project goals, including the client’s specific programmatic requirements, in a single page of text supplemented with five pages of illustrations in PDF format.

The Juries

The juries for each of the five categories comprise architects, educators, and related professionals working outside the mid-Atlantic region who are well-recognized for their work pertaining to their particular categories.

2012 Design Awards Announced

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Design Awards 2012 presented by IMAGINiT TechnologiesThe Society announces the recipients of the 2012 Awards for Excellence presented by IMAGINiT Technologies. From a pool of 150 entries, 19 projects were recognized with awards.

The awards are a celebration of the very best work from designers working from Virginia. Held annually, the Awards for Excellence (also known as the Design Awards) recognize projects no older than seven years that contribute to the built environment as clear examples of thoughtful and engaging design. This year, two new categories were added—Contextual Design and Residential Design—bringing the number of awards categories to five (the other three being Architecture, Historic Preservation, and Interior Design).

The program juries were chaired by Ronald J. Battaglia, FAIA in the Historic Preservation category; Joseph Bilello, Ph.D., FAIA, in the Architecture category; Mary A. Burke, FAIA, IIDA, in the Interior Design category; Casius Pealer, Esq., Assoc. AIA, in the Residential Design category; and Graham S. Wyatt, AIA, in the Contextual Design category.

Recipients of the Awards for Excellence presented by IMAGINiT Technologies will be honored during Architecture Exchange East, at the Visions for Architecture gala on Nov. 9, 2012, at the Hotel John Marshall; in Design 2012, a special exhibition at the Virginia Center for Architecture opening on Oct. 25, 2012; and in Inform magazine.  Winning projects will be profiled on readinform.com in the coming days.

The Virginia Society AIA Awards for Excellence in Architecture presented by IMAGINiT Technologies are sponsored by IMAGINiT Technologies, a Rand Worldwide Company, Hanbury Evans Wright Vlattas + Company; SKANSKA USA,  Haynes Whaley Associates, Inc. and Vanderweil Engineers, LLP.

Winners of the 2012 Award for Excellence presented by IMAGINiT Technologies are:

ARCHITECTURE CATEGORY

AWARDS of HONOR
Myriad Botanical Gardens
Oklahoma City, Okla.
Gensler (Washington, D.C.)

Wissioming Residence
Glen Echo, Md.
Robert M. Gurney, FAIA, Architect with Brian Tuskey

AWARDS of MERIT
Affiliated Dermatologists of Virginia
Richmond, Va.
SMBW Architects

Indiana University CyberInfrastructure Building
Bloomington, Ind.
SmithGroupJJR (Durham, N.C.)

University of South Florida School of Music
Tampa, Fla.
Hanbury Evans Wright Vlattas + Company with Performance Architecture

Weatherhead Hall
New Orleans, La.
Hanbury Evans Wright Vlattas + Company with John C. Williams Architects

 

CONTEXTUAL DESIGN CATEGORY 

AWARD of HONOR
Carole Weinstein International Center
Richmond, Va.
Glavé & Holmes Architecture

AWARDS of MERIT
James P. Muldoon River Center
St. Mary’s City, Md.
Muse Architects

Riverside Barbeque Pavilion at Yellowstone Bend Ranch
Big Timber, Mont.
Muse Architects

 

RESIDENTIAL DESIGN CATEGORY

 

AWARDS of HONOR
Restoration/Renovation of an Addition to a 1930s Residence
Washington, D.C.
Muse Architects

Dogtrot at Stony Point
Charlottesville, Va.
Hays + Ewing Design Studio

Janelia Farm Apartments
Ashburn, Va.
WDG Architecture

 

INTERIOR DESIGN CATEGORY 

AWARDS of HONOR
Design Army HQ
Washington, D.C.
Studio Twenty Seven Architecture

Winkler Family Trust
Alexandria, Va.
KGD Architecture

AWARDS of MERIT
Advisory Board Company Crimson
Austin, Tex.
SmithGroupJJR (Washington, D.C.)

Architectural Office
Washington, D.C.
SmithGroupJJR (Washington, D.C.)

 

HISTORIC PRESERVATION CATEGORY

AWARD of HONOR
McCormick-Goodhart Mansion
Langley Park, Md.
Bucher/Borges Group

AWARDS of MERIT
Garrett Hall
Charlottesville, Va.
Architectural Resources Group with Frazier Associates

Robert H. Smith Center at Montalto
Charlottesville, Va.
Glavé & Holmes Architecture