Burt Pinnock Recognized as 2022 Noland Medalist

Posted on by cguske

A career motivated by passion to preserve and advocate for historic black communities anchors the architect’s nomination

Burchell “Burt” Pinnock, FAIA, has been recognized with the William C. Noland Medal by AIA Virginia for his exceptional career and commitment to preserve and celebrate historic black communities and create opportunities for future generations within and beyond those communities. As the highest honor bestowed by AIA Virginia upon an architect, the Noland Medal is intended to recognize a distinguished body of accomplishments, sustained over time, spanning a broad spectrum of the profession, and transcending the scope of normal professional activities.

For more than 30 years, Pinnock was a voice for responsible design in many urban landscapes of Virginia, especially Richmond. His passion is found on a variety of cultural, master planning, residential, and adaptive reuse work for clients such as the City of Richmond, Black History Museum and Cultural Center, the Virginia Civil Rights Memorial Plaza, and the Richmond Slave Trail Commission. This important work and meaningful community impact led him to the appointment of the City of Richmond’s co-chair for the Richmond 300 Advisory Council.

Pinnock, seeing the opportunity to make a difference in Richmond’s urban neighborhoods, co-founded Storefront for Community Design, a nonprofit design center that works to create human connections, foster quality community development, and strengthen the legacy of Richmond’s urban areas. Richmond residents still live with the effects of inequitable planning practices and this volunteer-based collaborative draws on the talents of young architects and designers and city leaders to facilitate projects. Pinnock, a board member, also directly volunteers architectural services through dozens of pro-bono design sessions and helped facilitate large-scale community engagement workshops.

In his nomination letter, Professor of Humanities at the University of Richmond, Edward L. Ayers, recalled Pinnock’s remarkable skills while working on the university’s Burying Ground Memorialization Committee. The work required Pinnock to learn the complex history of the site, instruct the University of other work done in other places, translate design principles into language widely understood by non-designers, and win the trust of the descendants who were outraged and hurt by the university’s actions in the past.

Pinnock, says Ayers, accomplished all of the goals while also leading the committee’s members from the beginning to the end of its complex proceedings.

“Others can talk about the remarkable structures Burt has designed and overseen. I can testify to the remarkable sense of community and common purpose Burt created among people who shared little before he joined us,” Ayers noted in the nomination letter.

The honor is in memory of William C. Noland, FAIA, one of the founders of the AIA in Virginia, its second President, and Virginia’s first member to be elevated to AIA Fellowship.

Burt Pinnock will be celebrated at Visions for Architecture on Friday, Nov. 4, 2022, at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond.

Donna Dunay to Receive Noland Medal

Posted on by cguske

Donna Woodrum Dunay, FAIA, will be recognized with the William C. Noland Medal by AIA Virginia for her significant and sustained work across education, advocacy, service to the profession, and leadership. As the highest honor bestowed by AIA Virginia upon an architect, the Noland Medal is intended to honor a distinguished body of accomplishments, sustained over time, spanning a broad spectrum of the profession, and transcending the scope of normal professional activities. The honor is in memory of William C. Noland, FAIA, one of the founders of the AIA in Virginia, its second president, and Virginia’s first member to be elevated to fellowship.

More »

John H. Spencer Recognized as the 2020 Noland Medalist

Posted on by cguske

John Henri Spencer, FAIA, has been recognized with the William C. Noland Medal by AIA Virginia for his leadership within architectural education beyond the status quo to create opportunities for generations of architecture students. As the highest honor bestowed by AIA Virginia to an architect, the Noland Medal is intended to honor a distinguished body of accomplishments, sustained over time, spanning a broad spectrum of the profession, and transcending the scope of normal professional activities. The honor is in memory of William C. Noland, FAIA, one of the founders of the AIA in Virginia, its second president, and Virginia’s first member to be elevated to fellowship.

Spencer is a pioneering leader for Black architects in America, a distinguished teacher who influenced thousands of students, and a committed educational administrator who created countless programs, initiatives, and pathways for growth and mentorship. Under his leadership, the study of architecture at Hampton University evolved through focused curricular development, fundraising, and academic excellence–the pinnacle of a 63-year career of service in education, in the public arena, and to the profession of architecture. Spencer was born in Monrovia, Liberia to missionary parents serving at the Suehn Industrial Mission, which influenced his philosophy for teaching, community and professional service and social action. After high school in Huntington, West Virginia, John enrolled in the architectural engineering program at the Agricultural and Technical College (now university) in Greensboro, North Carolina. His education was interrupted by service in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War and, upon discharge, John transferred to Hampton Institute (now University) graduating in 1956 with highest honors.

Spencer joined the faculty of the School of Engineering at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, where he co-founded the Committee for the Collegiate Education of Black Students (CCEBS) with support from the Ford Foundation to increase the number of Black students enrolled at the school. The first group recruited by CCEBS arrived in 1968 and of the original 128 students, 90 graduated four years later in 1972–more than the total number of Black graduates of Amherst combined in its 105 years. In its first decade, CCBES recruited and Amherst graduated more than 2,000 Black students. At Amherst, he also led efforts to provide volunteer tutoring for Black students and led the Amherst Human Relations Council and Fair Housing Committee, and established Black history education in high schools that brought about positive change in the town of Amherst and beyond.

In 1970, Spencer returned to the Hampton Institute as Chair of the Department of Architecture, where he encouraged students to look beyond the campus gates and involve themselves in the larger community. Notably, he initiated a student exchange program between Hampton and Amherst, and a broader travel program soon followed, growing out of a need to strengthen the fifth-year planning studio. It began with trips to large American cities supported by alumni who provided housing and meals at no cost. With the support of faculty, Spencer revised and expanded the program to require a two-week travel module to foreign cities, from Europe to Asia, and from Africa to Latin America. Since then, he has always led by example, becoming the first Black architect elected to the National Architectural Accrediting Board, first Black architect appointed to the Virginia Licensing Board, and assuming numerous other local and national positions of influence within the profession.

In his nomination letter, Professor and Dean Emeritus of Howard University, Harry G. Robinson III, FAIA, noted, “His consistent leadership has contributed to the strength of the African American narrative in architecture and has increased the richness and stability of the Hampton University Department of Architecture. If the Noland Medal is the pinnacle of recognition, the contributions of Professor Spencer are nearly unmatched and exceeded most.”

The William C. Noland Medal will be presented at Visions for Architecture on Thursday, Oct. 8 in an online awards ceremony beginning at 4:30 p.m. The program is free but registration is required.

Noland Medal Awarded to Bob Moje in 2019

Posted on by cguske

A founding principal of VMDO Architects, Robert W. Moje, FAIA, will be recognized with the William C. Noland Medal at the Visions for Architecture gala on Friday, Nov. 8, 2019, at the Hilton Downtown Richmond. As the highest honor bestowed by AIA Virginia to an architect, the Noland Medal is intended to honor a distinguished body of accomplishments, sustained over time, spanning a broad spectrum of the profession, and transcending the scope of normal professional activities. The honor is in memory of William C. Noland, FAIA, one of the founders of the AIA in Virginia, its second president, and Virginia’s first member to be elevated to fellowship.

“Bob’s work in architecture is framed by three essential, interrelated commitments: a commitment to the discipline and practice as a public, civic endeavor; a commitment therefore to the communities in which he is called to work; and further, a specific commitment to education as both the fundamental design commission and the fundamental societal value … [his] design vision and leadership is purposeful, utterly authentic, and deeply holistic.”

Peter MacKeith, Dean and Professor, University of Arkansas

Moje has been a leader in the planning and design of educational facilities for more than 42 years. Through his award-winning designs, research, and professional and public service, he has advanced the practice of educational facility design considerably. His innovative instructional environments have elevated the level of discourse on design, teaching, learning, and the communal aspect of educational facilities on an international scale. In 2014, he served as chair for the global AIA Committee on Architecture for Education (CAE) conference titled The Value of Design: Enhancing Education through Architecture in Barcelona, Spain.

A regular juror for awards programs, including the national CAE Design Awards, he supports innovative work through the recognition of design solutions that enhance learning. He has also collaborated with the National Institutes of Health, the University of Nebraska Medical Center, the University of Virginia School of Medicine, and the Green Schools National Network to study the environmental effects of school buildings on children’s health and happiness. In addition to receiving the 2012 Prize for Design Research and Scholarship from the AIA Virginia, he partnered with the U.S. Green Building Council to develop a LEED Credit for school buildings that contribute to the physical fitness and health of thier occupants.

Moje has a long history of service to his profession and his community. Since 1997 he has served as the only architect on the Commonwealth of Virginia Joint House/Senate Subcommittee on Educational Infrastructure. He has also contributed his time on the Charlottesville Board of Architecture review, including a stint as chair, the Virginia Computer Foundation, the Virginia Center for Architecture, and numerous others.  

Beyond his design and research accomplishments, he has been an exemplary leader at VMDO. He helped establish a firm culture that is people-oriented, family-friendly, and inclusive of different viewpoints, backgrounds, and experience levels. He has contributed an effective transition plan and a generous profit-sharing system that is available to all at the firm.

CALL for NOMINATIONS: Honors Awards

Posted on by cguske

Braden Field, AIA, Nathan Harper, AIA, and Maggie Schubert, AIA, were recognized with the Virginia Emerging Professional Award at the Visions for Architecture gala on Friday, Nov. 3, 2017

The AIA Virginia Honors Committee is asking you to take a look at the Honors categories, review the selection criteria, and then ask yourself a few questions:

1. Do you think you might be a candidate for one of these honors?
2. Do you have a colleague who deserves one?

If the answer to either of these questions is yes, we encourage you to submit your nomination for AIA Virginia’s Honors Awards.

 

AIA Virginia’s honors program recognizes the best efforts of Virginians who, by profession or avocation, have made creating, preserving, and enhancing Virginia’s communities an important life commitment.

Submit your nominations online. The deadline is 5 p.m., July 13, 2018.

Nominations must be submitted electronically. Nominations should be submitted as one PDF document up to 20 pages (not including letters of support) and no larger than 30 MB.

Eligibility criteria and submission requirements vary by award. Click on the awards listed below for additional details and to review past recipients.

Nominations for all AIA Virginia honors may be made by individual members, by chapter honors committees, by Society committees, or by the Board of Directors itself. Current AIA Virginia Board members and Honors Committee members are not eligible for any award. No member of the Honors Committee may be used as a reference or advisor or be solicited by the candidate or the candidate’s advisor.  See the 2018 Honors Committee members.

Award Categories

The William C. Noland Medal, as the highest award bestowed on a member architect, is intended to honor a distinguished body of accomplishments, sustained over time, that spans a broad spectrum of the profession and that transcends the scope of normal professional activities. Only one medal may be bestowed each year.

The Architecture Medal for Virginia Service is AIA Virginia’s most prestigious public award, honoring an individual or organization that has made an unusually significant contribution to Virginia’s built environment or to the public’s understanding and awareness of the built environment. Only one medal may be bestowed each year but may be given simultaneously to more than one person.

The T. David Fitz-Gibbon Virginia Architecture Firm Award, as the highest honor bestowed by AIA Virginia to a Virginia-based architecture firm, recognizes a firm that has consistently produced distinguished architecture for at least ten years.

The Virginia Emerging Professional Award is intended to recognize the accomplishments of emerging leaders in Virginia for their contributions to the profession in one or more of the following categories: design, research, education, or discourse; service to the profession; mentorship; or service to the community.

The Award for Distinguished Achievement signals distinguished achievement by an architect in any one of the following categories: design, practice, education, service as “citizen architect”, and service to the profession; and thus may serve as an accolade for the work of an entire career or recognize the current accomplishments of a younger leader. Up to three awards may be bestowed each year.

Honorary Membership is bestowed upon a person of esteemed character who is not eligible for membership in the AIA Virginia but who has rendered distinguished and exemplary service, over a sustained period of time, to architecture and the built environment within the domain of AIA Virginia.

Professor Robert Dunay Honored With Noland Medal

Posted on by cguske

Throughout his  40-year career integrating teaching, research, and scholarship, Robert Dunay, FAIA, has expanded and refined the national discourse of architectural education. In multiple roles, he established innovative cross-disciplinary projects linking academia and practice through combined education al and applied research venues.  He has taught and significantly influenced thousands of architects; many who still reside in Virginia. As a consequence, he has had a significant impact on the quality of Architecture in the Commonwealth. Design Intelligence has ranked him as the Most Admired Design Educator four times — the most of any faculty in its 15 years of existence.

His contributions to education are matched by his advancements in professional knowledge building. His leadership of students and other faculty has positioned Virginia Architecture in the national and international arenas. LumenHAUS, a project sponsored by the Department of Energy for which Dunay served as co-leader, won the international Solar Decathlon Competition in Madrid, Spain. It was also recognized by the AIA with a national Institute Award for Excellence in Architecture, cited as one of the nation’s best works of architecture in 2012. Regionally, Dunay is a regular contributor to Architecture Exchange East and has served on the Design Committee, chaired the Honors Committee, and collaborated with others, winning the Virginia Prize for Design Research and Scholarship and six Awards of Excellence in Architecture.

For his unparalleled leadership, enduring support of the profession, and dedicated service to the community, AIA Virginia awards Robert J. Dunay, FAIA, the William C. Noland Medal.

M. Kirk Train Honored with Noland Medal


Posted on by cguske

M. Kirk Train, FAIA
M. Kirk Train, FAIA

Kirk Train, FAIA, has been selected to receive the Society’s highest honor bestowed upon an architect: the William C. Noland Medal. Train will be acknowledged before his colleagues during the Annual Meeting of the Membership on Thursday, Nov. 6, at 1 p.m. in room E11b during Architecture Exchange East, and the Medal will be presented at the Visions for Architecture gala on Friday, Nov. 7, at the Jefferson Hotel.

The award recognizes a lifetime of achievement for an individual architect. “In his integrity, character, service and commitment Kirk Train signifies for me that which is the best in our profession,” says Willard Scribner, FAIA. “His has been a thoughtful and principled voice advocating for an engaged profession, and leading by example.”

A gifted designer, Train and his firm have amassed a broad portfolio of award-winning designs over the past 25 years for projects throughout Virginia and the mid-Atlantic region. One client — another architect — noted that he designs simple things well. The rigor of the plan and the application of materials is beautifully resolved, and his work is both honest and straightforward, the embodiment of his belief that architecture dignifies our existence.

With decades of dedicated service to the community and as a champion of architectural causes that benefit humankind, his efforts have advocated for an engaged profession focused on public awareness, inspiration, and education. His long history of lending his expertise to make substantial contributions to the communities and citizens of Central Virginia includes serving as chair of the Albemarle County Board of Architectural Review and continued involvement in the Friends of the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library and the United Way Thomas Jefferson Area.

Emerging Leaders in Architecture inaugural session. From the left: Kirk Train, Bryan Green, Will Scribner, Jay Hugo, Brian Frickie
From the inaugural session of Emerging Leaders in Architecture. From the left: Kirk Train, Bryan Green, Will Scribner, Jay Hugo, Brian Frickie

The capstone of Train’s broad public engagement has been his role as a founding committee member for the Virginia Society’s Emerging Leaders in Architecture program. He played a pivotal role in establishing and leading this honors academy for young architects in Virginia, and it is through this program he believes his greatest impact will occur, as his passion for service and volunteerism will cultivate a new generation of Citizen Architects. “Acting with diplomacy and dignity, he is a true leader, one others have always wanted to follow throughout his career and in all spheres of influence,” says VSAIA Past President Brian J. Frickie, AIA. “We could not have a better advocate for the profession.”

Most notably, Train’s service to his fellow architects, and the profession as a whole, has been truly exemplary. He has worked tirelessly to strengthen the AIA at all levels, holding a variety of leadership positions in both local and state chapters including president of the VSAIA and president of the Central Virginia AIA chapter. Of particular note is his leadership in the Virginia Center for Architecture, serving as Chairman and working to raise the public’s awareness of good design through the establishment of the first architectural museum in the Southeast.

As a passionate leader and public servant whose efforts have yielded great benefits for his community, his fellow architects, and the greater society we serve, he has exemplified the profession’s highest ideals and created an enduring legacy. “Kirk’s extraordinary efforts to initiate collaborative projects within communities, his remarkable dedication to the AIA as the voice of the profession, and his steadfast belief that the architecture profession can meaningfully assist citizens in achieving a more balanced and wholesome life are, when considered collectively, attributes of the highest order for an architect,” says 2014 AIA President Helene Dreiling, FAIA.

For his unparalleled leadership, dedicated support of the profession, and service to the community, the Society awards M. Kirk Train, FAIA, the William C. Noland Medal.

Michel Ashe Honored with Noland Medal

Posted on by cguske

Michel C. Ashe, FAIA, has been awarded the 2013 William C. Noland Medal
Michel C. Ashe, FAIA, has been awarded the 2013 William C. Noland Medal

Michel C. Ashe, FAIA, will receive the 2013 William C. Noland Medal. The medal is the Society’s highest honor bestowed upon one of its members and recognizes a lifetime of achievement for an architect. Ashe will be acknowledged before his colleagues during the Annual Meeting of the Membership on Thursday, Nov. 7, at 1 p.m. in room E11b during Architecture Exchange East, and the Medal will be presented at the Visions for Architecture gala on Friday, Nov. 8, at the Jefferson Hotel.

“For over four decades,” says former governor Tim Kaine, Hon. VSAIA, “Mike has dedicated him[self] to countless initiatives that have enabled him to convey the perspectives of an architect to [advance] the planning and development of Virginia.” Through award-winning design, dedicated service to his profession, and leadership in his community, he has exemplified the profession’s highest ideals and created an enduring legacy.

Serving in leadership positions in award-winning firms for more than 30 years, Ashe has demonstrated success in a broad and varied range of professional practice.  In addition, he has long been an advocate for excellence in fire-station design. Through an ongoing relationship and dialogue with the Virginia Fire Chief’s Association, he has developed a robust series of seminars and whitepapers championing the principle that these civic buildings should be a source of pride for their municipalities.

As a founding member and president of the Virginia Beach Central Business District Association, he helped create  innovative zoning ordinances which proved to be an invaluable tool for future development. His ongoing advocacy resulted in what is today the nationally recognized Town Center of Virginia Beach, helping to create more than 2,500 jobs. Decades after its founding, the CBDA is one of the largest and most active business associations in the state, and has become a model for other communities.

Ashe has a long history of providing leadership and support within the arts. He has committed countless hours to developing and delivering educational programming at institutions like the Chrysler Museum and Tidewater Community College. He was instrumental in the preservation of the historic Suffolk High School as well as its eventual transformation into the Suffolk Center for the Cultural Arts. In addition, he has helped to raise millions of dollars for local theaters and museums by leading public forums, outreach programs, telethons and other fundraising activities.

Most notably, his service to his fellow architects, and the profession as a whole, has been truly exemplary. He has worked tirelessly to strengthen the AIA at all levels and, in particular, our Virginia Society AIA. He has served in dozens of positions at the local, state and national levels of the AIA.  During his tenure on the National AIA Board of Directors and the Diversity Committee, he helped drive the development of several national initiatives to increase diversity within the AIA and the profession in general. He helped to establish the AIA’s “Shadow an Architect” program in 2007, which has since become an annual event.

For his unflagging commitment to the profession, and service to the community, the Society awards Michel C. Ashe, FAIA, the William C. Noland Medal.

Honors Awards Deadline Looms

Posted on by cguske

medal-198x300The Virginia Society AIA Honors program is accepting nominations for Virginians who exemplify the profession’s highest ideals and who are committed to enriching the built environment. Nominations will be accepted through 5 p.m. on Friday, July, 19, 2013. Awards will be presented at the Visions for Architecture gala on Friday, Nov. 8.

Nominations must be submitted electronically as one PDF document, no larger than 20 pages and 50 MB. Nominations must be accompanied by the nomination form.

Nominations for all Virginia Society honors may be made by individual members, by chapter honors committees, by Society committees, or by the Board of Directors itself. Sitting Society board members and members of the Honors Committee are not eligible for Honors Awards.

AWARD CATEGORIES

The William C. Noland Medal, as the highest award bestowed on a member architect, is intended to honor a distinguished body of accomplishments, sustained over time, that spans a broad spectrum of the profession and that transcends the scope of normal professional activities. Only one medal may be bestowed each year.

The Architecture Medal for Virginia Service is the Society’s most prestigious public award, honoring an individual or organization that has made an unusually significant contribution to Virginia’s built environment or to the public’s understanding and awareness of the built environment. Only one medal may be bestowed each year but may be given simultaneously to more than one person.

The T. David Fitz-Gibbon Virginia Architecture Firm Award, as the highest honor bestowed by the Virginia Society to a Virginia-based architecture firm, recognizes a firm that has consistently produced distinguished architecture for at least ten years.

The Award for Distinguished Achievement signals distinguished achievement by an architect in any one of the following categories: design, practice, education, service as “citizen architect” , and service to the profession; and thus may serve as an accolade for the work of an entire career or recognize the current accomplishments of a younger leader. Up to three awards may be bestowed each year.

Honorary Membership is bestowed upon a person of esteemed character who is not eligible for membership in the Virginia Society but who has rendered distinguished and exemplary service, over a sustained period of time, to architecture and the built environment within the domain of the Society.

Virginia Society Honors may be bestowed on non-member individuals or organizations that have inspired, influenced, or complemented the architecture profession in Virginia through practice of an allied profession, research, education, planning, legislation, architectural writing, the arts, or crafts. An individual who has previously been elected an Honorary Member of the Society is ineligible to receive Society Honors.

The Test of Time Award recognizes architectural design of enduring significance. The structure must be no less than 25 years old. Building use may change over time if the overall design is cherished as a significant contribution to the community and the built environment.

Questions? Contact Rhea George at rgeorge@aiava.org or (804) 237-1768

Noland Awarded to Helene Dreiling, FAIA

Posted on by cguske

Helene Combs Dreiling, FAIA
Helene Combs Dreiling, FAIA

Helene Combs Dreiling, FAIA, has been selected to receive the Society’s highest honor bestowed upon an architect — the William C. Noland Medal. She will be recognized during the Annual Meeting of the Membership at Architecture Exchange East on Thursday, Nov. 8, 2012, at 1 p.m. in room E11b. The Medal will be presented at the Visions for Architecture gala on Friday, Nov. 9, at the Hotel John Marshall.

The award recognizes a lifetime of achievement for an individual architect. Her work to advance the profession, nurture emerging professionals, and elevate public awareness of the contributions architects make to the community, has benefitted thousands of individual architects and firms — not just in Virginia and the United States — but throughout the entire world. “Helene is without a doubt the most influential architect I know,” says colleague Timm Jamieson, FAIA. “She exemplifies what we all want to be in this profession … and we are each the better for [her] service.”

Dreiling has dedicated decades of service and leadership to the American Institute of Architects, culminating in her recent election as First Vice President/President-Elect.  She will serve as President of the AIA in 2014. The road to this position features a series of notable milestones, including her election as the first female president of AIA Blue Ridge and the first female Director of the Region of the Virginias. She was the first woman from AIA Blue Ridge, and youngest member in Virginia, to be elevated to the College of Fellows. These accomplishments serve as a beacon for those who follow in her footsteps. “Helene has done more than just to serve,” say former Institute secretaries Betsey and Brian Dougherty. “She has touched those people and those issues that she is passionate about and dedicated to, and has made each of us a better volunteer and a better professional through her sensitivity, insight and guidance.”

Throughout her service, Dreiling became one of the AIA’s most ardent and respected voices in support of emerging professionals and the benefits of lifelong learning.  Her work on a host of key task forces and committees not only helped streamline the AIA’s Continuing Education System, but also helped lead a shift towards a more seamless transition in education, training, and practice, by redefining the term “intern” and un-bundling the Architecture Registration Examination(ARE).

Her ongoing commitment to educating the broader public about the value of architects and good design began early in her career with her work at the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. Later, she was singularly responsible for curating Virginia Women in Architecture, a highly acclaimed exhibition spotlighting the work of Virginia’s female architects. This passion for educational outreach continued as she managed the Institute’s AIA150 celebration and oversaw the creation of the nationally-recognized America’s Favorite Architecture exhibition and website.   In her short time as the Executive Director of the Virginia Center for Architecture, she has helped shepherd the Center to a position of financial and programmatic strength. “All members of the profession in Virginia will benefit as the public develops a greater understanding of the power of architecture,” says VCA Trustee Ellen S. Cathy, AIA.

“Helene superbly exemplifies those personal qualities and life-altering achievements for which the Society’s William C. Noland Medal is designed to recognize and celebrate,” said Paul H. Barkley, FAIA. In making this award, the Society recognizes a career-long dedication to her fellow architects and the profession of architecture.