Call for Entries: 2024 Design Awards

Entries to the 2024 Design Awards program are now being accepted. AIA Virginia’s Awards for Excellence in Architecture (also known as the Design Awards) recognize outstanding design, built and unbuilt, from the past seven years. The program is juried by a team of esteemed practitioners from outside of the region.

Each entry will be judged on how successful the project is in meeting its individual requirements. Consideration is given to aesthetics, social impact, innovation, context, performance, and stewardship of the natural environment — with particular emphasis on the Framework for Design Excellence.

Each entry must include a completed Framework for Design Excellence Project Information Form as page one of their submission. Note: Entrants should not feel obligated to respond to every measure within the Framework — only those that apply to the project being submitted. It is understood that every project is different and may not respond to each measure within the Framework. The jury will consider each design holistically and within context. (Note on the form itself – make sure all of your entry text is visible from the PDF before uploading.)

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 on or after Jan. 1, 2017. Enter online.

The Design Awards program is sponsored by:

Gold
Bamforth Engineers + Surveyors
Silver
Epic Metals

Awards Categories include:

  • Architecture;
  • Design for Context;
  • Unbuilt Architecture;
  • Extended Use;
    • Historic Preservation
    • Adaptive or Continued Use
  • Interiors;
  • Residential; and
  • Small Projects
    • Up to $150K in construction cost
    • Up to $500K in construction cost
    • Under 5,000 square feet

Check out the complete descriptions of each award category, and review the regulations, eligibility requirements, and frequently asked questions for more information.

Entries are due by 5 p.m. on June 28, 2024. Note: You should be prepared to submit your concealed ID and project submission upon entry.

Entry fees

AIA Virginia Members:
$210 for the first project
$180 for each additional project
The Small Projects Category has a reduced entry fee of $100
Note: The entrant must be a member of AIA Virginia to be eligible to receive the member discount. The submitting AIA Virginia member must be a contributor to the design team.

Non-members of the AIAVA (must have an office located in Virginia):
$295 for the first project
$270 for each additional project
The Small Projects Category has a reduced entry fee of $200

Not an AIA Virginia member? Apply for unassigned membership.

About the Framework for Design Excellence

Developed by members of the AIA, the Framework for Design Excellence, represents the defining principles of good design in the 21st century. It’s intended to be accessible and relevant for every architect, every client, and every project — regardless of size, typology, or aspiration.

The 10 measures that make up the Framework are intended to inspire progress toward a zero-carbon, equitable, resilient, and healthy built environment. They represent standards of excellence as defined by members of the AIA. These measures align with the AIA’s core values which are collectively defined by members across the country.

The completed Framework for Design Excellence Project Information Form is required and shall be page 1 of each submission. The remaining 6 pages of each submission may be designed and defined by the entrant.

Use the Project Narrative section to describe how the design aligns with the Framework for Design Excellence. Entrants are encouraged to address all applicable measures.

We recognize every project is different and may not respond to every measure within the Framework. The jury will consider the design holistically and within context.

Data may not be available for some metrics on the form, or the client may prefer to keep certain metrics confidential. If this is the case, space is provided on the form to provide an explanation.

Entrants are encouraged to call out extraordinary responses to specific measures in the remaining 6 pages of their submission as well.

2023 Design Awards Announced

AIA Virginia is pleased to announce the 2023 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. Within each of the award 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 144 entries, only 14 were selected by the jury for recognition. These few projects stood above the rest as particularly notable. Awards of Merit are presented to those projects worthy of recognition and an Award of Honor is reserved for those projects deemed by the jury to be truly exceptional. Consideration is given to aesthetics, social impact, innovation, context, performance, and stewardship of the natural environment — with particular emphasis on the Framework for Design Excellence.

About the Jury
A committee of esteemed architects chaired by Ray Calabro, FAIA, judged the entries for AIA Virginia’s 2023 Awards for Excellence in Architecture. Joining Calabro on the jury are Jennifer Devlin-Herbert, FAIA; Omar Gandhi, FRAAC; and Karen Lu, AIA.

In the ADAPTIVE OR CONTINUED USE category

The work of retrofitting, renovating, adapting, and remodeling existing buildings accounts for almost half of U.S. architecture billings. This award celebrates design interventions upon existing buildings that help achieve carbon reduction through creative reuse and adaptation.

Award of Honor

The Assembly (Pittsburgh, Pa.)

Architecture Firm: ZGF Architects
Owner: University of Pittsburgh
General Contractor: Turner Construction
Structural Engineer: Thornton Tomasetti
MEP Engineer: Affiliated Engineers, Inc.
Photographers: Connie Zhou and Halkin Mason Photography

Jury Comments: We appreciated the significant yet respectful transformation of the existing building, particularly the double-height glazed space. The adaptive reuse of the assembly bays into open, flexible spaces for research is great.

In the ARCHITECTURE category

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

Award of Honor

The Center of Developing Entrepreneurs (Charlottesville, Va.)

Architecture Firm: WOLF ACKERMAN
Associate Architect: EskewDumezRipple+
Owner: CSH Development
General Contractor: Hourigan Group
Photographer: Alan Karchmer

Jury Comments: We appreciated the attention to design at every level: a clever site response to the Halprin master plan, great massing strategies, and beautiful use of material and detailing at both interior and exterior. We applaud the integration of high sustainability goals/LEED Platinum.

Awards of Merit

Church Hill North – The Kitchens at Reynolds (Richmond, Va.)

Architecture Firm: Quinn Evans – Architect of Record
O’Neill McVoy Architects – Design Architect
Owner: Church Hill North Holdings LLC
General Contractor: Hourigan
Structural Engineer: Silman
MEP Engineer: Valley Engineering
Civil Engineer: Timmons
Consultant: Clyde Construction Engineering
Photographer: Ansel Olsen

Jury Comments: We admired the social program of this building and its response to serving the surrounding community. It has a strong diagrammatic response to the site, and we appreciated the bold forms and use of materials. It will be great to see how it performs after all spaces are inhabited.

Thurston Hall Renovation (Washington, D.C.)

Architecture Firm: VMDO Architects
Owner: The George Washington University
General Contractor: Clark Construction
Photographer: Alan Karchmer

Jury Comments: A few simple moves result in a thoughtful yet dramatic renovation to maximize daylight and connection to the outdoors. This is a case study for adapting existing buildings, especially student housing, which is an important component of student wellness and building community on any campus.

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 Merit

Warm Springs Pools (Warm Springs, Va.)

Architecture Firm: 3North
Owner: The Omni Homestead Resort
General Contractor: Lionberger Construction
Structural Engineer: 1200 Architectural Engineer, PLLC
Photographer: Gordon Gregory

Jury Comments: We applaud this gentle restoration of beautiful 19th-century wood bathing structures. The elegance comes from the restraint and what they chose to restore rather than reimagine. Appreciated the clarity of the submission and the photos of the project history.

Renovation of Historic Camping Cabins, Douthat State Park and Fairy Stone State Park

Architecture Firm: PMA Architecture
Consulting Architect: Stemann | Pease Architecture
Owner: Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation
General Contractor: Thor Construction LLC
Photographers: Yuzhu Zheng and Dave Chance Photography

Jury Comments: This project honors the existing historic cabins in a thoughtful way. We appreciated the accessibility story, the highly crafted additions, and treating these modest buildings with a gentle touch.

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.

Honorable Mention

Symphony Orthodontics (Bristow, Va.)

Architecture Firm: OLI Architecture PLLC
Architect of Record: Aurora Architects LLC
Owner: Dr. Zahra Heidari
General Contractor: Liberty Group LLC
Millworkers: Hachi Collections, LLC and Epic Enterprises Inc.
Photographers: Susuan Stripling and Cameron Davidson

Jury Comments: We appreciated the commitment of both client and designer to crafting an immersive environment. Appreciate the floor plan and a series of minimal but highly refined and crafted spaces.

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 Merit

Foal House and Studio (Charlottesville)

Architecture Firm: Gehrung Graham LLC
Owner: Audrey & Mark Graham
General Contractor: Jobes Builders (phase 1) and Promethean Homes (phase 2)
Lighting Design: MSLD
Landscape Architecture: JCLA Studio
Photographer: Virginia Hamrick

Jury Comments: We applaud this project’s commitment to Passive House design. It is one of the few residential projects to actually provide EUI data and the commitment to sustainability is noteworthy.

Nebo House (Nebo, N.C.)

Architecture Firm: Fuller/Overby Architecture
Owner: Katherine Overby
Contractor: Cottonwood Development
Structural Engineer:   Nat Oppenheimer, Silman
Mechanical Engineer:  Mark Cambria, Fusion Systems
Photographer: Paul Warchol

Jury Comments: We liked the unusual forms and the way the house engages with the steep terrain. Despite the modest scale (2600 SF), the interiors are dramatic spaces filled with light. We appreciate the inventive floor plan.

In the SMALL PROJECTS category

Design excellence can be achieved, no matter the size or scope of a project. These awards celebrate projects with modest budgets that have a substantial impact. Small Project Awards are given in three categories, offering opportunities for recognition to a wide range of project sizes and budgets. All projects must demonstrate design achievement, including how the project fits into its environment and how the project connects to the Framework for Design Excellence.

Projects under 5,000 Square Feet

Award of Honor

CASA Playhouse/Play Factory (Richmond)

Architecture Firm: Hanbury
Owner: Henrico CASA
Contractor: DPR Construction
Photographer: Hanbury

Jury Comments: We loved the sense of playfulness that pervades every aspect of this modest project. And we appreciated the use of modest, reclaimed/donated materials to achieve a visual richness.

Award of Merit

Episcopal Church of the Resurrection (Alexandria)

Architecture Firm: Cunningham Quill Architects
Owner: Church of the Resurrection
Contractor: Dominion Construction Group
Landscape Architect: Campion Hruby Landscape Architects
Civil Engineer: Walter L. Phillips, Inc.
Structural Engineer: Ehlert Bryan Consulting Structural Engineers
MEP Engineer: Interface Engineering, Inc.
Lighting Design: MCLA Architectural Lighting Design

Jury Comments: The jury appreciated this project’s focus on developing a sacred space within modest means. The resulting interior space is filled with light and is sensitively positioned on the site.

Projects up to $150,000

Honorable Mention

Tangential Timber (temporary pavilion reinstalled at multiple sites)

Architecture Firm: After Architecture, LLC & University of Virginia Before Building Laboratory
Owner: University of Virginia Before Building Laboratory
Fabrication Team: Sonja Bergquist, Sophie Depret-Guillaume, Cecily Farrell, Abbey Partika, Russell Petro, Emily Ploppert, Jonathan (Yianni) Spears, Jolie Talha, Annabelle Woodcock
Photographer: After Architecture

Jury Comments: The jury recognized the proposed use of offcut/waste material into an inventive structural system. This type of thinking/research could be applied to many areas of the building profession.

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

U.S. Embassy Campus Niamey (Niamey, Niger)

Architecture Firm/Architect of Record: Page Southerland Page, Inc.
Design Architect: Miller Hull Partnership
Owner: U.S. Department of State
Contractor: BL Harbert International, LLC
Geotechnical Engineer: Schnabel Engineering
Civil Engineer: KPFF Consulting Engineers
MEP Engineer: Mason & Hanger
Structural Engineer: Ehlert Bryan Consulting Structural Engineers
Blast Engineer: Weidlinger Associates, Inc.
Photographers: Amber Renee Design and Kevin Scott

Jury Comments: The jury appreciated the sensitive response of this building to its climate and cultural context. We particularly liked the use of locally sourced materials and the way texture and color are woven into the scheme.

In the UNBUILT WORK category

Unbuilt work was considered, as long as it was commissioned by a client as opposed to hypothetical work completed in the mode of research or academic training.

Honorable Mention

ReGen LA (Los Angeles)

Designer: Tomas Eliaeson

Jury Comments: We acknowledge the aspirational qualities of the project, which are evident at many levels. Planning principles and sustainability strategies are woven together, demonstrating the need for this type of thinking at all scales of development.

Visions for Architecture

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.

Visions for Architecture 2023 will be held on Thursday, November 2nd at the Hippodrome in Richmond starting at 6:30 p.m.

Visions is now a more casual cocktail party with passed food instead of a seated dinner. Tickets can be purchased with or without your Architecture Exchange Registration here>> and are $125 each.

To support this event by becoming a sponsor, contact Jody Cranford at jcranford@aiava.org (800) 818-0289.

Visions for Architecture is sponsored by:

AIA Virginia Announces 2023 Design Awards Jury 

A committee of esteemed architects chaired by Ray Calabro, FAIA, will judge the entries for AIA Virginia’s 2023 Awards for Excellence in Architecture. Joining Calabro on the jury are Jennifer Devlin-Herbert, FAIA; Omar Gandhi, FRAAC; and Karen Lu, AIA. These annual awards recognize outstanding design, built and unbuilt, from the past seven years. Also known as the Design Awards, the program is open to all categories of building as well as interiors projects.  
The awards program is currently open for submissions. Each entry will be judged on how successful the project is in meeting its individual requirements. Consideration is given to aesthetics, social impact, innovation, context, performance, and stewardship of the natural environment — with particular emphasis on the Framework for Design Excellence. Deadline for entries is 5 p.m. on June 28, 2023. 

About Ray Calabro, FAIA

Calabro is a principal of the Pennsylvania firm Bohlin Cywinski Jackson. Educated at Virginia Tech (B. Arch., 1994), he began his career there as a lecturer in the College of Architecture and Urban Studies. Since joining Bohlin Cywinski Jackson in 1995, Ray’s project experience spans academic, cultural, commercial and residential projects in the continental U.S. and Canada. In 2014, he was elevated to the College of Fellows. 

About Jennifer Devlin-Herbert, FAIA

Devlin-Herbert, of San Francisco’s EHDD, was the firm’s first woman partner, and is now its first woman CEO. She is a distinguished design leader for evolving trends in learning environments across multiple project types, from educational spaces to science centers and libraries. Throughout a career spanning 30 years, her rich portfolio includes projects that reflect an unwavering commitment to her clients. Her work has been recognized with a National AIA Honor Award for Design.   

About Omar Gandhi, FRAAC

Gandhi is the Principal of Omar Gandhi Architects, a Canadian architectural practice with small teams in both Halifax and Toronto. He was chosen as one of the Architectural League of New York’s ‘Emerging Voices’ of 2016 and in 2018 was appointed the Louis I. Kahn Visiting Assistant Professorship in Architectural Design at the Yale School of Architecture. Gandhi was made a Fellow of the Royal Architectural Association of Canada in 2022.  

About Karen Lu, AIA, NOMA

Lu is an Associate Principal at Snow Kreilich Architects in Minneapolis. Her commitment to design excellence and to positively impacting future generations of architecture professionals and global citizens is evident in her professional work and service to the AIA and her community. She is currently the AIA Strategic Council Minnesota Representative and a board adviser to MSP NOMA.

Call for Entries: 2023 Design Awards

Entries to the 2023 Design Awards program are now being accepted. AIA Virginia’s Awards for Excellence in Architecture (also known as the Design Awards) recognize outstanding design, built and unbuilt, from the past seven years. The program is juried by a team of esteemed practitioners from outside of the region.

Each entry will be judged on how successful the project is in meeting its individual requirements. Consideration is given to aesthetics, social impact, innovation, context, performance, and stewardship of the natural environment — with particular emphasis on the Framework for Design Excellence.

Each entry must include a completed Framework for Design Excellence Project Information Form as page one of their submission. Note: Entrants should not feel obligated to respond to every measure within the Framework — only those that apply to the project being submitted. It is understood that every project is different and may not respond to each measure within the Framework. The jury will consider each design holistically and within context.

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 on or after Jan. 1, 2016. Enter online.

The Design Awards program is sponsored by:

Bronze
Bamforth Engineers + Surveyors

Awards Categories include:

  • Architecture;
  • Design for Context;
  • Unbuilt Architecture
  • Extended Use;
    • Historic Preservation
    • Adaptive or Continued Use
  • Interiors;
  • Residential; and
  • Small Projects
    • Up to $150K in construction cost
    • Up to $500K in construction cost
    • Under 5,000 square feet

Check out the complete descriptions of each of the awards categories, and review the regulations, eligibility requirements, and frequently asked questions for more information.

Entries are due by 5 p.m. on June 28, 2023. Note: You should be prepared to submit your concealed ID and project submission upon entry.

Entry fees

AIA Virginia Members:
$190 for the first project
$160 for each additional project
The Small Projects Category has a reduced entry fee of $100
Note: The entrant must be a member of AIA Virginia to be eligible to receive the member discount. The submitting AIA Virginia member must be a contributor to the design team.

Non-members of the AIAVA (must have an office located in Virginia):
$245 for the first project
$220 for each additional project
The Small Projects Category has a reduced entry fee of $200

Not an AIA Virginia member? Apply for unassigned membership.

About the Framework for Design Excellence

Developed by members of the AIA, the Framework for Design Excellence, represents the defining principles of good design in the 21st century. It’s intended to be accessible and relevant for every architect, every client, and every project — regardless of size, typology, or aspiration.

The 10 measures that make up the Framework are intended to inspire progress toward a zero-carbon, equitable, resilient, and healthy built environment. They represent standards of excellence as defined by members of the AIA. These measures align with the AIA’s core values which are collectively defined by members across the country.

The completed Framework for Design Excellence Project Information Form is required and shall be page 1 of each submission. The remaining 6 pages of each submission may be designed and defined by the entrant.

Use the Project Narrative section to describe how the design aligns with the Framework for Design Excellence. Entrants are encouraged to address all applicable measures.

We recognize every project is different and may not respond to every measure within the Framework. The jury will consider the design holistically and within context.

Data may not be available for some metrics on the form, or the client may prefer to keep certain metrics confidential. If this is the case, space is provided on the form to provide an explanation.

Entrants are encouraged to call out extraordinary responses to specific measures in the remaining 6 pages of their submission as well.

2022 Design Awards Announced

AIA Virginia is pleased to announce the 2022 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. Within each of the award 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 155 entries, only 16 were selected by the jury for recognition. These few projects stood above the rest as particularly notable. 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.  Consideration is given to aesthetics, social impact, innovation, context, performance, and stewardship of the natural environment — with particular emphasis on the Framework for Design Excellence.

About the Jury
The jury was chaired by Anne Marie Duvall-Decker, FAIA principal of the Jackson, Mississippi-based firm Duvall Decker. She was joined by Paul Mankins, FAIA founder of Substance Architecture and Cody Farris, AIA, Studio Design Director with Duvall Decker.

In the ADAPTIVE OR CONTINUED USE category

The work of retrofitting, renovating, adapting, and remodeling existing buildings accounts for almost half of U.S. architecture billings. This award celebrates design interventions upon existing buildings that help achieve carbon reduction through creative reuse and adaptation.

Award of Honor

Arts and Letters Creative Co. (Richmond, Va.)

Architecture Firm: ARCHITECTUREFIRM
Owner: Arts & Letters Creative Co.
General Contractor: DPR Construction
Structural Engineer: Engineering Solutions
MEP Engineer: AKF Group LLC
Photographers: Kate Thompson, Palindrome Creative Co. and James Ewing, James Ewing Photography

Jury Comments: This creative workplace displayed a clear attitude toward reuse. The simple, white objects are juxtaposed against the raw, patinated, existing container — allowing you to understand both in a new way. It’s a clear and well-executed renovation strategy that simultaneously preserves and repurposes the building for its next life.

Award of Merit

Assembly (Norfolk, Va.)

Architecture Firm: Work Program Architects (WPA)
Owner: Assembly (Drew Ungvarsky)
General Contractor: Clancy & Theys Construction Company
Interior Design: Campfire+Co.
Photographer: Yuzhu Zheng Photography

Jury Comments: This coworking facility is organized around a new, open stairway that provides connection between a variety of work settings created on all levels of the historic building. The procession up and through the building is celebrated, while simple, light-filled interiors breathe new life into a former department store.

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

Arthur J. Altmeyer Social Security Administration Building (Woodlawn, Md.)

Architect of Record: HGA
Design Architect: Snow Kreilich Architects
Owner: General Services Administration
General Contractor: Hensel Phelps
Façade Consultant: Studio NYL
Landscape Architect: OLIN
Civil Engineer: Sorba Engineering
Structural Engineering: Woods Peacock and HGA Structural
Mechanical Engineer: HGA Mechanical
Electrical Engineer: HGA Electrical
Fire Protection Engineer: Summit Fire Protection
Acoustics/AV/Building Security: Polysonics
Blast & Site Security: Hinman
Cost Estimating: Toscano Clements Taylor (TCT)
LEED Consultant: Sustainable Design Consulting, LLC
Enclosure Commissioning: WDP & Associates:
Photographer: Kendall McCaugherty, Hall Merrick McCaugherty Photographers

Jury Comments: A remarkable transformation of an unremarkable government building into a 21st-century workplace. The curtainwall system is well considered, beautifully detailed, and reductive — creating wonderful daylit spaces out of what was previously a warren of dark anonymous hallways. The exterior expression is subtle but engaging, creating a gradation when seen from the distance, and experienced as a slow and engaging change when approached on foot.

Capitol One Hall (Tysons, Va.)

Architecture Firm: HGA
Owner: Capital One Financial (Barry Mark, Representative)
General Contractor: The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company
Photographer: Alan Karchmer

Jury Comments: A sophisticated performing arts facility inserted into a complex urban site. The public spaces and the “house” are warm and wonderfully detailed. The limited material palette provides cohesiveness to what is a very large building. The powerful pleated façade begets a striking reciprocal interior ceiling that together act as a counterpoint to the refined wood and steel jewel box that is the theater. The public rooftop park and garden are a wonderful bonus gift to the city.

R|refuge (Leonardtown, Md.)

Architecture Firm: Page/
Owner: withheld
General Contractor: J. Johnson Enterprises Inc.
Structural Engineer: Springpoint Structural
Civil Engineer: Soltesz
Photographer: Anice Hoachlander, StudioHDP

Jury Comments: This private residence reveals a clear, processional experience in which the remarkable waterfront view is gradually revealed to the visitor. The integration of the home into the landscape is impressive and extends the generative logic into the site. The sequence of the plan and site is tightly woven with the ecological program. Each design decision seems to be multivalent, performing multiple duties with minimal wasted effort. The material palette is restrained and durable without feeling cold, and the material choices help reinforce the clarity of the plan and the sustainability goals of the project.

Awards of Merit

AC Hotel by Marriott (Washington, D.C.)

Architecture Firm: WDG Architecture
Owner: OTO Development
General Contractor: Lend Lease (US) Construction, Inc.
Photographer: Joseph Romeo Photography

Jury Comments: This urban infill project uses an ingenious unitized enclosure system to activate the street wall and mediate between two disparate neighboring buildings. The result is something at home on the street but surprising and engaging. The emphasis on single window units subtly telegraphs the interior program to the exterior.

Edneyville Elementary School (Hendersonville, N.C.)

Architecture Firm: Clark Nexsen
Owner: Henderson County (John Mitchell, Representative)
General Contractor: Beverly-Grant Inc. / Barnhill
Civil Engineering: WGLA Engineering, PLLC
Landscape Engineering: Siteworks Studios
Structural Engineering: Kloesel Engineering, PA
Interior Design: Division 12 Design Studio
Photographer: Mark Herboth, Mark Herboth Photography

Jury Comments: This elementary school is simple and direct – inserting a splash of color without being patronizing. The clear, well-organized plan makes good use of the site, creating a variety of inviting learning environments at many scales. It harvests natural light from multiple sources in nearly every space, both direct and borrowed. The building’s performance is particularly commendable.

Virginia Beach Sports Center (Virginia Beach, Va.)

Architecture Firm: Hanbury and Clark Nexsen
Owner: City of Virginia Beach Public Works (Tom Nicholas, PE, Representative)
General Contractor: MEB General Contractors
Photographers: Dave Chance, Dave Chance Photography and Yuzhu Zheng Photography

Jury Comments: This very simple, direct, rigid-frame building creates a set of large, open, daylit recreation spaces. The spaces and framed views make theater of the activities taking place every day.  The design “moves” are limited but focused.  The result is maximum effect with very limited means.

VCU Health, Adult Outpatient Pavilion (Richmond, Va.)

Architecture Firm: HDR
Owner: Virginia Commonwealth University Health System (Shirley Gibson, Representative)
General Contractor: Hourigan
Structural Engineering (parking/envelope): Walter P Moore
MEP Engineer: WSP
Civil Engineer: Draper Aden Assoc.
Curtain Wall: Ventana
Photographer: Dan Schwalm, HDR and Quentin Penn-Hollar, QPH Photo, LLC

Jury Comments: This large, programmatically complex building utilizes very simple variations in the curtainwall to express the individual program elements. These create subtle but engaging differences in the surface qualities without fracturing the character of the shape. The limited palette of materials and well-proportioned composition create a cohesive form at home in its context. The golden mesh is a comprehensive design move that accomplishes multiple goals. It covers the garage, defines and makes a grand entry, and creates a surprising ethereal surface quality.

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

Daughters of the American Revolution Constitution Hall (Washington, D.C.)

Architecture Firm: Quinn Evans
Owner: Daughters of the American Revolution (Stephen Nordholt, Representative)
General Contractor: Christman Company
MEP Engineering:  Greenman Pedersen Inc. and Loring Consulting Engineers
Historic Paint Finishes Specialist: Artifex Ltd.
Structural Engineer: 1200 Architectural Engineers
Theatrical Lighting and Theater Planning: Schuler Shook
Lighting Design (Phase 1): Gary Steffy Lighting Design
Acoustical Consulting: Jaffee Holden
Life Safety Engineering: GHD
Photographer: Ron Blunt Photography

Jury Comments: This restoration of a large historic meeting space seamlessly integrates lighting and mechanical systems to preserve the building and create a modern meeting venue. The historic spaces are brought back to “like-new” condition with a lighting strategy that transforms them into something entirely new.

Award of Merit

Antler House Restoration (East Hampton, N.Y.)

Architecture Firm: Two Street Studio
Owners: Chris Fisher and Blair Moritz
Contractor: CCI Construction Consultants
Interior Designer: Logan Killen Interiors + Blair Moritz
Photographer: Ashok Sinha

Jury Comments: A truly quirky and weird home had been stripped of its character by decades of ill-fated “improvements.” This restoration returns the home’s “hippie-coolness” in a very unapologetic fashion and creates a sympathetic addition. The interiors are consistent with the spirit of the home.  

 

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

Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library (Washington, D.C.)

Executive Architect: OTJ Architects
Design Architect: Mecanoo
Owner: District of Columbia Public Library
General Contractor: Smoot Construction and Gilbane Building Company
Photographer: Trent Bell and Robert Benson Photography

Jury Comments: This interior reconsiders the Miesian masterpiece. The design identifies the existing building’s strengths and weaknesses and takes it into the present and the future. The addition of the sinuous stairs is a bold celebration of the inhabitants and a subtle criticism of the existing structure. Some of the original lighting and material strategies are maintained and extended to link the new

Award of Merit

Bill Richards Center for Healing (Rockville, Md.)

Architecture Firm: Gensler
Owner: Shady Grove Adventist Hospital Foundation
General Contractor: Deerfield Construction Group, Inc.
Photographer: Halkin Mason Photography

Jury Comments: This small, flexible interior accomplishes a lot by employing a limited set of tactics. The serpentine wood wall ties the interior together, shapes the public procession, and functionally screens equipment and clutter. Simple ceiling manipulations further subdivide the space and the use of indirect lighting gives a sense of breadth.

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

StoryBoard (Washington, D.C.)

Architecture Firm: KUBE architecture
Owner: Warmington Oppenheim Development
General Contractor: Warmington Oppenheim Development
Photographer: Anice Hoachlander

Jury Comments: This urban infill project ingeniously reinterprets the bay window to create a truly unique expression – at once sympathetic and new. The decision to recess the entries on both sides allows the façade to be disconnected from its neighbors, while clearly continuing the street wall. The new bay windows can be occupied, adding character to the interior spaces, and framing exterior views.

In the SMALL PROJECTS category

Design excellence can be achieved, no matter the size or scope of a project. These awards celebrate projects with modest budgets that have a substantial impact. Small Project Awards are given in three categories, offering opportunities for recognition to a wide range of project sizes and budgets. All projects must demonstrate design achievement, including how the project fits into its environment and how the project connects to the Framework for Design Excellence.

Award of Honor

Heirloom Farm Studio (location withheld)

Architecture Firm: Bushman Dreyfus Architects
Owner: withheld
Owner’s Design Representative: Ivy Naté
General Contractor: Element Construction
Photographer: Virginia Hamrick Photography

Jury Comments: This simple, almost archetypal structure is clad in a dark wooden exterior clearly juxtaposed against both the minimal white interior and the surrounding landscape. All the design decisions are focused and disciplined, resulting in something simultaneously abstract and familiar. A well-proportioned and beautifully crafted piece of work at home in the shadows beneath the tree line.

Award of Merit

Studio 6420 (location withheld)

Architecture Firm: Robert M. Gurney, FAIA, Architect
Owner: withheld
General Contractor: Peterson & Collins, Inc.
Interior Design: Baron Gurney Interiors
Landscape Architect: Campion Hruby Landscape Architects
Photographer: Anice Hoachlander

Jury Comments: This small studio space and landscape employ a restrained set of tactics to shape both the exterior and interior space.  A common material palette ties the composition together. The car in the garage is likely more expensive than the garage that contains it – but equally as beautiful. A straightforward, well-detailed example of complex simplicity. 

Anne Marie Duvall Decker Announced as 2022 Design Awards Jury Chair

Anne Marie Duvall Decker, FAIA, founding principal of Duvall Decker Architects, will serve as the jury chair for the 2022 Design Awards program.

About the Design Awards

The Design Awards 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, 2015. The entry deadline is June 28, 2022.

Each entry will be judged on how successful the project is in meeting its individual requirements. Consideration is given to aesthetics, social impact, innovation, context, performance, and stewardship of the natural environment — with particular emphasis on the Framework for Design Excellence.

The Design Awards program is sponsored by:

GOLD
The Three Aspens

SILVER
Mafi
The Garland Company

About Anne Marie Duvall Decker, FAIA

Anne Marie Duvall Decker, FAIA, with her partner, Roy Decker, FAIA, founded Duvall Decker in Jackson, Mississippi — a place defined by both palpable need and engaging culture. The firm is a diverse and expanded practice, employing planning, development, design, and building care to promote the quality of the built environment and the health and well-being of its inhabitants. Duvall Decker delivers design excellence and promotes social, economic, and environmental quality, no matter the scope, type, budget, or scale of the project.

Anne Marie pursues a meaningful public architecture that elevates the individual human experience. She has designed award-winning public schools, affordable housing, state institutions, libraries, and university buildings that embrace their physical surrounds and cultural traditions with innovation and invention. She is the leader in the studio, fostering design quality, detailing building construction, making exemplary construction documents, and finding ways to be efficient and have joy in the work.  

Anne Marie Duvall Decker, FAIA, received a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Mississippi State University. She is a recognized contributor to the advancement of the profession. She has served as a board member and past President of AIA Mississippi and as a trustee and past Chair of the AIA Trust. Anne Marie is often invited to share the firm’s work and her experience as a lecturer, critic, teacher, and design juror, most recently serving as Visiting Professor of Practice at the University of Tennessee College of Architecture and Design. She has served on the jury for the 2018 AIA Institute Honor Awards for Architecture and as a selection committee member for the Architectural League of New York’s American Roundtable initiative. Most recently, she serves the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations as an Industry Advisory Group Peer.

Visions for Architecture 2021

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.

Visions for Architecture 2021 was generously sponsored by the following:

Visions for Architecture 2021 Sponsor Logos

2020 Design Awards Announced

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 by  KieranTimberlake.

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 by SmithGroup

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 by Studio Twenty Seven Architecture with Leo A Daly (joint venture)

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  by students and faculty at Virginia Tech.

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 by VMDO Architects. Photo by Alan Karchmer

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 by SmithGroup

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 by students and faculty from Virginia Tech Center for Design Research

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 by William McDonough + Partners

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 by GAC

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 by 3North

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 by Cunningham | Quill Architects.

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 by Hanbury

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 by Glave & Holmes

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 by 3North

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) by ARCHITECTUREFIRM

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 by Architecture AF

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 by Gensler

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  by Studio FIGURE

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 by mcdowellespinosa architects

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 by OTJ Architects

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 by Robert M. Gurney, FAIA, Architect. Photo (c) Maxwell MacKenzie.

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 by Robert M. Gurney, FAIA, Architect

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 by 3North

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. by Robert M. Gurney, FAIA, Architect. Photo (c) Maxwell MacKenzie Architectural Photographer.

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 by Robert M. Gurney, FAIA, Architect

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 by ARCHITECTUREFIRM

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 by David Jameson Architect

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 CourtDuvall Court by KUBE architecture PC

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 by KUBE architecture PC

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 by Robert M. Gurney, FAIA, Architect

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.

About the Jury

Mark Gardner, AIA, NOMA | Jury Chair
Principal at Jaklitsch/Gardner Architects, New York

Monica Rhodes
National Park Foundation, Washington D.C.

Phu Hoang AIA, FAAR
Founding Director at MODU, New York

Reid Freeman, AIA
Principal at Reid Architecture PLLC, New York

Jennifer Newsom, AIA, LEED AP, NOMA, NCARB
Principal, Dream the Combine, Minneapolis  

Julie Torres-Moskovitz, AIA, LEED AP, CPHC/CPHT
Founding Principal, FNA Architecture, New York

About the Awards

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.