Call for Entries: 2016 AIA Virginia Prize for Design Research & Scholarship

Compelling architectural research happens in universities and firms across Virginia every day. The AIA Virginia Prize for Design Research & Scholarship was created in 2008 to encourage a healthy dialogue between researchers in the universities and firms.

The Prize will be announced in September and recognition will be given by AIA Virginia at Architecture Exchange East, the annual conference and expo, held Nov. 2–4, 2016, in Richmond.

Eligibility

The AIA Virginia Prize for Design Research & Scholarship will be awarded to a faculty member at a Virginia institution of higher learning OR a  practicing architect in Virginia for outstanding design research and/or scholarship in the field of architecture. Download the Entry Form>>

Options for submission include:

• Papers or articles that have been published in a journal or conference proceedings within the past two years

• Papers or articles that have been submitted to journals or conferences, but have not yet been accepted

• Research projects completed within the past three years and summarized in a paper or article

• Innovative project case studies completed within the past three years and summarized in a paper or article

Important Note: This is NOT a prize for design projects unless the project is being submitted as a representation or extension of the work described in an accompanying paper or article. Design projects should be submitted for consideration through other AIA Virginia design award programs (i.e., Inform Awards or AIA Virginia Awards for Excellence in Architecture).

Deadlines

Entries and Submissions Due: 5 p.m., Tuesday, May 31, 2016

About the 2015 Honoree

Virginia Tech  professor Joe Wheeler, AIA was awarded the Prize for Design Research and Scholarship for his work on futureHAUS. The jurors recognized that futureHAUS was “exemplary in regards to innovation” and “the potential impact on housing could be substantial.”

Call for Entries: 2015 VSAIA Prize for Design Research & Scholarship

Compelling architectural research happens in universities and firms across Virginia every day. The VSAIA Prize for Design Research & Scholarship was created in 2008 to encourage a healthy dialogue between researchers in the universities and firms.

The Prize will be announced in September and recognition will be given by the Virginia Society AIA at Architecture Exchange East, the annual conference and expo, held Nov. 4–6, 2015, in Richmond.

Eligibility

The VSAIA Prize for Design Research & Scholarship will be awarded to a faculty member at a Virginia institution of higher learning OR a  practicing architect in Virginia for outstanding design research and/or scholarship in the field of architecture. Download the Entry Form>>

Options for submission include:

• Papers or articles that have been published in a journal or conference proceedings within the past two years

• Papers or articles that have been submitted to journals or conferences, but have not yet been accepted

• Research projects completed within the past three years and summarized in a paper or article

• Innovative project case studies, completed within the past three years and summarized in a paper or article

Important Note: This is NOT a prize for design projects, unless the project is being submitted as a representation or extension of the work described in an accompanying paper or article. Design projects should be submitted for consideration through other VSAIA design award programs (i.e., Inform Awards or Virginia Society AIA Awards for Excellence in Architecture).

Deadlines

Entries and Submissions Due: 5 p.m., Friday, May 29, 2015

About the 2014 Honoree

Virginia Tech associate professor Michael Ermann was awarded the Prize for Design Research and Scholarship for his work, Architectural Acoustics Illustrated. The jurors recognized that Ermann’s submission covered an interesting and important subject, noting that the content has great depth and could become a standard text book for architecture education

2014 Prize for Design Research and Scholarship Announced

The jury for the Virginia Society AIA Prize for Design Research and Scholarship, chaired by Brad C. Grant, Director of the School of Architecture and Design at Howard University, has voted to award the 2014 Prize to Virginia Tech associate professor Michael Ermann’s work Architectural Acoustics Illustrated.

The jurors recognized that Ermann’s submission covered an interesting and important subject, noting that the content has great depth and could become a standard text book for architecture education.

The Prize will be awarded during the Annual Meeting of the Membership on Thursday, Nov. 6 in room E11b and Earmann’s work will be presented that same day during Architecture Exchange East in session 306 at 4:15 p.m.

Additionally, the jury awarded Honorable Mention to Clark-Nexsen’s David Keith for The Sustainability of Materials. The jury praised the work’s excellent graphic representations, “a key component in getting the public, especially a young public, to engage.”

This Prize is intended to encourage theoretical awareness, educational exchange, thought and research in architecture, both within academic institutions and within the offices of practicing architects who participate in theoretical pursuits.

Prize for Design Research and Scholarship Awarded

The Jury for the Virginia Society AIA Prize for Design Research and Scholarship, chaired by Luis Rico-Gutierrez of Iowa State University, has awarded the 2013 Prize to John Quale of the University of Virginia.  His paper, entitled Commercializing Energy Efficient Affordable Housing, describes the efforts of UVa’s EcoMOD project, a research and educational project that strives to create sustainable modular and renovated housing units for affordable housing organizations.  This Prize is intended to encourage theoretical awareness, educational exchange, thought and research in architecture, both within academic institutions and within the offices of practicing architects who participate in theoretical pursuits.

The jurors recognized that Quale’s paper covered an interesting and important subject, and stated:

“This project represents an impressive effort to translate the knowledge created and developed in universities and in practice, into a product that has the potential of greatly improving the quality of life in communities around the country and the world. We recognize that it is a snapshot of a long-term effort, with conclusions that may shift year to year, and new challenges arising. It is a great example of research as an ongoing design laboratory, integrating academy and practice in a way that yields benefits to all parties involved. It feels very mature and robust, with a lot of thought and rigor put into it. It’s an ongoing real-world project with outreach that impacts communities, engages partners and involves students.”

John Quale will present this work at Architecture Exchange East on Thursday, Nov. 7 from 10:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

The Jury also awarded an Honorable Mention to Phoebe Crisman of UVa for her paper entitled Health and the Built Environment: Shaping Policy and Place through Innovative Community and Academic Partnerships.

The Prize for Design Research and Scholarship is sponsored by MTFA Architecture, Inc.

 

Call for Entries: Prize for Design Research & Scholarship

Compelling architectural research happens in universities and firms across Virginia every day. The VSAIA Prize for Design Research & Scholarship was created in 2008 to encourage a healthy dialogue between researchers in the universities and the firms.

The Prize will be announced in July and recognition will be given by the Virginia Society AIA at Architecture Exchange East, the annual conference and expo, held Nov. 6-8, 2013, in Richmond.

DEADLINES

Entries: 5 p.m., Friday, May 3

Submissions: 5 p.m. Thursday, May 30

Eligible papers or articles include those that have been submitted but are pending acceptance, or those that have been published in a journal or conference proceedings within the past two years. Research projects or innovative project case-studies completed within the past three years and summarized in a paper or article are also eligible.

The 2013 Prize for Design Research and Scholarship is sponsored by MTFA Architecture.

Download the entry form or see more information>>

2012 WINNER
The 2012 jury unanimously selected “New Directions in Design Research: The Role of School Architecture in the Prevention of Childhood Obesity” as the 2012 Prize for Research and Scholarship. This paper was submitted by Robert Moje, FAIA, of VMDO Architects in Charlottesville.

Prize for Design Research and Scholarship Announced

The jury for the 2012 Virginia Society AIA Prize for Design Research and Scholarship met by conference call on Thursday, Sept. 6. Jury chair Brian Lee, FAIA, and jurors Phil Enquist, FAIA, and William Baker, PE, all with Skidmore Owings and Merrill, reviewed and discussed the nine entries, assessing them on originality, impact, purpose, methods, and conclusions. The jury unanimously selected “New Directions in Design Research: The Role of School Architecture in the Prevention of Childhood Obesity” as the 2012 Prize for Research and Scholarship. This paper was submitted by VMDO Architects in Charlottesville in collaboration with Terry Huang, Ph.D. and Matthew Trowbridge, M.D.  The jury made these comments about the entry:

“Initially, the study title seemed naïve in linking architecture to the daunting societal problem of childhood obesity. However, the research presented a measured and well-documented series of facts and arguments corroborated by well-respected writers and thinkers. It contained insight into current education designs for the school physical environment that unwittingly reinforce unhealthy cultural habits and preferences. The project then focused on a specific design measures, large and small, to change the perceptions of and obstacles to healthy eating and cooking. The Jury was impressed that a series of discrete, often incremental, moves and ideas could potentially shift behavioral patterns and make a difference in our schools regarding children’s life choices. So often our design profession has taken a narrow rather than holist view of how buildings are experienced. Here, we are shown how food processed, presented, and integrated into the learning environment can make a daily difference to the child. In our discussion, it was this relevance and societal impact that lead us to select it as the winner of the Prize.”

The Jury was also impressed by a scholarly paper submitted by Elissa Rosenberg of the University of Virginia, “Gardens, Landscape, Nature: Duisburg-Nord, Germany,” evaluating a large scale urban garden by a contemporary landscape architect working toward a new spirit of sustainability. They wrote:

“This well-written critique clearly discussed a design methodology and work in a way that could have larger application of sensitive, adaptive reuse and a poetic ecology. The ideas seem fresh and original compared to the current repetition of mainstream sustainable design gestures. From the paper, the Jury thought the design was inspirational enough to be a place they wanted to visit. The submission was awarded a 2012 Honorable Mention.”

Jurors were very positive about the existence of a competition of this nature. They included these comments as part of their written response to the Prize entries:

“If the submissions were indicative of architectural interest in research, we can benefit from more dialogue between the academy and profession. There seems to be a lack of clarity and consistency towards research by our community involving building or environmental issues of today. Do we have a common research agenda that addresses the pressing topics that affect our world? Can we challenge ourselves to embark on research that is widely applicable or a game changer to today’s normality? Can the schools and profession collaboratively cultivate an ability to question our condition and use research to formulate creative and timely solutions that have impact and influence?”

The Prize will be awarded at Architecture Exchange East and the winner will present his work at seminar 207 at 10:45 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 8. The Prize for Design Research and Scholarship is sponsored by MTFA Architecture.

Call for Entries: Prize for Design Research & Scholarship

“© 2006, The American Institute of Architects. All rights reserved.”Compelling architectural research is conducted in universities and in firms all over Virginia. Firms pursue research to further the interest of staff, develop innovative ideas, and as a means to maintain productivity for staff during down periods.  The VSAIA Prize for Design Research & Scholarship was created in 2008 as one means of encouraging a healthy dialogue between researchers in the universities and the firms. Last year’s prize was awarded to Edward R. Ford, AIA, Vincent and Eleanor Shea Professor at the University of Virginia, for the work presented in his book The Architectural Detail.

The VSAIA Prize for Design Research & Scholarship will be awarded to a licensed, practicing architect in Virginia or a faculty member at a Virginia institution of higher learning for outstanding design research and/or scholarship in the field of architecture.

Eligible papers or articles include those that have been submitted but are pending acceptance, or those that have been published in a journal or conference proceedings within the past two years. Research projects or innovative project case-studies completed within the past three years and summarized in a paper or article are also eligible. Submissions will be judged on originality, impact, purpose, method, and conclusions.

Entry forms and payment are due by 5 p.m., Friday, June 15 and submissions are due by 5 p.m. on Thursday, June 28. The winner will be announced in September. Recognition for the Prize will be given by the Virginia Society AIA at Architecture Exchange East, the annual conference and expo, held Nov. 7-9, 2012, in Richmond. The Prize for Design Research & Scholarship is sponsored by MTFA Architecture.