2016 Design Awards Winners Gallery

Click the thumbnail image of each project to see more photos and full project descriptions. You can also view an online gallery of all entries in the 2016 Design Awards competition. Congratulations to these award winners!

GOLD/HONOR AWARD

AWARD  GOLD/HONOR ─ Institutional Architecture
PROJECT  University of Pennsylvania, Stephen A. Levin Building
LOCATION  Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
ARCHITECT  SmithGroupJJR
OWNER/CLIENT  University of Pennsylvania
CONTRACTOR  P. Agnes
PHOTOGRAPHER  Alan Karchmer 

JURY
A very handsome building, our favorite from the very beginning. It is filled with delightful spaces that encourage collegiality. It is a beautifully crafted, nicely proportioned, and a respectful building. U Penn is lucky to have you!

Ted Flato

At first glance you are enthralled by the beautiful patterned scrim, but you soon realize that this project is much more than a pretty face. An understanding of contextual connectivity has enabled it to feel integrated into the experience of a campus. And the same craft found in the detailing of the scrim continues into the public spaces on the interior of the building.
Ryan Jones

HONOR AWARD

AWARD  HONOR ─ Institutional Architecture 
PROJECT  Intelligence Community Campus Bethesda
LOCATION  Bethesda, Maryland
ARCHITECT  AECOM
ASSOCIATED ARCHITECT Leo A Daly – Design Architect; DBI Architects, Inc.
OWNER/CLIENT  Office of the Director of National Intelligence
CONTRACTOR  The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company
PHOTOGRAPHER  William M. Baxley, AIA 

JURY
A very elegant building with Zen-like outdoor spaces that seem intriguing for an intelligence campus.
Ted Flato 

Clarity of Diagram … Having an idea and attitude and following through with your vision – That’s what I appreciate most about this project. The architect was able to emphasize a connection to the landscape by framing outdoor courts with exterior walls that reflected the patterning found in framed views of the forest beyond.
Ryan Jones

HONOR AWARD

AWARD  HONOR ─ Institutional Architecture
PROJECT  University of Utah, S.J. Quinney College of Law
LOCATION  Salt Lake City, Utah
ARCHITECT  SmithGroupJJR
ASSOCIATED ARCHITECT VCBO Architecture
OWNER/CLIENT  University of Utah, S.J. Quinney College of Law / Dean Robert Adler
CONTRACTOR  Big-D Construction / Rob Moore
PHOTOGRAPHER  Chuck Choi, Liam Frederick 

JURY
This building is very appropriate for the University of Utah.  With its shady terraces, breezeways, generous open atrium, and “desert materials,” the building springs naturally out of its desert landscape.  A great new home for the school of law.
Ted Flato

The jury applauded the delightful quality of light-filled atrium and the interior transparency of the research library that provided a great place for collaboration and visual connectedness. The relationship of the building to its surroundings was beautifully developed with the expansive views of the distant mountains from within the lecture rooms and terrace, carefully chosen palette of materials, and skillfully stepping back from the street edge to respect the residential neighborhood across the street.
Elizabeth Richter

MERIT AWARD

AWARD  MERIT ─ Residential Architecture – Single Family
PROJECT  21st Century Cabin
LOCATION  Highland, Maryland
ARCHITECT  McInturff Architects
OWNER/CLIENT  Confidential Client
CONTRACTOR  Timber Ridge Builders / Ron Isinghood
PHOTOGRAPHER  Julia Heine / McInturff Architects

JURY
In this delightful renovation and modest expansion of a small cabin; the architects demonstrated the power of a few beautifully composed windows, a simple open volume, and a new stair that stitches together the composition. It is a little place, that feels grand with its intimate connection with the outdoors.
Ted Flato

MERIT AWARD

AWARD  MERIT ─ Interior Architecture
PROJECT  Architectural Office, Washington, DC
LOCATION  Washington, District of Columbia
ARCHITECT  SmithGroupJJR
OWNER/CLIENT  SmithGroupJJR
CONTRACTOR  HITT Contracting
PHOTOGRAPHER  Eric Laignel 

JURY
The architects created a wonderful work environment while also demonstrating the power of economical design. Using some fairly simple moves, exposed ceilings, glazed stairwells, and a two story cut out, the architects transformed a fairly generic building into a fun place to work.
Ted Flato

This project does a wonderful job of honing in on what is important to them and their space, and then leveraging a few simple but strategic design experiences to have maximum impact on their office culture and identity.  The dedication to sustainable design strategies is especially encouraging, and I admire them for ‘walking the talk.’
Ryan Jones

MERIT AWARD

AWARD  MERIT ─ Residential Architecture – Single Family
PROJECT  Conversion of the Baptist Church Annex
LOCATION  Glen Echo, Maryland
ARCHITECT  Broadhurst Architects, Inc.
OWNER/CLIENT  Aaron and Angela Hirsch
CONTRACTOR  McFarland Woods, Inc.
PHOTOGRAPHER  Anice Hoachlander, Hoachlander Davis Photography 

JURY
The diminutive scale of the original church and its close proximity to the street, created a perfect opportunity for a great house. I would say that the most brilliant aspect of the design was the decision to recycle this neighborhood church and the modest/respectful additions, which seem to have been part of the original composition, are very much appreciated.
Ted Flato

The project demonstrated a very thoughtful and respectful reuse of an existing asset. The design carefully maintained the charming historical character of the original church meeting space and significantly enhanced the lower level living spaces with natural light and improved the relationship to the outdoors and to the street.
Elizabeth Richter

MERIT AWARD

AWARD  MERIT ─ Institutional Architecture 
PROJECT  Dumbarton Oaks Fellowship House
LOCATION  Washington, District of Columbia
ARCHITECT  Cunningham | Quill Architects
OWNER/CLIENT  Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collections, Trustees for Harvard University
CONTRACTOR  The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company
PHOTOGRAPHER  Robert Creamer 

JURY
A very thoughtful addition and renovation to a rather modest, but historic, fellowship house for Dumbarton Oaks. The design respects the original simple geometry, but the additions, both in plan and section, turned the old place into a fresh new building. Respect, restraint, and some nice simple additions.
Ted Flato

I appreciated the simplicity of resolution to the complex geometry of the site. The project doesn’t try too, and rather focuses on providing a wonderfully thoughtful and holistic design solution that is consistent at all levels from planning to detail execution.
Ryan Jones

MERIT AWARD

AWARD  MERIT ─ Residential Architecture – Single Family 
PROJECT  Home on the Intracoastal Waterway
LOCATION  Confidential
ARCHITECT  Gardner Mohr Architects LLC
OWNER/CLIENT  Confidential Client
CONTRACTOR  Beachwood, Inc.
PHOTOGRAPHER  John Cole 

JURY
The design took a fairly basic waterway site, hemmed in between houses, and turned it into a place immersed in the outdoors. The simple L-shaped plan edits out the neighbors and creates a lovely “intra-coastal” courtyard surrounded by porches and comfortable outdoor spaces. Working with the prevailing breeze and harsh sun, it is a great portal to the ocean.
Ted Flato

MERIT AWARD

AWARD  MERIT ─ Residential Architecture – Single Family 
PROJECT  Singh Hoysted Live/Work
LOCATION  Bethesda, Maryland
ARCHITECT  McInturff Architects
OWNER/CLIENT  Confidential Client
CONTRACTOR  Added Dimensions / Alan Kanner
PHOTOGRAPHER  Julia Heine/ McInturff Architects

JURY
The large studio volume, with its myriad of windows, is nicely leveraged and connected to the smaller volumes of the house with an exuberant multileveled stair…looks like a great place to live and work.
Ted Flato

THANKS TO OUR JURY TEAM

(L TO R) RYAN JONES, AIA ─ LAKE|FLATO ARCHITECTS; TED FLATO, FAIA [CHAIR] ─ LAKE|FLATO ARCHITECTS; ELIZABETH CHU RICHTER, FAIA ─ RICHTER ARCHITECTS; AND JUAN MIRO’, FAIA ─ MIRO’ RIVERA ARCHITECTS

The AIA Potomac Valley Chapter Excellence in Design Awards Competition is designed to encourage and recognize distinguished architectural achievement; to honor the architectural team, their clients and consultants who work together to improve the built environment; to demonstrate the breadth of services architects provide; and to raise public consciousness of the Architect’s role in shaping the quality of life through design excellence. The awards program is established to recognize excellence in design and planning. Consequently, the awards program honors the full range of quality work completed or designed by eligible members of the AIA Potomac Valley Chapter.

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