Archinect - News

Billie Tsien to receive honorary doctorate at the Boston Architectural College's 2022 graduation ceremony

2022-05-18T18:43:00-04:00

Architect, educator, and Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects | Partners co-founder Billie Tsien is set to receive an Honorary Doctorate and deliver the commencement speech at the Boston Architectural College’s (BAC) graduation ceremony on Friday, May 27th.

“It is an immense privilege to have Billie Tsien deliver the BAC’s commencement address to our graduating class in-person this year,” said Boston Architectural College President Mahesh Daas. “Her commitment to designing deeper and slower existential experiences grounded in an unmistakable sense of service, materiality and profound optimism complements the BAC’s own commitment to furthering social justice, inclusion, and diversifying design education.”

Previously on Archinect Sessions: "Starts with me, ends with us": A conversation with Tod Williams and Billie Tsien on Archinect Sessions Episode #22

This is the latest addition to Tsien’s long list of accolades, including the National Medal of the Arts from President Obama, the Tho...

MASS Design Group wins AIA Firm Award, Gold Medal goes to Angela Brooks and Lawrence Scarpa

2021-12-09T15:04:00-05:00

The American Institute of Architects has today announced two of its major awards, with the 2022 Gold Medal going to Brooks + Scarpa founders Angela Brooks and Lawrence Scarpa, and the annual Firm Award being given to Boston-based MASS Design Group.

The latter was awarded for their years-long commitment to social causes which began with a 2008 project in Rwanda. Since then, the firm has grown to include more than 200 different creative staffers in addition to offshoots like MASS.Made and MASS.Build that have engendered a host of design and developmental projects in addition to superlative buildings like the traveling Gun Violence Memorial project and the new National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, Alabama.

The National Memorial for Peace and Justice by MASS Design Group. Image: Equal Justice Initiative.

In its announcement, the AIA commended MASS Design for “[leveraging] the lessons it learned in Rwanda to shape a framework that allows the firm to inform policy develop...

Boston-based Payette receives 2019 AIA Architecture Firm Award

2018-12-06T14:58:00-05:00

The AIA has announced the Boston-based firm Payette as the 2019 Architecture Firm Award recipient. Now in its 56th year, the annual award is the top honor a firm can receive from the AIA, and given in recognition of "a practice that consistently has produced distinguished architecture for at least 10 years." Prior winners have included LMN Architects (2016), Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects (2013), Gensler (2000), Perkins & Will (1999), and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (1962).

The AIA highlighted the technologically complex work done by Payette that challenges conventional hypotheses and cultivates design innovation without preconception. In particular, they pointed to the Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Complex at Northeastern University in Boston and the National University of Ireland, Galway Research Bundle as two examples of the firm's commitment to building craft, embedded nature, energy efficiency, and programmatic complexity.

Interdisciplinary Science and Engineer...

A Conversation with Snow Kreilich Architects, Recipient of the 2018 AIA Firm Award

2018-02-06T13:33:00-05:00

On this episode of Archinect Sessions Paul travels to Minneapolis to join Ken in a conversation with Julie Snow and Matt Kreilich of Snow Kreilich Architects, winner of the 2018 AIA Architecture Firm Award.

Julie Snow and Matt Kreilich

Julie Snow Architects was founded in Minneapolis in 1995. Matt Kreilich later joined Julie, his thesis advisor from college, to form Snow Kreilich Architects.

Marlon Blackwell, FAIA, wrote in his letter of nomination for the AIA award, “Their body of work is distinguished by a restrained formal elegance and a refined minimal tectonic sensibility while avoiding the nostalgic and technological excesses of our discipline. Indeed, they see architecture as a material practice and a cultural act born of a sensual pragmatism."

Snow Kreilich Architects. Photo courtesy of AIA

This award is great because it didn't come to Matt and I. It came to Snow Kreilich" - Julie Snow

Listen to episode 116 of Archinect Sessions, “A Conversation with Snow Kreilich Architects”...

2017 AIA Architecture Firm Award goes to SF-based Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects

2016-12-08T17:44:00-05:00

The AIA Architecture Firm Award is the top honor a firm can receive from the AIA, in recognition of "a practice that consistently has produced distinguished architecture for at least 10 years." Prior winners have included LMN Architects (2016), Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects (2013), Gensler (2000), Perkins & Will (1999), and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (1962).

↑ Rene Cazenave Apartments

In particular, the AIA highlighted work done by Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects (LMSA) that addresses underserved populations and embraces universal design, including LMSA's Plaza Apartments in San Francisco (the city's first permanent housing for the formerly homeless, designed with Paulett Taggart Architects) and their Ed Roberts Campus in Berkeley, a community center in honor of the Independent Living / Disabled Rights Movement.

↑ Ed Roberts Campus

↑ Plaza Apartments

Since formed by principals William Leddy, FAIA, Marsha Maytum, FAIA, and Richard Stacy, FAIA, in 1983, LMSA has produced a rich variet...

2013 AIA Architecture Firm Award Goes to Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects

2012-12-06T18:55:00-05:00

Besides the winner of the 2013 AIA Gold Medal, the American Institute of Architects today also announced the recipient of the 2013 AIA Architecture Firm Award: New York City-based Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects.

Thom Mayne Wins 2013 AIA Gold Medal

2012-12-06T18:51:00-05:00

The American Institute of Architects today selected Thom Mayne to be honored with the 2013 AIA Gold Medal, the organization’s highest honor that an individual can receive.