Archinect - News

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...

Edward Mazria honored with 2021 AIA Gold Medal, Moody Nolan receives AIA Architecture Firm Award

2020-12-08T16:24:00-05:00

The American Institute of Architects has revealed the recipient of this year's top accolades.

The 2021 AIA Gold Medal goes to architect, educator, and sustainability pioneer Edward Mazria, FAIA, FRAIC. In a statement, the AIA points out that Mazria is being recognized for "his work sounding the alarm on climate change and motivating the profession to take action."

Previously published on Archinect: Architecture 2030's Ed Mazria outlines an environmentally-responsible plan for the architecture and design industries

In 1979, Mazria published the groundbreaking The Passive Solar Energy Book: A Complete Guide to Passive Solar Home, Greenhouse and Building Design and continued to apply these principles in a number of passive solar and highly contextual buildings, such as the Stockebrand Residence, the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture, and Georgia O’Keefe's estate, Sol y Sambra.

Museum of Indian Arts and Culture in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Photo: Robert Reck © Mazria, Inc.

Mazria helped fou...

If apartment design is your passion, start your job search here

2020-07-16T18:14:00-04:00

A new 443-unit apartment building designed by David Baker Architects (DBA) was recently completed in San Francisco, filling in a growing section of the city's Design District and South of Market neighborhoods.

The dynamic apartment complex, known as 855 Brannan, sits on a 4.3-acre site and includes 15 "at-grade flex lofts," according to the architects.

Previously on Archinect: "David Baker Architects on Growing a Team-Based, Family-Friendly Practice" Photo: View of the 855 Brannan project's steel panel-wrapped, undulating facades.

It's perimeter block formation is marked by generous landscape designs created by CMG Landscape Architecture that include a row of mature palms and a grove of redwood trees situated within one of the apartment courtyards. Crisscrossed by privately owned alleys, 16,000 square feet of commercial spaces, and other linkages, the metal panel wrapped apartments represent the latest multi-family housing addition by the firm to the city. The market-rate developme...

AIA Gold Medal goes to Marlon Blackwell, ARO receives 2020 AIA Firm Award

2019-12-11T16:43:00-05:00

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has announced its two top honors for 2020.

The AIA Board of Directors announced today that architect Marlon Blackwell will receive the 2020 Gold Medal citation, which honors "an individual whose significant body of work has had a lasting influence on the theory and practice of architecture," according to an official statement. According to the AIA, Blackwell is being recognized specifically for a "body of transcendent work" in Northwest Arkansas. Blackwell is the founder of Marlon Blackwell Architects, the E. Fay Jones Chair in Architecture at the E. Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design in Arkansas, and was recently named as one of the "30 Most Admired Educators" by DesignIntelligence.

Shelby Farms Park, Memphis, Tennessee | Marlon Blackwell Architects + James Corner Field Operations. Photo: Timothy Hursley.

Thom Mayne, 2013 AIA Gold Medal recipient and founder of Morphosis, writing in support of Blackwell’s nomination says, "As a p...

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”...

Studio Ma's "masterful texture" wins AIA Arizona's "Firm of the Year" Award

2017-03-16T13:21:00-04:00

Studio Ma may be small, but their work is mighty, at least according to the Arizona chapter of the AIA. The woman-owned firm, which has completed projects for Princeton University as well as a series of museums, public libraries and mixed-use housing developments, won the AIA's "Firm of the Year" award for the wide variety and complexity of their work, which the institute described as being "both smart and palpable, with a masterful use of texture."

This is yet another in a series of accolades for the firm, including being placed in the "Design Vanguard" by Architectural Record. “In our work, we strive to create building solutions that resonate with the surrounding context both large and small, in harmony with their greater environment,” said owner Christiana Moss. “This is essential to our client promise, to deliver innovative, sustainable and unique designs to forward-thinking institutions and individuals.” Congratulations, all!

Ehrlich Architects wins 2015 AIA Architecture Firm Award; Peter Eisenman takes the Topaz Medallion

2014-12-10T19:12:00-05:00

It's a big day of announcements for the AIA! Earlier, Moshe Safdie was revealed as the 2015 AIA Gold Medal recipient. Other big announcements the AIA made today include Ehrlich Architects from Los Angeles as the 2015 AIA Architecture Firm Award winner. Considered the AIA's highest honor to an architecture firm, the award recognizes a practice that has produced consistently distinguished architectural projects for a minimum of 10 years...

Peter Eisenman also won the 2015 AIA/ACSA Topaz Medallion, which honors an individual for their significant involvement in architecture education for more than a decade as well as their widespread influential teaching to students.
Edward Mazria won the 2015 Kemper Award, which recognizes an architect who has contributed greatly to the profession through service to the AIA.
Last but not least, the student-led Rural Studio will be honored with the 2015 Whitney M. Young Jr. Award. Named after the civil rights-era head of the Urban League, this award honors architects and organizations that represent the profession’s proactive social mandate through commitments relating to affordable housing, inclusiveness, and accessiblity.

Find more details on Bustler.

Eskew+Dumez+Ripple honored with 2014 AIA Architecture Firm Award

2013-12-13T12:58:00-05:00

Eskew+Dumez+Ripple was selected by the AIA Board of Directors to receive the 2014 AIA Architecture Firm Award. The AIA gives the award every year to a firm that has consistently created distinguished architecture for at least 10 years.

Founded less than 25 years ago by Allen Eskew, FAIA, Steven Dumez, FAIA, and Mark Ripple, AIA, the New Orleans-based firm has become recognized for their deep involvement in rebuilding the Hurricane Katrina-stricken city as well as their commitment to mentorship -- for which they received two AIA National Intern Development Program (IDP) Firm Awards.

EDR is receiving the honor at a bittersweet time with the passing of principal Allen Eskew earlier this week.

You can read more about EDR below:

"Just eight years ago, when the city was struck by Hurricane Katrina, EDR had 22 employees, but has since nearly doubled and has taken on an important role as civic leaders charged with repairing the wounded urban fabric of the city. Their efforts, like...