The Allegheny Foundation awarded the Masonic Theater Preservation Foundation a $150,000 grant to build an Amphitheater in Clifton Forge Virginia, which the 2011/2012 design/buildLAB at Virginia Tech designed and build.  The amphitheater is on the site of the former Wholesale Tire Company warehouse that is behind the Historic Masonic Theatre.  Before the grant was awarded the site had been included in long-range downtown planning studies for the development of an outdoor performance and public gathering space.   

During this year my studio individually analyzed the site to come up with individual master plans.  We then paired down into groups of two and then into three groups of six.  Eventually we worked our three proposals into one.  During the year we worked with consultants, local contractors and the community to come up with a building that we felt would benefit the community.  

Awards

2014 Azure Magazine's AZ A+ Award  (Smith Creek Park) 

2014 Architizer A+ Award, Architecture + Urban Transformation, Popular Choice (Smith Creek Park)

2013 American Architects Building of the Year 

2013 Nominated for Building of the Year by Archdaily 

2012 AIA Blue Ridge Design Excellence Award                          

2012 One Prize Honorable Mention, RE-PLACE design/buildLAB

2012 SEED Award Honorable Mention         

http://www.archdaily.com/253283/masonic-amphitheatre-project-designbuildlab-at-virginia-tech/