AIA|WA CIVIC DESIGN AWARDS FOR ARCHITECTS GIVEN

  SEATTLE – The AIA Washington Council (AIA|WA) held its annual Civic Design Awards Thursday, May 20, 2010 at 6:30p.m. The event was held at Daniel’s Recital Hall; an apropos choice for architectural awards due to the extensive struggle for historic preservation of the building. The Civic Design Awards is the only competition of its kind in Washington State because its focus is solely on public buildings. Good design in civil architecture is especially difficult given the often tight financial constraints, strict building requirements, and a rough economy. But construction restrictions didn’t hamper involvement in the awards this year. Fourteen architects were awarded – the highest number of recipients to date! Due to the level of excellence demonstrated by all the applicants, it was difficult for the jurors to narrow the applicant list down to just fourteen winners. The three person jury consisted of: Andrew Neiditz, Lakewood City Manager; Darrin Griechen, WSU Assistant Professor, Dept. of Architecture & Construction Management; and Jeff Hou, UW Associate Professor, Chair of Landscape Architecture. The jury chooses winners based on pictures and a project description. The names of the firms are withheld until the jury has decided who to award, at what level, and for which category. There are three levels of awards: Citation, Merit, and Honor. Citations go to projects who demonstrate a level of quality and sensitivity in integrated designs. Merit is awarded to designs that exemplify civic architecture with beauty and function. The Honor Award, the most elite of the levels, is given to projects that embody design excellence and display creative risk taking. Within the levels are categories which include: individual building, series of buildings and master plan. Please see the website  for the results, including pictures of the winning projects and names of the architects and agencies involved. For any additional questions, jury comments, or photographer information, contact Stephanie Davenport at 360-943-6012/stephanie@aiawa.org.