AIA Baltimore and the Baltimore Architecture Foundation (BAF) honored the best of Baltimore design at the 2020 AIA Baltimore Excellence in Design Awards Celebration. Winning projects represent the defining principles of excellent design in the 21st century as laid out in the new AIA National Framework for Design Excellence. This framework seeks to inform progress toward a sustainable, equitable, resilient, and healthy built environment. Entries for the main awards were judged by a distinguished jury of architects from Denver, Colorado. Local juries evaluated projects for the Social Equity Award, Good Design = Good Business Award, and Residential Awards.
Ayers Saint Gross received the Grand Design Award for Semans-Griswold Environmental Hall, Washington College. The jury regarded the project as a fine example of higher education that is one with nature and architecture. It is thoughtfully sited with a complementary material palette. The building is designed to operate at net-positive energy and is expected to produce 105 percent of its energy needs on-site utilizing rooftop photovoltaic solar panels and a ground-source geothermal heating and cooling system. Freshwater piping systems bring river water directly into the building’s laboratories for scientific research. Inspired by biophilic design, the building celebrates daylight with a south-facing rooftop clerestory, connections to the riverfront landscape, and outdoor porches and walkways. Craft and detail are displayed in the building’s cedar siding, porches and screens, and exposed wood roof trusses inside. Semans-Griswold is a living laboratory of immersive experiences and is a brilliant example of both environmental science and sustainable design at work.
2020 marked the third annual Social Equity Award presented by AIA Baltimore and the Neighborhood Design Center. The award recognizes community-driven projects that promote social equity. Quinn Evans received the award for Restoration Gardens 2, a 42-unit housing community for homeless youth located in the Pen Lucy neighborhood of East Baltimore. The local jury noted the project is thoughtfully designed to help break cycles of trauma and be a catalyst of economic development. The design intent is clear: this project will be a force for good within its community by giving attention to an often-overlooked population.
AIA Baltimore awards Good Design = Good Business Awards to architects and clients who best utilize good design to help companies and organizations achieve their goals. Smolen Emr Ilkovitch Architects received the award for their project Forest Park High School completed for client Baltimore City Public Schools. With strong collaboration and holistic design solutions, the design team transformed the outdated school building into an open, welcoming, naturally lit, and sustainable academic and community environment with a LEED Silver rating.
The Baltimore Architecture Foundation presented its distinguished Golden Griffin and Roger D. Redden awards during the Excellence in Design Awards. These awards recognize dedication to architecture and the furthering of its understanding in Baltimore. Neighborhood Design Center received the Golden Griffin Award this year for their outstanding outreach projects in Baltimore city. The Roger D Redden was awarded posthumously to architectural historian Mary Ellen Hayward for her extensive work in preservation, and architectural research and education.
Awards were also presented to Future Architects Resources (FAR) Scholarship recipients who submitted projects at the Community College and Graduate School levels.
Congratulations To All The Award Winners (View All Winning Projects)
The Grand Design Award
Semans-Griswold Environmental Hall, Washington College – Ayers Saint Gross
Social Equity Design Award
Restoration Gardens 2 – Quinn Evans
Award for Excellence in Environmentally Sustainable Design
Powell Elementary School – ISTUDIO Architects
Michael F. Trostel, FAIA, Award for Excellence in a Historic Preservation Project
The Enoch Pratt Free Library Central Library Renovation – Ayers Saint Gross with Beyer Blinder Belle
2020 Exceptional Detail Award
Robert W. Deutsch Foundation Building – 2519 N. Charles St. Redevelopment – Ziger/Snead Architects
Good Design = Good Business Award Winners
Forest Park High School – Smolen Emr Ilkovitch Architects
Excellence in Design Awards Winners
E.1507 – PI.KL Studio
Hoen & Co. Lithograph Center for Neighborhood Innovation – Ziger/Snead Architects
D House – PI.KL Studio
The Enoch Pratt Free Library Central Library Renovation – Ayers Saint Gross with Beyer Blender Belle
Tubman Elementary School – ISTUDIO Architects
The Voxel – Adaptive Reuse of the Autograph Playhouse – Ziger/Snead Architects
Semans-Griswold Environmental Hall, Washington College – Ayers Saint Gross
AIA Baltimore Residential Design Award
The Light House – PI.KL Studio
Excellence in Design Awards Honorable Mentions (Residential)
Greenspring Valley Residence-Marren Architects
D. House-PI.KL Studio
Baltimore City Residence – Suzanne Frasier, FAIA, NOMA, ASID, CID, CPHC and Wright & Robinson Architects
Excellence in Design Awards Honorable Mentions
Maryland Institute College of Art Dolphin Design Center-GWWO Architects
Marvin Gaye Recreation Center – ISTUDIO Architects
Hancock Community Library – Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects
The Light House – PI.KL Studio
2020 Excellence in Design Awards Jury
Larry Friedberg, FAIA
Elizabeth Hallas, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Anderson Hallas Architects
Julianne Schere, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C, HDR
Larry Sykes, AIA, Sykes Projects
Marc Swackhamer, AIA, University of Colorado Denver
2020 Excellence in Design Awards Jury (Residential Architecture)
Delbert Adams, Delbert Adams Construction Group
Omar Calderon, AIA, Perkins Eastman
Gabriel Kroiz, AIA, Kroiz Architecture/Morgan State University
2020 Excellence in Design Awards Good Design=Good Business Jury
Katie O’Meara, Maryland Institute College of Art
James French, French Development Company
Kristen Mitchell, Market Center Community Development Corporation
2020 Social Equity Design Award Jury
Leon Pinkett, City Councilman
Dr. Sheri Parks, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives, MICA
Marcella Massa, Int’l Associate AIA, MCA
2020 AIA Baltimore Future Architects Resources (FAR) Scholarship Award Jury
FAR Co-Chair Lonna Babu, Assoc. AIA, Design Collective
FAR Co-Chair Emily Lodato Assoc. AIA, Design Collective
Wadiah Akbar, Quinn Evans
