The Annual Pasadena & Foothill AIA Design Awards at Pasadena Civic Auditorium

Pasadena-area winners and outstanding area projects were announced at the Annual Pasadena & Foothill AIA Design Awards at a gala held at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium on Thursday evening, Sept. 24. Sponsored by the Pasadena & Foothill AIA, and attended by leading architects, design firms and architecture students, the annual awards celebrate design excellence and innovation as well as provided a forum for architects to be recognized by their peers for their effort, talent and professional dedication.

Following a juried panel review of submissions, winners were announced in the following categories:

• Citation Award for Unbuilt: Alek Zarifian, SmithGroupJJR for the USC Mark & Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute (Keck Medical Campus, LA)
Preserving an original concrete structure that could have easily been demolished, the architects incorporated technology, energy and beauty to create a place where science and art intersect.

• Merit Award for Institutional/Educational: Glenn Carels, FAIA, LPA, Inc., for Cal Poly Pomona Student Recreation Center (Pomona)
Students raised funds for this new recreational center. Architects designed an exercise facility that features daylight, open spaces and pockets of social interaction.

• Merit Award for Single Family Residence: Michael Burch AIA, Michael Burch Architects, for French Ranch
Honoring the iconic Spanish Renaissance architectural style, this compound of buildings is highlighted by intricate tilework, classic wooden beams and airy rooms.

• Honor Award for Renovation: Douglas Joyce, III, Onyx Architects, Inc., for Ganahl Lumber Retail Store (Pasadena)
This commercial property presents a refreshing alternative to big box warehouse structures, gracefully designed with light, transparency and simplicity.

• Honor Award for Renovation: Carey McCleod, AIA, AC Martin, for Los Angeles County Hall of Justice (Downtown Los Angeles)
A derelict 1925 Beaux Arts building empty for since the 1994 earthquake receives new life with modern spaces that reference the old.

• Student Citation: Julio Rodriguez, student at Cal Poly Pomona for 21st Century High School
Rodriguez conceptualized an urban high school structure that encapsulated the idea of community in a densely populated area which the jurors described as “clarity of idea and beauty.”

• Student Citation: Shweta Joshi, student at Woodbury University for Creating a Fragile Forest of Light
Joshi imagined a school building that incorporated living spaces in a highly-stylized yet delicate environment. “The energy and talent this project represents is very positive,” remarked the jurors.

The jury panel consisted of: Mark Cavagnero, FAIA (Mark Cavagnero Associates); Richard Holbrook (International Furniture Designer); Coulter Winn, AIA (Walt Disney Imagineering); Kate Diamond, FAIA (HDR Pasadena); and Armando Gonzalez, FAIA (Gonzales/Goodale Architects Pasadena).

“These awards aim to raise public consciousness and foster a wider appreciation for excellence in design by highlighting the significant role of the architect in the community, says John Luttrell, AIA who was part of the Awards Committee. “Each year, our entries represent some of the most notable work done by architects in the Southern California area.”

List of winners and images of their projects can be found at:
http://aia-awards.com/AIAPF/gallery/displayAll.php