Winners of the AIA Chicago 2013 Design Excellence Honor Awards

The winners of the 58th annual AIA Chicago Design Excellence Awards were presented during Designight at Navy Pier's Grand Ballroom in Chicago on Friday, Oct. 25. The Design Excellence Awards recognizes the best works of the year by Chicago-based architecture firms.

Out of 269 entries, 11 Honor Awards were given in 4 categories: Distinguished Building, Interior Architecture, SustainABILITY Leadership, and Divine Detail. Additionally, 17 Citation of Merit Awards and 7 Special Recognition Awards were presented. The biggest winner of the night was Gensler, who received 4 Design Excellence Awards. Stanley Tigerman, FAIA was also honored with the AIA Chicago Lifetime Achievement Award for his distinguished work, leadership, and mentorship in architecture.

Each category had three jurors:
Distinguished Building Awards
Andrea Leers, FAIA - Leers Weinzapfel Associates Architects Boston, MA
Bruce Lindsey, AIA - College of Architecture/Graduate School of Architecture & Urban Design St. Louis, MO
Andrew Herdeg, AIA - Lake | Flato Architects San Antonio, TX

Divine Detail Awards
Peter Landon, FAIA - Landon Bone Baker Architects Chicago, IL
Andrew Metter, FAIA - Epstein Chicago, IL
Jackie Koo, AIA, IIDA, LEED AP - Koo and Associates, Ltd. Chicago, IL

Interior Architecture Awards
Clive Wilkinson, FAIA, RIBA -  Clive Wilkinson Architects Culver City, CA
Richard Stokes, AIA - Stokes Architecture Philadelphia, PA
Gwynn Zivic, AIA - Mackey Mitchell Architects St. Louis, MO

SustainABILITY Leadership
Rob Paulus, AIA LEED AP - Rob Paulus Architects Ltd. Tucson, AZ
Bryan Shiles, AIA - WRNS Studio San Francisco, CA
RaMona Westbrook, AIA LEED AP - Brook Architecture Chicago, IL

Details about the eleven projects that won Honor Awards in their respective categories can be found below.

Distinguished Building Award: Rush University Medical Center New Hospital Tower
Perkins+Will

"This 386-bed hospital sits adjacent to a freeway feeding downtown Chicago and consists of a rectangular base containing medical diagnostic and treatment facilities, topped by a bed tower [...] The project is one of the largest LEED® Gold-NC certified hospital in the world." Click here for more.

Distinguished Building Award: Sign
JAHN

"The holistic approach to design not just a form and its surface, but rather an integrated structural and energetic system and its envelope, results in a functional and ecological optimum advancing the typology of the office building itself. It is expressed in a simple yet highly sophisticated aesthetic." Click here for more.

Distinguished Building Award: Wilmette Public Works Facility Expansion
Epstein | Metter Studio (Design Architect) in assoc. with Legat Architects (AOR) (Architect of Record)

"Program: Design a new 5,000 s.f., free-standing, Public Works Building for the suburban Chicago Village of Wilmette. The building houses six private offices, open work space, and a conference room and reception area. The offices serve administrative and field staff for the Streets, Sewer, and Forestry depts." Click here for more.

Distinguished Building Award: Lake Shore Drive Residence
Wheeler Kearns Architects

"Formal composition of the house is derived from owner’s desire for expansive park/lake views, privacy from neighboring high-rise and integration of sustainable goals [...] Exceeding Chicago Green Homes highest 3 star rating, strategies employed to reduce carbon footprint, conserve energy and water were essential and integrated." Click here for more.

Interior Architecture Award: Anthony Cristiano Salon
DMAC Architecture P.C.

"Located at the mezzanine level of the Trump Tower, the Anthony Cristiano Salon peers across a dramatic and unique view of the Chicago River as it meanders through the bustling city streets and bridges -all juxtaposed against the clean crisp minimalist salon interior." Click here for more.

Interior Architecture Award: Kohler Creative
Gensler

"The unique culture and spirit of Kohler mixes passion for design with an abiding sense of harmony with nature. For the Kohler Creative Communications Center – the new home to these teams that directs advertising and merchandising for Kohler worldwide – the challenge was to create a new 80,000 SF, LEED Certified creative headquarters which communicates to the world what they do and how they do it." Click here for more.

SustainABILITY Leadership Award: Ignite Glass Studios
Epstein | Metter Studio

"The project consists of a Glass -blowing artist co-op featuring eight glass artists and one Creative Director. This new facility will be open to artists for studio space as well as public exhibition, art events and art education out-reach classes. The program also includes flexible event space, gallery, glassblowing Hot Shop, and Sculpture garden." Click here for more.

SustainABILITY Leadership Award: James I Swenson Civil Engineering Building
Ross Barney Architects in assoc. with TKDA (formerly Stanius Johnson)

"Sustainable principles were integral and critical to the design. As an educational facility it became apparent that the building could educate civil engineers on sustainable principles. The building as pedagogical tool became a guiding concept. Designed to display building systems, the facility showcases structural and mechanical processes, and stormwater management techniques." Click here for more.

SustainABILITY Leadership Award: Roosevelt University
VOA Associates Incorporated.

"Combining five buildings into one, this innovative program links classrooms, laboratories, administrative offices, student union, student services and 634 residential beds. Rising above and connecting to the historic Auditorium Building it creates an intriguing dialog between past and present." Click here for more.

Divine Detail Award: CTA Morgan Station
Ross Barney Architects

"A new elevated station at the intersection of Morgan and Lake Streets presents a unique opportunity to define the geographic center and the character of the Fulton Market District, a historically industrial area that has transformed into a multi-faceted neighborhood with emerging residential and retail uses. To reinforce the character of the Market, material selections for the project take their cues from their use in adjacent structures." Click here for more.

Divine Detail Award: Main Terminal Vault Renovation, Lambert-St. Louis International Airport
exp.

"Minoru Yamasaki's Main Terminal at Lambert International Airport is a mid-century modern icon and gateway to St. Louis. Our phased modernization work included renovation design of ticketing, concourses, concessions and security checkpoints. Phase I, now complete, included the renovation of the dramatic concrete vaults and skylights." Click here for more.

For complete info on the Design Excellence Awards as well as other category winners, click here.

All images courtesy of AIA Chicago.