Two UK Architectural Companies Win AIA International Design Awards

On 12 Nov 2015, the 2015 AIA International Region Design Awards were announced at the Awards Ceremony held at Island Shangri-La, Hong Kong, with two winners from UK architectural companies – David Chipperfield Architects (DCA) and Allford Hall Monaghan Morris (AHMM).

This is the second year for the IR Design Awards, and the jurors – George H Miller FAIA (chair), Prof Fumihiko Maki Hon FAIA, and Giancarlo Alhadeff FAIA, RIBA – reviewed submissions in four design categories – Architecture, Interior Architecture, Urban Design and Open International.   Following AIA awards programme guidelines, all full AIA licensed architects in the International Region were allowed to submit projects in all categories; however, all International Associate AIA members were also invited to submit in the Urban Design and Open International categories.

The Open International category was established to encourage International Region members to participate.  The category recognises architectural design solutions that are respectful of their local culture and have unique programmes in an international context. This year’s Honor Award – the highest recognition - for Open International Architecture was won by David Chipperfield Architects, represented by David Chipperfield Hon FAIA, for the Museo Jumex project in Mexico City, Mexico.  The Project Architect was Peter Jurschitzka who worked from DCA’s London office in collaboration with a Mexican partner, TAAU.   

This was DCA’s second AIA Award for 2015 as the practice also won the overall AIA UK Design Excellence Award last year for its office building at Moganshan Road, Hangzhou, China, completed in 2013.  

DCA currently has offices in London, Berlin, Milan and Shanghai and has been taking on an increasingly international workload to complement its European roots.  This includes at least two recent museum projects in the United States – the Saint Louis Art Museum, Missouri (2013), and the Anchorage Museum, Alaska (2009).

Photo Credit: Simon Menges

Photo Credit: Simon Menges

In the same Open International category, a Merit Award was won by Allford Hall Monaghan Morris (AHMM), represented by Wade Scaramucci AIA, Associate Director, for the Burntwood School, London.  The Project Director was Paul Monaghan; the Project Architect was Lukas Ochendal.   

Not only was AHMM successful at the International Region Design Awards this year, it was also one of last year’s winners. 

The Burntwood project has been the winner of multiple architectural awards, most notably as the unanimous decision of the judges for the 2015 RIBA Stirling Prize.  The school was described by the RIBA as being a genuine collaborative effort, with superb integration of artwork, landscaping and engineering. 

Wade Scaramucci served for many years on the AIA UK Board and was responsible for initiating the successful building tour programme that has continued to run for the past several years.  Fittingly, the AIA UK Chapter hopes to arrange a tour to Burntwood later this year.

Photo Credit: Timothy Soar

Photo Credit: Timothy Soar

Other International Region Design Award winners were:

• Honor Award for Architecture – Flower + Kindergarten, Seoul, Korea (Jungmin Nam AIA, representing OA_Lab)
• Merit Award for Interior Architecture – Arvato Shanghai Headquarters, Shanghai, PRC (M Moser Associates)
• Merit Award for Interior Architecture – Millennium Mitsui Garden Hotel, Tokyo, Japan (CL3 Architects)
• Merit Award for Urban Design – Wolong Lake Waterfront Park, Shenyang, PRC (AECOM)
• Merit Award for Urban Design – Yong River Platform Park, Ningbo, PRC (AECOM)

Given the success of UK architectural companies in the International Region Design Awards, the AIA UK Chapter strongly encourages the chapter membership to participate in the 2016 awards programme.  Please be alert for the invitation to submit projects that will be issued later this year.

Author: Lorraine King

The AIA UK Chapter’s Annual General Meeting

The AIA UK Chapter’s Annual General Meeting was held on 13 January, at Herman Miller’s Showroom. Once again, our members were treated to a generous spread of food and drinks courtesy of Herman Miller. They also introduced us to their on-going research into how to keep employees happy at work. These include the fundamental desires of employees including “Achievement, Security, Purpose, Status, Autonomy and Belonging”. These are true for any type of office, but I personally feel they are particularly true for creative fields, such as our own.

Our 2015 AIA UK President, Brianne Hamilton, recapped the year with a presentation highlighting events, photos and memories from our time together. It was a great year, and we look forward to another ahead.

At the end of the evening, the membership nominated and elected the Board of Directors which now include:

At Large:

• Justin Cratty, AIA
• Mark Kelly, Assoc. AIA 
• Chris Kimball, AIA
• Lester Korzilius, AIA, RIBA
• Michael Lischer, FAIA
• Alex Miller, AIA
• Chris Musangi, AIA
• Amrita Raja, Assoc. AIA
• Robert Rhodes, AIA
• Bea Sennewald, AIA, RIBA
• Fariba Shirdel, AIA
• Ecehan Esra Top, Int'l Asoc. AIA

Correspondents:

• Etain Fitzpatrick, AIA
• Brianne Hamilton, AIA
• Maria Soloviena, AIA
• Elizabeth Waters, AIA

The executive positions were elected as follows:

• President: Frederick Grier, AIA
• Vice President: Fatos Peja, Int’l Assoc. AIA, RIBA
• Secretary: Lorraine King, AIA
• Treasurer: Anna Foden, Assoc. AIA

TWO CHAPTER MEMBERS BECOME FELLOWS

Two AIA UK members recently received one of the AIA’s highest distinctions, elevation to Fellowship.

AIA UK past president and current board member, Lester Korzilius, AIA, has been elevated to the College of Fellows for his many years of service to the AIA UK, the International Region, and the Institute. John McAslan, International Assoc. AIA, has been awarded an Honorary Fellowship for his distinguished achievements in design.

The jury noted Lester’s achievements, “Through his international leadership, service to the Institute, mentoring, and education facility practice, Lester Korzilius, AIA, RIBA has led the profession by advancing the influence of the AIA outside the United States, promoting the values of American architectural practice internationally, and helping shape opinions and actions within the United States towards international practice.”  Lester joins five other AIA UK members that are Fellows.  They are, Jim Baker, FAIA, Lee Polisano, FAIA, Stephen Reinke, FAIA, David Leventhal, FAIA and Michael Lischer, FAIA.

John McAslan’s work has been widely published internationally in professional journals, newspapers and monographs, the most recent of which is Transforming King's Cross, a detailed account of his practice's acclaimed and award-winning redevelopment of the station. John's practice's work has been extensively exhibited and has received more than 75 international design awards including 15 RIBA national and international awards.

Lester and John will be inducted into the College of Fellows on May 20th at the AIA's National Convention in Philadelphia.  The AIA UK congratulates them on this important honour!

Author: Michael Lischer

THE SOCIAL LIFE OF SMALL URBAN SPACES | 10 FEBRUARY 2016

The 2016 Movie series started off with the screening of ‘The Small Life of Small Urban Spaces’ documentary. This documentary is about city spaces-- why some work and some do not, and what the practical lessons may be. In 1980, William H. Whyte published the findings from his revolutionary Street Life Project in The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces. Both the book and the accompanying film were instantly labelled classics, and launched a mini-revolution in the planning and study of public spaces. They have since become standard texts, and appear on syllabi and reading lists in urban planning, sociology, environmental design, and architecture departments around the world. Attendance was good, and this first urban planning documentary was very well received. Many thanks to all those who attended!
 
We look forward to seeing you at our next screening (title to be announced soon), on Wednesday 16th March at 1900hrs.

Author: Chris Musangi

BEALE & COMPANY: THE FIRE AT THE ADDRESS, DUBAI

Addressing burning issues: Renewed fire safety concerns in the UAE following a major fire at The Address hotel on 31 December 2015.

The dramatic fire at The Address hotel in Dubai on New Year’s Eve has renewed concerns for fire safety in the UAE and high-rise developments in general. 

Beale & Company consider what it means for those working in the UAE. Please click here for the full article.

Author: Michael Lischer

FILM NIGHT: THE SOCIALIST, THE ARCHITECT & THE TWISTED TOWER

The Autumn movie series came to a close with the screening of ‘The Socialist, The Architect & The Twisted Tower.’ This is a dramatic, behind-the-scene-story about the building of Santiago Calatrava's 'Turning Torso' in Malmö, a 190 metre high, twisted residential building which was appointed "World’s best residential building project" at Mipim in Cannes, 2005. Filmmaker Fredrik Gertten documents the construction of the visionary Turning Torso public housing structure. In 1999 Johnny Örbäck saw celebrated architect Santiago Calatrava's "Twisting Torso" sculpture and immediately knew what he wanted for the construction of a proposed residential building. Determined to construct a skyscraper based on the same concept, Örbäck contacted Calatrava and convinced him to design the building. This documentary highlights the difficulty in seeing such an ambitious project through to completion. The attendees loved the movie, and we had our longest post-movie discussion to date! Many thanks to all who attended.

The film nights will commence next year on Wednesday 10 February, 1900hrs at the BFI. Please refer to the AIA website early next year for the film we shall be screening. As always we welcome film suggestions you may have, and we look forward to seeing you at our next screening!

Author: Chris Musangi