SPEAKING OF ARCHITECTURE: SFA News - AIA Pennsylvania Citation of Merit

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

SFA News - AIA Pennsylvania Citation of Merit

In addition to the Firm Award we announced last week, we’re honored to announce that the AIA Pennsylvania 2013 Awards Jury has selected the Lafayette College Arts Plaza to receive a Citation of Merit.

The Arts Plaza is a raw, open-air space for the arts at Lafayette College in Easton, PA. The structure transformed a former auto-repair facility into a dynamic outdoor teaching space that responds to its natural environment and built context. The Arts Plaza is an urban “unfill” project; its formerly solid walls were removed to create an open, inviting place in Easton’s urban core.

The Arts Plaza was selected among 93 project entries by 37 architectural firms in the state of Pennsylvania. Jury Chairman Victor F. Trahan III, FAIA of Trahan Architects said that the jury selected Arts Plaza to receive a Citation of Merit because they felt the idea of an urban unfill project was refreshing and compelling. “The power is in the restraint” Trahan said.

The jury, made of a group of colleagues from the New Orleans area, also commented on the project’s applicability to a variety of low-road urban cores in their home state. Their comments on the project’s humility and restrained vocabulary further contributed to the project’s recognition.

The AIA Pennsylvania Awards Jury:

Victor F. Trahan III, FAIA – Trahan Architects (Jury Chairman)

F. Macnaughton Ball, Jr., FAIA – Waggonner & Ball Architects

Wayne Troyer, AIA – StudioWTA

Cordula Roser Gray, AIA – crgarchitecture

Ammar Eloueini, International Associate AIA – AEDS

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ABOUT US

Spillman Farmer Architects is an interdisciplinary practice of design professionals focused on the delivery of innovative building solutions based on human-centered design. Since 1927 we have been working closely with people and communities to deliver high quality, effective, and inspiring places to live, work, play, and learn.

Our design process empowers people to make responsible, thought provoking and inspiring decisions related to the built environment. Through this process, we explore each project’s unique opportunities for honest, expressive solutions specifically suited to the building’s site and use.

The materials we work with are familiar; however, our curiosity about them and their methods of assembly are not. Our priority is to develop an architecture that is rational, leveraging a distinct, precise and honest building vocabulary that shows clear evidence of how and why it was made.

We are deeply influenced by place and choose honest materials which honor the location and achieve a lasting patina as they age. In the end, our works are authentic, responsive to the environment, sustainable, resourceful, and grounded in the unique history of each context, a tangible result of our critical thinking and thoughtful approach to the practice of architecture.

BLOG CONTRIBUTORS

Joseph N Biondo - Material, Process, Product:

Spillman Farmer Design Principal Joseph N. Biondo was born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and graduated from the Kansas State University College of Architecture, Planning and Design. Shortly after graduation, he pursued a lengthy career with Bohlin Cywinski Jackson Architects, where he worked closely with AIA Gold Medal recipient Peter Bohlin. In 1996, he established JOSEPH N. BIONDO ARCHITECTS, before joining SPILLMAN FARMER ARCHITECTS in 2003, where he is currently bringing design excellence to the forefront. Joe’s architecture is recognized for its ties to regional traditions. His buildings represent an architecture that is clear, precise and honest; an architecture that reflects on what is absolutely necessary. He specializes in developing architecture from the intense working of materials and their means of construction. His work has been recognized by his peers in the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and has been featured in the profession’s most prestigious publications. Joe's work celebrates the process of making and is deeply influenced by his family background, which is rooted in the garment and construction industries. Joe believes that beyond site considerations, client program requirements, and issues of sustainability, thoughtful planning of a building must include a lasting aesthetic.

Dan Harrigan - Great Heights in Higher Education:

In Dan's 30 years with Spillman Farmer, he has worked on projects on over 30 campuses. His experience and expertise encompass nearly every sector of our practice, and his special interest in designing for colleges & universities makes him an asset to clients across the country.

As a lifelong athlete, Dan has special interest in athletic design for higher education clients. In his college days, Dan was a 16-time Division I All-American and a Top Five NCAA Student Athlete. After college, Dan went on to win a bronze medal in the 1976 Olympics and a gold medal at the 1975 Pan-American Games.

Christa Kraftician, LEED AP - Speaking of Green:

Christa's passion for sustainability & green initiatives has taken hold at Spillman Farmer, and her continuing committment to environmental stewardship shapes our practice daily. Christa is also involved with the United States Green Building Council, acting as a board member for the Delaware Valley Chapter (DVGBC) and a co-chair for the Lehigh Valley Branch.