Vibrant Urban Spaces Take Top Awards at AIA Dallas Unbuilt Design Competition

 

The Dallas Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA Dallas) has announced three designs to receive its 2017 AIA Dallas Unbuilt Design Awards, the highest recognition of works that exemplify excellence in unbuilt projects by Dallas architects. An additional design earned a People’s Choice Award.

This year’s recipients were selected by a jury composed of world-renowned architects, including Stephanie Lin, founder of Stephanie Lin Studio, and founding member of Office III; William O’Brien, Jr., founder of WOJR Organization for Architecture and Collective–LOK; and Tom Wiscombe, AIA, founder and principal of Tom Wiscombe Architecture. The jury deliberated over 43 entries from 20 Dallas firms, and announced the winning entries Thursday evening at the AIA Dallas Unbuilt Design Awards Ceremony and Exhibition.

The 2017 reception also included an additional honor, the People’s Choice Award, that was voted on by event attendees.

“The awards are a celebration of the outstanding and inspiring conceptual work being produced by Dallas’ community of architects.” said Blake Thames, Assoc. AIA, of GFF, 2017 AIA Dallas Design Awards Committee Chair. “We are excited to share this work with the public, and hope it inspires dialogue about the impact progressive architectural ideas have in shaping our future city.”

While the entries included projects from around the world, the juror-selected winners (listed below with highlights from jurors’ comments) are proposed projects in Dallas. The jury commended their efforts to enhance our downtown core – making it more walkable, dense, and sustainable.

Vertical Campus, CallisonRTKL – This tech headquarters campus at Field Street and Ross Avenue is envisioned as focal piece within a new district. It will incorporate the existing Fountain Place tower into an encompassing district that takes full advantage of the neighboring urban parks, Arts District, and nightlife. The project will be at the heart of a larger development effort within the northwest portion of Downtown, an area slated for a new art museum, film institute, and several residential high-rise towers.

Jurors appreciated the project promoting vibrant urban spaces, as well as its strong relationship to its neighbor, Fountain Place.

Dallas County Records Building, Gensler – The historic location of Jack Ruby’s trial, the Dallas County Records Building has a long and colorful history. Tasked with unifying three separate existing buildings, the new architectural space rises to the top in a modern language. Balancing the preservation of existing architecture, this renovation and edition creates an efficient and modernized workplace for county staff members.

Jurors commended this project as a compelling case for adaptive reuse, and as a model for not only how to revitalize historic buildings, but how to make our cities more sustainable.

Klyde Warren Park Promenade, Gensler – In 2012, The Dallas Arts District was reconnected to the uptown community with the opening of Klyde Warren Park. With the success of the park, city leaders have been encouraged to continue the effort of urban renewal with an expansion of this unique greenway. Extending southwest, an elevated portion of the park is planned to connect the Perot Museum of Nature and Science with Klyde Warren Park and the rest of the Dallas Arts District.

Jurors praised this project as an elegant gesture connecting several significant public spaces within the city, creating an extended public space.

People’s Choice Award

The People’s Choice Award was given to the National World War I Memorial (FTA Design Studio).

The 43 entries featured a range of project typologies across the globe — from airports, hospitals, and schools, to residences, museums, and churches. Unbuilt Design Award entries may include any building design (conceptual or theory-based design study), interior architecture, restoration, or urban design/planning project for which the documentation has been complete since January 1, 2012, but for which construction has not yet been completed.