2021 AIA Nebraska Excellence in Design People's Choice Award Recipients

AIA Nebraska is pleased to announce the 2021 Excellence in Design People's Choice Award recipients.

The People's Choice Awards offers the public an opportunity to view entries from AIA Nebraska Excellence in Design program and participate in a separate online voting process to determine their favorite architecture.

Over 1,000 individuals viewed the 107 entries received from Nebraska architects in 8 architectural categories.

People's Choice Regional & Urban Design Award

Telegraph District

Owner: Speedway Properties & Nelnet (EADO LLC)

Firm: Clark & Enersen

Telegraph District; Clark & Enersen

The redevelopment of the Telegraph District envisions a new transformation through the adaptive re-use of existing buildings, new buildings and site improvement to create a vibrant and distinctive mixed-use neighborhood of offices, residences, and retail establishments.

People's Choice Emerging Professional Built & Unbuilt Award

Containers on Vine

Owner: TJK Investments

Location: Lincoln, NE

Emerging Professional: Codah Gatewood, Associate AIA

Containers on Vine; Codah Gatewood, Assoc. AIA; Photo: William Hess

Shipping containers provide design challenges that both the designer and client were committed to on this project. A dynamic design was achieved by offsetting the two containers through an iterative form-finding process.

People's Choice Masonry Award

Omaha Central High School Auditorium

Owner:

Location: Omaha, NE

Firm: DLR Group

Omaha Central High School Addition; DLR Group; PHOTO: Alistair Tutton Photography

Since it opened its doors in 1859, Central High School has championed the idea of linking past, present, and future. Built into the hill, the addition consolidates the library, visual arts, instrumental music, and vocal music areas into one single wing while providing magnificent views of the original historic building and downtown.  

People's Choice Architectural Detail Award

Treehouse

Owner: Omaha Public Schools

Location: Omaha, NE

Firm: Schemmer

Treehouse; Schemmer; Photo: Tom Kessler

At the center of the 2-story library is a thoughtful and purposeful element of student interaction and engagement, one which seeks to solve multiple aspects of the building program and the numerous building systems involved in the library with a single design move: creating a Treehouse that was essential to the space, leaving the library dependent on it for its very existence.

People's Choice Unbuilt Architecture Award

Bridge Park :: Park Bridge

Owner: Applied Underwriters

Location: Omaha, NE

Firm: BVH Architecture

Bridge Park :: Park Bridge; BVH Architecture

The bridge::park acts as an immersive environment connecting the public pedestrian trails within the Heartwood Preserve greenway network that include sensitively designed landscapes and thoughtfully considered programming.

People's Choice Interior Architecture Award

Cottonwood Hotel

Owner: Clarity Development

Location: Omaha, NE

Firm: DLR Group

Architect of Record: Leo A Daly

Cottonwood Hotel; DLR Group, Architect of Record: Leo A Daly; Photo: Dana Damewood

From historic Farnam Street to its trendy restaurants and bars, the revitalized Blackstone District is now complete with a newly reopened legendary property that creates a renewed sense of cool befitting its urban landscape. Infused with a revitalized modern elegance, the neighborhood welcomes this reimaged beacon of history. Following restoration and expansion, the original 1915 landmark has transformed into a contemporary reprieve from the ordinary.

People's Choice Architecture Award

The Post Lofts

Owner: Sup Family Properties

Location: Lincoln, NE

Firm: Schemmer and DLR Group

The Post Lofts; Schemmer & DLR Group; Photo: Amoura Productions

The Post Lofts critically engages our existing building stock to create meaningful places in our city. The project is a twenty-five thousand square foot mixed-use urban rehabilitation project. Three early 1900s buildings are combined into a single address with updated utilities.