2022 AIA Central States Excellence in Design Award Recipients

Congratulations to this year’s award recipients of The American Institute of Architects, Central States Excellence in Design program hosted by AIA Nebraska.  The AIA Central States encompasses Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. The program honors and celebrates design excellence within these states and throughout the world. See Release.  The awards will be presented on Friday, November 4, 6:30 pm, at the Country Club of Lincoln. Ticket purchases and sponsorship opportunities are available.  

The AIA Central States Jury, comprising of Minneapolis, Minnesota architects, reviewed submissions from the 5-state region. The jury includes chair, Matthew Kreilich, FAIA, LEED AP, Snow Kreilich Architects and jury members Trevor Bullen, AIA,  Dean, School of Design, Dunwoody College of Technology and Nancy Blankfard, FAIA, LEED AP, BD+C, HGA  The Excellence in Design program is an annual event for architects who submit built and unbuilt projects for consideration.  

This year’s categories for consideration include Architecture, Interior Architecture, Unbuilt, Detail, Regional & Urban and Build & Unbuilt Design for emerging architects and architecture students. Projects are judged based on a variety of features, including unique design, originality, extended use attributes, sustainability, budget and use of environmental surroundings.  

AIA supports architects in fulfilling their commitment to excellence in design and livability in our buildings and communities. Further information on this year’s AIA Central States Excellence in Design award winners can be found on The American Institute of Architects, Nebraska Chapter’s website www.aia.org/nebraska.  

Architecture Honor Award

Photographer: Cameron Campbell, Integrated Studio

Marion Fire Station

Firm: OPN Architects, Inc.

Location: Marion, IA

Owner: City of Marion, IA

Jury Comments: Few projects challenge our expectations but this stands out amongst the rest, reconsidering what a fire station can be. The use of wood on the interior and exterior is unexpected and beautiful and the connection to site and natural daylight throughout is refreshing.

Architecture Honor Award

Photographer: Sam Fentress

Central West End Metrolink Station Renovation

Firm: Mackey Mitchell Architects

Location: St. Louis, MO

Owner: Washington University

Jury Comments: We loved the transformation this project created in a challenging site. It is light, inviting and more open than before creating a safe accessible rail station.

Architecture Honor Award

Photographer: Cameron Campbell, Integrated Studio

Linn County Public Health

Firm: OPN Architects

Location: Cedar Rapids, IA

Owner: Linn County

Jury Comments: While the jury wished for a better understanding of the context we continued to return to this project for its clarity of diagram, proportion, and thoughtful integration of exterior spaces to the surrounding community.

Architecture Honor Award

Photographer: Corey Gaffer

Treehuis

Firm: substance

Location: Marion County IA

Owner: Withheld at Owner's Request

Jury Comments: Considered siting, elegant massing, and thoughtful detailing, allow the building and user to gently slope down to the water. Excellent execution.

Architecture Honor Award

Photographer: Michael Robinson

Habitat for Humanity of Kansas City Renovation

Firm: BNIM

Location: Kansas City, MO

Owner: Habitat for Humanity of Kansas City

Jury Comments: This is a precedent setting example of adaptive reuse. We appreciated the restraint and consideration of restoration and transformation as well as the minimal integration of lighting.

Architecture Honor Award

Photographer: Dan Schwalm, HDR, Inc.

Cobalt Credit Union -  Gretna Branch

Firm: HDR

Location: Gretna, NE

Owner: Cobalt Credit Union

Jury Comments:  While the context of suburban drive through banks can be challenging, we appreciated the rigor and restraint of this project. Massing, material and detailing create an elegant solution to an often, overlooked project type.

Architecture Honor Award

Photographer: Mike Sinclair

Lone Oaks Farm Hunter Education Station

Firm: El Dorado, Inc. Kansas City

Location: Middleton, TN

Owner: University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture

Jury Comments: This project a is playful twist on a simple typology. The carving and negative space create a joyful expression of form and space. Its both simple and complex, engaging the visitors curiosity.

Interior Architecture Honor Award

Photographer: Eric Schmid

Flamingo Tiki

Firm: Allford Hall Monaghan Morris

Location: Oklahoma City, OK

Owner: HumanKind Hospitality

Jury Comments: This project sparked a lot of discussion and the more we discussed it the more we appreciated the controlled use of color, pattern, texture and what we termed, “Elevated kitsch.”  

Interior Architecture Honor Award

Photographer: Colin Conces

Bemis LOW END

Firm: FACT with Sean Ward and Actual Architecture Co.

Architect of Record: AO* Omaha

FACT students working for academic credit: Justin DeFields, Maren Elnes, Craig Findlay, Robert Grebl, Seth Hadenfeldt, Qingyuan Han, Andrew Hicks, Monica Hughes, Audrey Lanik, Jiaji Li, Saray Martinez, Rachel Richter, Morgan Ronspies, Andrew Rose, Kristina Schneider

Location: Omaha, NE

Owner: Bemis Center for Contemporary Art

Jury Comments: For a lower level lounge/bar/music venue, the jury appreciated the playfulness and unexpected episodic moments this design created.

Interior Architecture Honor Award

Photographer: Paul Brokering

Nelnet Lincoln Square Public Space Improvements

Firm: Clark & Enersen

Location: Lincoln, NE

Owner: Nelnet

Jury Comments: Corporate renovation – This is an amazing transformation of before and after. The lighting and lightness of the space as well as the accent color transformed this renovation into something truly unexpected.

Interior Architecture Honor Award

Photographer: Corey Gaffer

St Kilda Cafe

Firm: Knop Architects

Location: Clive, IA

Owner: Alexander Hall

Jury Comments:  Simple, elegant, restrained and inviting. What more can you ask for in a café?  Great execution.

Interior Architecture Honor Award

Photographer: Nate Sheets Photography

Courtyard House

Firm: Forward Design | Architecture

Location: Kansas City, MO

Owner: Richard Wetzel

Jury Comments:  The special and volumetric studies and consideration of this interior is well conceived and executed. The consideration of the section and skylight detail sets up a sectional richness to the home.

Unbuilt Architecture Honor Award

Rendering: Actual Architecture Company, Omaha

DVLP Basketball Training Center

Firm: Actual Architecture Co.

Location: Omaha, NE

Owner: DVLP Basketball

Jury Comments: The large glazed wall to the community and the pleated roof line and mass timber structure take a simple program and building and add a layer of interest and connectivity that is simple yet powerful.

Unbuilt Architecture Honor Award

Charles E. Lakin Foundation Pier

Firm: HDR

Location: Council Bluffs, IA

Owner: Southwest Iowa Nonprofit for Collective Impact

Jury Comments:  This project evoked a lot of discussion amongst the jury. It is simple in strategy but also rich in experiential moments. Overall we appreciated the consideration of movement, views and bridging.

Architectural Detail Honor Award

Photographer: Bruce Damonte, San Francisco

AVA©

Firm: MOD Furniture (Actual Architecture Co. + Min Design)

Location: USA

Owner: MOD Furniture (℅ Actual Architecture Co.)

Architect of Record: Actual Architecture Company + Min Design

Jury Comments: We appreciated  the simplicity and the flatpack approach with considered folds to result in an intriguing geometric form. The stackable, interlocking nature of  this elevated a simple furniture piece into an architectural tool kit for walls, furniture or whatever your imagination can create.

Emerging Professional - Built & Unbuilt Honor Award

Cube³

AIAS Students(s): Yahia Mohamed and Garrett Stirling, Iowa State University

Jury Comments:  There is a lot happening within this project but we applaud the exploration of structure, skin and space.  

Regional & Urban Design Honor Award

Photographer: Corey Gaffer

Downtown Bridge Reconstruction

Firm: substance

Location: Des Moines, IA

Owner: City of Des Moines, IA

Jury Comments: This is an utterly simple but incredibly powerful transformation that shows the importance of architectural thinking within larger urban infrastructure projects. The jury loved the detailing, lighting and simplicity of form to take an otherwise mundane bridge and elevate it to an elegant bridging of the water.

Regional & Urban Design Honor Award

Photographer: Timothy Hursley

Scissortail Park

Firm: Butzer Architects and Urbanism

Location: Oklahoma City, OK

Owner: City of Oklahoma City, OK

Jury Comments: This the type of project the jury would love to visit and explore. The variety of spaces and integration of architecture and landscape are compelling and transformational to the city.

Regional & Urban Design Honor Award

Renderings by Atchain

Albina Vision Trust Community Investment Plan

Firm: El Dorado, Inc., Kansas City, MO

Location: Portland, OR

Owner: Albina Vision Trust

Jury Comments:  So often masterplan studies can result in uninspired plan diagrams. This project shows true engagement with the community, creates a set of diagrams and  images that inspire and capture the possibilities and richness of thinking that went into this thoughtful study. We hope it finds a way forward.