2017 Award winners

Raising awareness of good design by our members

The design awards

The Design Awards are not only a night to recognize our local design firms and the work that they are producing but it also becomes a night that we all take a step back and try to remember what it was that sparked our passion for the built environment. It is so easy to get caught up in our day-to-day challenges and red-tape of the reality of architecture and construction, and find ourselves losing sight of the beauty in the design around us from our peers within our firms to those in our community. With the Design Awards we are honored to be able to highlight some of those projects and relish in the simple fact that we have the privilege to take ideas and turn them into an atmosphere for our community to use and enjoy.

The jurors

We were honored to have a panel of jurors from RVK Architects in San Antonio who thoroughly enjoyed deliberating over this year's amazing design award submissions. The first question that was asked when the jurors began reviewing the submissions was "Are you sure we can only have 5 awards?" Our jurors are all Texas Tech University Alumni and were very honored to be asked to review the work we have been creating here in Lubbock.

George P. Vaughn, AIA is the President of RVK and started with the firm shortly after graduation from Texas Tech College of Architecture in 1972. He became a Principal in 1976 and was appointed President in 2005. He leads the firm in Business Development and his natural ability to establish and maintain relationships directly contributes to the firm’s success. He is the grandfather of four, an elder at Oak Hills Church and enjoys hunting and golfing.
Kim Wolf, PLA is a Principal with RVK and graduated from Texas Tech with a bachelor of Park Administration with an emphasis in Landscape Architecture in 1980. Kim came to the firm in 1990 after having her own design business. She has been a Principal since 1998 and leads the Landscape Architecture studio in a wide variety of projects. Born and raised in San Antonio, she is an active board member of the Brackenridge Park Conservancy and serves as a Japanese Tea Garden committee member for the San Antonio Parks Foundation. Kim is a recipient of a Southern Home Award from Southern Living magazine. She is an active member of her church and an avid Texas Tech Red Raider fan.
Hayden Phillips, AIA is also a principal architect for RVK and graduated from Texas Tech College of Architecture in 1983. Hayden began with RVK in 1999 and became a Principal in 2006. Hayden has led the K-12 and Religious facilities studios. His keen interest in constructability along with thoroughness and attention to detail makes him the ideal person to prepare the firm’s specifications and provide technical reviews for all the firm’s projects. He and his wife have participated in construction mission trips to Central America and personally take time out for fly fishing in the Rocky Mountains.
Heath Wenrich, RA is a principal architect for RVK, and graduated from Texas Tech College of Architecture in 1999. Heath joined RVK in 1999 and became a Principal in 2014. He has had the opportunity to work on a diverse range of project types including community, municipal and K-12. His passion for sustainable design led to the development of the firm’s procedures for the 2030 Challenge and the AIA’s 2030 Commitment. He was very instrumental in the firm’s rebranding process in 2011 and has been involved with the AIA Professional Practice and Leadership Program (2PLP) for many years and has co-chaired the program for the past three years. When he is not spending time with his family, Heath enjoys gardening, running, and skeet shooting.

The banquet

We were honored to have the Vice President of Development of the Texas Tech Alumni Association, Jim Douglass join us for our Design Awards Banquet and serve as our emcee. Jim has been with the Association since 1979 traveling and speaking to a nation-wide network of over 75 alumni chapters. He also coordinates the Alumni Association's Legislative Advocacy Network, the Traveling Techsan Vacation Travel Program and serves on the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute Advisory Board. On the Texas Tech campus, Jim serves as the Alumni Advisor for the Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity, an advisory board member for the Saddle Tramps Alumni Association as well as serving on the Advisory Board for the TTU Friends of Music, the TTU Honors College, and is a member of the TTU President's Cabinet. Not only has Jim served on multiple boards with Texas Tech but he also has a long history of volunteerism in the Lubbock Community with the Boy Scouts of America, Greater Southwest Lubbock Rotary Club, the Lubbock Jaycees, AMBUCS, the Civic Center, as well as the University Medical Center Foundation Board of Directors and has served on several Lubbock ISD Bond Steering Committees. Needless to say if there is a board to be on in Lubbock or with Texas Tech University you are more than likely going to see Jim sitting at the table. He is an asset to Lubbock and to Texas Tech University as well as to his wife Patti, their three children and their three grandchildren.