Announcing the 2014 AIA Dallas Built Design Awards...

“These award-winning projects demonstrate responsive and innovative design concepts, as well as the versatility of Dallas architects,” said John Strasius, 2014 AIA Design Awards chair and senior associate at Perkins+Will. “We are pleased to honor and celebrate this year’s recipients and their contribution to the elevation of design in our community.”  

This year’s recipients were selected by a jury composed of world-renowned architects, including Coleman Coker of buildingstudio; Anne Fougeron, FAIA, of Fougeron Architecture; and Wendy Evans Joseph, FAIA, of Cooper Joseph Studio. The jury deliberated over more than 60 entries and selected the final recipients based on each design’s response to its context and community, program resolution, innovation, thoughtfulness, and technique.

The submissions for the 47th annual AIA Dallas Design Awards featured a range of project typologies from hospitals and schools to residences, playhouses, and park pavilions. View the entire 2014 gallery of entries and recipients here.

The 2014 AIA Dallas Built Design Award recipients are:

John Bunker Sands Wetland Center, Good Fulton & Farrell (Seagoville, TX)

The John Bunker Sands Wetland Center serves as the hub of environmental and social interest for the 3,100 acres of man-made wetland habitat on the Rosewood Seagoville Ranch property. The Center provides opportunities for research, education, wildlife observation and community gathering through its exhibit hall, fully equipped research lab, classroom, and observation deck.

Photo credit: Nicholas McWhirter, AIA

Moncrief Cancer Institute, HKS, Inc. (Fort Worth, TX)

The Moncrief Cancer Institute houses the newly-created Community Survivorship Clinic, which supports cancer patients after their treatment and provides follow-up services. It was designed as a place where patients feel welcomed by a unique orientation of materials, color and light. A large public plaza welcomes the community while two more private, intimate gardens provide space for functions and a healing environment for survivors. Inside, extensive use of glazing gives workers and patients a strong connection with the outside, bringing in abundant natural light.

Photo credit: Blake Marvin

Oldrange Family Home, NIMMO (Dallas, TX) 

The design of the Oldrange Family Home aspires to enhance the lives of three generations; children, their parents and grandparents. The focus of the home is the open family spaces which are intended to continuously connect each generation to nature and one another. The communal spaces are balanced with a variety of smaller spaces that are meant to provide personal respite and environments for individual reflection.

Photo credit: Joshua Nimmo

Satori Capital, Gensler (Dallas, TX)

 The plan of Satori Capital was intended to create diversity of places to meet, be social, and focus when required. All meeting rooms were purposely transparent to increase access to daylight, but also encourage others to join the conversation. A carefully selected palette of materials, including concrete, painted drywall, natural stone, and glass create and airy and energetic interior.

Photo credit: Joe Aker

Zan Wesley Holmes Jr. Middle School, Perkins+Will (Dallas, TX)

The design of Zan Wesley Holmes Jr. Middle School is flexible with an academic focus providing teachers and administration multiple ways to engage with students. While facilitating a diverse social connection for students from floor to floor, the school’s plan allows natural lighting to penetrate deeper into multiple levels of the school including entry lobbies, student academic areas, the cafeteria and the media center.

Photo credit: Charles Davis Smith, AIA

The jury also selected one project to receive a Jury Commendation for its innovative and easily repeatable concept. 2_Plex, designed by NIMMO, sought to develop a new approach for residential infill development near downtown Dallas, allowing greater privacy and natural light, while maintaining the density of the urban neighborhood. 

Photo credit: Joshua Nimmo

The awards were announced at a ceremony and lecture in partnership with the Dallas Architecture Forum. View photos from the event here.