AIA Triangle Announces New Community Impact Through Design Award

Inspired by the legacy of community-driven work by both Phil Freelon and Steve Schuster, the Community Impact Through Design Award was conceived by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Triangle Design Awards Committee in 2020. This award recognizes built architectural projects that have catalyzed, reimagined, and advanced communities in the Triangle area for the purpose of serving the general public.   

This award will celebrate architecture with a design that is framed by servitude and results in a project that is considered an invaluable community resource. The inaugural award will be given at the 2022 AIA Triangle Design Awards on Thursday, April 7 at the North Carolina Botanical Gardens in Chapel Hill.   

This award winner will be selected by a jury formed of family and friends of both Phil Freelon and Steve Schuster as well as this year’s Design Awards Chair, Brad Burns, AIA. The jury will evaluate the submissions based on numerous community-focused considerations, such as suitability, community engagement, relationship to place and resources, and characteristics of empowerment and uplift.  

Evaluation Criteria:  

Suitability & Community Engagement 

1.    Local community stakeholders were involved in and engaged with the planning or design process. 

2.    The project reflects of the local community and is sensitive to its context. 

3.    The design is a catalyst for progressing community building in its location. 

4.    The design is people-centered. 

  

Place & Resources 

1.   “Footprint vs. Handprint”: The project limits destruction of meaningful structures and nature while also improving the built improvement of the community. 

2.    The design reimagines the potential of land and space for community use. 

3.    The construction methods and materiality draw from local talent & resources. 

4.    The place or facility is a steward of community resources. 

 

Empowers & Uplifts 

1.    The design embodies optimism. 

2.    The design is inclusive and welcoming to all. 

3.    The site and building(s) is/are universally accessible. 

4.    The design surpasses preconceived notions and/or expectations about the project type. 

  

Submittal requirements 

Eligibility: 

1.    Project was completed and occupied within 7 years prior to January 1, 2022. 

2.    Entrants shall be residents of the Triangle but are not limited to members of the architectural profession. Clients, owners, community members of all types are encouraged to submit. We encourage entrants to collaborate with other members of the project development, design or construction team to develop submissions. 

Submission Format: 

1.    Aside from the requirements below, format is flexible and is to be determined by the entrant to best communicate how the project embodies the award description and evaluation criteria. 

2.    The minimum requirements are as follows: 

• Landscape format (i.e. 11×17, 9×16, etc.) 
• Text must be legible when page/slide view settings are set to fit page height and width within the screen boundaries. 
• Submission must be in one (1) file. 
• File must be in PDF file format. 
• Submission must not exceed 12 slides/pages. 
• File size not to exceed 12 MB. 

3.    The Community Impact Through Design Award is not subject to the same jury, submission requirements or evaluation criteria as the traditional AIA Triangle Design Awards. 

4.    No fee is required to submit. 

5.    Submissions are to be emailed to info@aiatriangle.org. 

6.    Submissions must be received by 5:00pm March 11th, 2022.   

For more information, please contact AIA Triangle Design Awards Task Force Chair, Brad Burns, AIA, at brad_burns@gensler.com.  

ABOUT AIA TRIANGLE: AIA Triangle is a local chapter of the American Institute of Architects comprised of nearly 950 licensed architects and serving Wake, Durham, Orange, Chatham, Lee, Vance, Warren, Franklin, Granville, and Person Counties.  AIA Triangle is dedicated to partnering with the community to continually improve the design, functionality and safety of the world we are building together. For more information, please visit www.aiatriangle.org  

 

Feature photo courtesy of visitraleigh.com.