Three Projects Receive AIA NEPA Design Awards
Last week, we were honored by the American Institute of Architect’s Northeastern Pennsylvania chapter with four design awards for our work at Susquehanna University, the Pocono Environmental Education Center, and a private residence in Long Island.
The new Admission House at Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, received the Award for Excellence. The new building creates a more welcoming and exciting initial impression for the Office of Admission that better aligns with the University’s culture. The design represents a modern interpretation of the local residential and campus architecture that does not overwhelm the smaller-scale houses of the nearby neighborhood.
The Awards Jury recognized the building was “an appropriate solution for both its environment and its purpose, complementing its context without mimicking it.”
Hamptons Residence located near East Hampton, New York, was one of four projects selected for an Honor Award. The custom home is nestled within the preserved agricultural lands, sits parallel to the shore, and uses a calm palette of natural materials that will weather as the house ages. The heart of the home is a two-story, daylight-filled living room with incredible views to the ocean.
The Sustainability Lodge at the Pocono Environmental Education Center (PEEC) also took home an Honor Award for an Unbuilt Project as well as the award for Outstanding Local Project.
Our partnership with PEEC—located in Dingman’s Ferry, Pennsylvania—dates back twenty years when we first designed their Visitor Activity Center. Their mission was, and remains, to further environmental education, stewardship, and outreach to educational groups and inter-city children from places like New York City and Philadelphia. Now, we’ve again partnered with PEEC through the pro-bono design of the new Sustainability Lodge, which will teach young occupants about sustainable living through hands-on experiences. The Lodge has been designed in partnership with PEEC and the National Park Service and is anticipated to be complete in 2021.
The jury noted, “A sensitive solution to a pertinent subject — it seems simple, but the movements are meaningful… We look forward to seeing this one built!”
The Northeastern Pennsylvania chapter of the AIA was instituted 78 years ago with the promise of enhancing the quality in the practice of architecture and ensuring its benefits to all Pennsylvanians and those practicing in the commonwealth. The Design Awards program — held bi-annually — was established to recognize outstanding architecture that exemplifies excellence in design for institutional, commercial, renovation, residential, or unbuilt projects.
