A Chicago-based jury of Carol Ross Barney, FAIA; Joseph M. Valerio, FAIA; and Donna V. Robertson, AIA, selected 15 projects by Florida and Caribbean architects from a pool of more than 200 entries in three categories: unbuilt, excellence (built), and test of time. The recipients accepted their honors at the AIA Florida’s annual convention earlier this year.

Honor Awards for Design (Unbuilt)

Barron Residence Addition, Sarasota, by Seibert Architects P.A.
The existing residential structure needs an update to accomplish two goals: addition of preferred amenities found in many newer area waterfront properties and an increase in livable square footage. The architect has proposed a structurally detached second-floor addition to maintain openness within the existing residence, preserve all views from the existing areas, and make minimal contact with existing historical materials.

Affordable single-family infill for rural Appalachia, Appalachia, Ky., by Marilys Nepomechie Architects and Marta Canaves, MLA, IIDA
This proposed 28-unit development is part of a research initiative endowed by the Kentucky Housing Corporation and implemented through the University of Kentucky College of Design. Set in a rural, largely undeveloped area—with scattered farm buildings, limited zoning, no effective land-use planning, and mobile homes—the development targets low-income families with deep roots in the Appalachian Mountains. The low-cost, single-family residences have three to five bedrooms and two baths, and are designed for expansion, adaptability to changing family circumstances, and aging in place.

Merit Awards for Design (unbuilt)

Mission of Saint Mary, by Alfonso Architects Inc.
The proposal for this transient, low-income, suburban neighborhood calls for a chapel in an open-air service pavilion to offer faith, shelter, and direction. The architects designed the chapel to be durable, using metal and stucco-on-block elements floating under a simple, sloped, pre-engineered metal roof and structure. Levitating eight inches above grade, the curved sanctuary wall is constructed of Cor-ten steel plates mounted on steel posts. The only break in the wall occurs on the east-west axis in the altar wall. The break receives the sliding entry door, which serves as a sign to indicate when the mission is open.

Revere House, by Guy Peterson/OFA Inc.
In the words of the architect, “this project represents an exciting opportunity to continue the architectural expression of one of the Sarasota School’s most renowned projects, by Ralph Twitchell and Paul Rudolph.” The complexities of this project lie in the dialogue between the original 1948, 1,000-square-foot home, and the adjacent, 4,750-square-foot new structure. The new structure, completely independent of the original house, rotates slightly off the perpendicular axis to create a dynamic relationship between the two buildings. As the new house emerges seaward of the existing house, the walls become glass to take advantage of the garden and pool area, as well as views to the lagoon and glimpses of the Gulf.

Sam Rampello Downtown Partnership School, Tampa, by Alfonso Architects Inc.
The proposed project embraces the passive, or pedestrian edges of its site, creating an urban sanctuary and beneficial learning environment for children. The unique approach by the architects involves, in their words, “instruction from mathematical musical theory combining the concepts of time, space, rhythm, tonality, and architecture.” The design process included collaboration between the architect and composer in an attempt to create a third art form. The concept of the musical piece was based on the journey of education; interpreting a child’s development from pre-school through adolescence.

Honor Awards of Excellence

Nielsen Media Research, Oldsmar, Fla., by Alfonso Architects Inc.
This 600,000-square-foot office campus, located in a conservation preserve, eventually will house 2,000 employees. The client requested a facility that could be phased according to fund allocation and programmatic requirements while in continuous operation. The Data Center, the heart of the complex, is rendered in concrete with random window slits signifying the data collection inside, according to the architect. The office component becomes a more transparent bar that hovers over a concrete base and wraps around the courtyard. The glazing system of the office area inverts the idea of the data center in varying colors and opacity of glass. Public dining, break areas, and conference rooms are isolated and rendered as elements in the landscape. A public plaza leads visitors from the parking area to a breezeway beneath the building that serves as entry to the main lobby and a connection to the nature preserve beyond. (Photo by George Cott,Chroma, Inc.)

Photo Tech, Inc., Sarasota, Fla., by Alfonso Architects Inc.
This 24,800-square-foot-structure responds to the client’s request for a unique working environment for a photographic services company on a busy thoroughfare. The main production and public areas, which require an abundance of natural light, are at the building’s center, adjacent to the exterior green. These areas are articulated with large quantities of glass and a steel structural system that reinforces the transparency of these functions. The core circulation and private function areas border the transparent center at the solid ends of the building. (Photo by Peter Turo, Photo Tech Inc.)

Merit Awards of Excellence

Alachua County Criminal Courthouse, Gainesville, Fla., by DLR Group/Rink Reynolds Diamond Fisher Wilson PA
This county criminal courthouse marks the first of several construction phases on a 6.2-acre complex. The 118,000-square-foot structure houses 11 courtrooms. The exterior is clad mainly with taupe brick and gray and silver metals, with bronze vertical windows articulating the waiting areas of the court-floors and along the east face of the entry pavilion. The base of the building and cornice details will be clad in a simulated-limestone precast concrete. Its asymmetrical Z-shaped plan creates the opportunity to form a powerful urban space and entry. The plaza allows the tower to reinforce the urban edge of Main Street and becomes a major component of the entry sequence into the building. (Photo by George Cott, Chroma, Inc.)

Cruise Terminal 3, 4 and 5, Port of Miami, by BEA International Inc.
The architects made hurricane resistance a prime consideration for choosing the shell components of this cruise terminal, which employs a tensile-fabric roof, glass curtainwall, and concrete and steel structure. As a gateway for thousands of travelers, this terminal functions much like an airport hub. From afar, the structure appears linear and streamlined, while a series of playful roof “waves” breaks up the structure’s enormous mass. The tri-level terminal features spacious interiors, a waterside glass wall, glass-enclosed passenger bridge, and 5,000-square-foot observation deck. (Photo by Delbeck Photography)

Great Hall House, by Armstrong + Cohen Architecture: Claude Armstrong, Donna Cohen, Nina Hofer, Peter Polshek
The design strategy included the reorientation of the main entry from the north to the east, construction of a masonry site wall along the north edge, and creation of an exterior courtyard by organizing the program into an “L” shape. Each section of the structure is expressed materially: The rectangular masonry block of the studio becomes a site element, while the new bedrooms and reading nook, clad in corrugated metal, emerge from the block wall. The heart of the new interior space is a large family-activity hall at the lower level with private rooms for sleeping overlooking the space. The site topography continues inside the large space, while the hall is itself a terraced landscape of interrelated public and private spaces. (Photo by Antony Rieck)

Williams Residence, by Guy Peterson/OFA Inc.
This 4,500-square-foot house on a narrow 80-foot lot required a careful study in site planning and scale to maximize the relationship of interior spaces to the exterior. The large, two-story living room bisects the exterior entertainment space to separate the interior court from the Gulf pass, allowing the living room to enjoy both waterfront and interior-garden views. The house maintains a strong horizontal line and the extended wood roofs provide protection and shelter from the Florida sun. The use of contrasting woods defines the frame of the house.
(Photo by Steven Brooke Studio)

Anclote Key Lighthouse Restoration, Anclote River Park, Fla., by Kenneth Smith Architects Inc.
This 117-year-old historic lighthouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The structure, first lighted on September 15, 1887, is a skeletal, cast-iron-plate tower with five tiers topped by a watch room and lantern room with a central spiral stairway enclosed in a cast-iron cylinder. The lighthouse, oil storage building, and brick walks were restored and relighted on September 13, 2003. (Photo by Kenneth R. Smith, FAIA)

Anaclerio Residence, by Guy Peterson/OFA Inc.
This single-family 4,000-square-foot home on a barrier island in the Gulf of Mexico requires special permitting and adherence to specific design criteria to protect natural beach systems. Built of reinforced concrete on driven piles, with a curtainwall and plastered concrete-masonry exterior walls, the design creates a solid “wall” on the busy road fronting the site, while opening with large glazed walls to the Gulf under a covered concrete frame. (Photo by Steven Brooke Studio)

Choctaw Golden Moon Casino & Resort Hotel, Choctaw, Miss., by Arquitectonica: Bernardo Fort-Brescia, FAIA/Laurinda Spear, FAIA
The design challenge was to create the illusion that an 80-foot-diameter, brightly lighted moon-like sphere, which sits 310 feet above ground and can be seen from miles away, is balanced atop an 18-floor hotel tower that surrounds a casino. A circular design helps wayfinding, with the casino always being at the center. The main entry drive pierces a 300-foot “water wall” that drops off the ring-front canopy. The red clay-colored building symbolizes the earth, while cascading curtains of water surround the base of the building with an aqua-scape of five water features spraying water 75 feet in the air at the resort entrance. The pattern formed by the irregular window placement adds interest to the façade. (Photo by Robert Daniels, Brilliant Lighting)

Test of Time Award

Ingelmo Residence, Havana, by Gutierrez Architects, Manuel Gutierrez, AIA
Originally completed in May 1954, this once private residence has been fully restored to serve as a residence for international dignitaries visiting Cuba. The house consists of two intersecting volumes. The larger body is light and transparent, and the smaller is sealed by stress-bearing brick walls that visually lend weight to the building. Despite their physical union, each volume appears independent. Two utility levels and a ground floor with garages take advantage of the drop-in level between the back of the lot and the street. The concrete slab, the flooring, the millwork, and wall finishes showcase their techniques for all to see.

Honor Awards

The chapter also presented the following awards:

• Firm of the Year: Holmes Hepner & Associates, Inc.
• 2004 Silver Medal-Hilliard T. Smith Community Service Award: Don Yoshino, AIA
• 2004 Anthony L. Pullara Individual Honor Award: Victor Latavish, AIA
• Bob Graham Architectural Awareness Award: Martie Lieberman & Thomas Luzier, cochairs of the Sarasota Architectural Foundation
• Charles W. Clary Government Service Award: Robert Chisholm, FAIA
• Associate Member of the Year: Virgilio Campaneria, Assoc. AIA
• Photographer of the Year: Kevin Haas
• Builder of the Year: The Weitz Company.

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