A jury of three distinguished architects from Baltimore—Charles Brickbauer, AIA; Walter G. Schamu, FAIA; and Rebecca B. Swanston, AIA—selected 11 winning projects, all in Southeast Michigan, to receive AIA Detroit’s Chapter Design Awards. On hand for the chapter’s annual awards ceremony last November 19 at the Detroit Athletic Club were 2004 AIA President Eugene Hopkins, FAIA, Ann Arbor, and Christopher Fallingham, FRAIC, president of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada.

AIA Detroit Awards

Adrian Dominican Sisters Holy Rosary Chapel, Adrian, Mich., by DiClemente Siegel Design Inc., with contractor Krieghoff-Lenawee Company, for the Dominican Sisters
The architects faced a daunting task in upgrading this 1907 chapel to meet modern health, safety, and access codes—as well as conform with the new liturgical standards. A raised floor proved to be a creative solution to HVAC and accessibility challenges and allowed the historic “Prairie Gothic” structure to remain intact. It also fostered eliminating the chapel’s four-floor level changes, offers better sightlines of much-loved stained glass windows, and creates a more intimate liturgical setting for the aging population of sisters.
Photo © Beth Singer Photographer Inc.

City of Livonia Community Recreation Center, Livonia, Mich., by Neumann/Smith & Associates, with constructors Skanska USA Building Inc. and Schostak Brothers & Co. Inc., for the City of Livonia
After weighing the costs of the city’s plan to turn an existing high school into a community center, the architects proposed an entirely new building that would meet all original control, security, and life-cycle concerns—within the original budget! They created a 135,000-square-foot “mall of fun,” replete with aquatic center, gymnastic zone, and dedicated spaces for both seniors and kids. Its striking form and colorful elements have made the new center an instant landmark in this suburban community.
Photo © Justin Maconchie.

Colliers International Regional Headquarters, Southfield, Mich., by biddison architecture + design, with contractor S&N Development, for Colliers International
The architect proved able to satisfy two separate visions for this office building—that of the landlord and the tenant—with this elegantly designed and detailed interior space. Where the tenant wanted a design that was “sophisticated, fresh, innovative, and that expressed the use of technology without being too high tech,” the landlord called for traditional cherry-wood walls and cabinetry, coffered ceilings, and glass entry doors. Use of glass throughout softens the boundary between public and private spaces; when necessary, the glass is sandblasted to permit light yet preserve privacy.
Photo © Laszlo Regos Photography.

Detroit Public Schools Central Maintenance Hub, Detroit, by VanTine Guthrie Studio of Architecture, with contractor Huntington Construction, for the Detroit Public Schools
The maintenance building offers a fine example of the adaptive reuse of an abandoned industrial facility that upgrades the surrounding neighborhood. The architects were able to carve exterior space out of the existing shell to create a useable exterior room that creates a sense of place and beacons further development. Additional skylights bring more welcome light to the deep floorplate. The jury noted that this project proves that it is possible for a humble maintenance building to be architecture.
Photo © Justin Maconchie.

Detroit Public Schools Children’s Museum, Detroit, by VanTine Guthrie Studio of Architecture, with contractor Huntington Construction, for Detroit Public Schools
The Children’s Museum showcases clever adaptive reuse of the 1913 Detroit Edison Substation in Detroit’s New Center Area. The building is part structure, part exhibit as it evokes the industrial forms of Detroit’s history. A new, universally accessible entrance ramp clad in Cor-Ten steel engages the existing building as a wrapper.
Photo © Laszlo Regos Photography.

Detroit Riverfront Master Plan, Detroit, by the design team of Chan Krieger & Associates Inc.; Yamasaki Associates Inc.; Mark English Associates Inc.; and Tucker, Young, Jackson, Tull Inc., for The Detroit Riverfront Conservancy
This second half of a master plan for riverfront redevelopment efforts will, when complete, create a revitalization that runs from Belle Isle to the International Bridge. The architects say that the major challenge was providing creative leadership that allowed a framework for public, private, and governmental participation that resulted in a shared and thus implementable vision. The end product will feature a new meandering riverfront drive, a five-mile riverfront promenade, and four new recreational places “where the city meets the river.”
Graphic courtesy of the architect.

Ford Rouge Factory Tour Center, Dearborn, Mich., by HarleyEllis, with contractor Walbridge Aldinger, for the Ford Motor Company
Conforming to the Ford Motor Company’s “green building” philosophy, this new visitor center serves as the gateway for touring the assembly line. Incorporating sustainable design strategies that include a roof-mounted photovoltaic array, green roof, rainwater collection system, and an HVAC recovery system, the architect earned one of only 21 national Gold Level LEED Accreditations from the U. S. Green Building Council. An innovative 40-foot-tall “green wall” trellis around the building perimeter reduces heat gain.
Photo © Justin Maconchie.

New Detroit Science Center, Detroit, by Neumann/Smith & Associates in association with BEI Associates, Inc., with construction manager Walbridge Aldinger, for the Detroit Science Center
The New Science Center takes a Modern stainless-steel icon with its vibrant red brick IMAX theater, designed by William Kessler, FAIA, in 1977 for a cash-strapped institution, to the next level. Even though the architects added 42,000 square feet, doubling the original building’s size, they achieved a remarkable transparency with glass cladding. Additional corrugated metal siding and bright colors evoke Detroit’s industrial heritage and complement the existing structure.
Photo © Justin Maconchie.

Oakland Schools Office and Conference Center, Waterford, Mich., by French Associates Inc., with contractor Barton Malow Company, for Oakland Schools
A restrictive site housing wetlands and an existing building largely determined this new building’s S-shaped footprint. The 153,000-square-foot structure can been seen from all sides of the site and offers views from workstations—all within 25 feet of a window—that co-join natural light with views of the wetlands. Inside, a soaring three-story atrium employs branched columns and wood decking to evoke a tree-like canopy.
Photo courtesy of the architect.

Ruicci Residence, Farmington Hills, Mich., by VanTine Guthrie Studio of Architecture, with construction manager V I G Construction Management, for Joe & Maina Ruicci
This contemporary addition to a traditional house adds an exciting dimension to both. The new addition’s strong sculptural form controls the views of the older portion of the house and the wooded site. Siting of the single-room addition creates a courtyard between existing and new with a grouping of trees at its heart. Custom-designed furnishings include an entertainment system, built-in couch, and elevated dog bed.
Photo © Beth Singer Photographer Inc.

University of Michigan Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studies, Ann Arbor, by SmithGroup, with contractors Barton Malow Company, J. C. Beal Construction, and J. L. Judge Construction Services, for the University of Michigan
This restoration spruced up a 1938 building by William Kapp of Smith Hinchman and Grylls, the Detroit firm that has evolved into SmithGroup. This building contains some of the most breathtaking spaces on the university’s campus, and its renovation was sensitively handled with deference to the original architect, the jury said. The architects were able to restore all of its important decorative elements, inside and out, while upgrading the building’s systems and infrastructure and improving its safety, accessibility, and sustainability.
Photo © Justin Maconchie.

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