By Russell Boniface
Associate Editor

Summary: AIA Washington Council hosted its annual Civic Design Awards May 14 in Seattle. Eight projects were honored with awards for civic design. Three projects were given a Citation Award, three a Merit Award, and two an Honor Award.

Magnolia Branch Library, Seattle, by SHKS Architects.

All of the buildings were praised by the jury for transparency, allowing for a connection to the environment and natural light. This lucidity was especially noted as a grand contribution to schools for encouraging children’s growth. The jury also commended the designs for their seamless integration of community purpose with beautiful architecture.

This year the jurors were Rick Sundberg, FAIA, LEED-AP, and principal at Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects; Matt Cohen, Washington State University assistant professor of architecture; and Kathryn Merlino, University of Washington assistant professor of architecture.

AIA Washington Council’s Civic Design Awards
Three categories of awards were presented at the event: Citation, Merit, and Honor.

In the Citation category, SHKS Architects and the Seattle Public Library won for the Magnolia Branch of the Library; Mahlum Architects and the Bainbridge Island School District won for the Bainbridge High School 200 Building; and LMN Architects and the City of Kent won for the Show Ware Center.

In the Merit category, Mahlum Architects and the Tacoma School District won for Gray Middle School; the Miller|Hull Partnership and the King County Library System won for five Design/Build Community Libraries; and Mithun Architects and the Port of Seattle won for the Shilshole Bay Marina.

Winning the Honor Award were Perkins+Will Architects and the University of Washington for the UW School of Medicine Phase Two. And both NAC and Opsis Architects in conjunction with Western Washington University won for the WWU Academic Instructional Center.

View all the images here.