2021 Architectural Excellence Special Awards
The Architectural Excellence Special Awards recognize achievements by members, citizen architects, non-members, civic and government leaders, allied professionals, and member firms who contribute to the built environment and the advancement of the profession in the commonwealth.
2021 Special Awards Sponsors
2021 Special Awards Nomination Committee
- Frank Grauman, FAIA – Chair
- Bob Kelly, FAIA
- Michele Dempsey, AIA
- Christa Duelberg-Kraftician, AIA
- Jeff Goldstein, FAIA
- Dominique Hawkins, FAIA
- Greg Kufner, AIA
- Parva Markiw, AIA
- Jamie Ober, AIA
- Jeff Pastva, AIA
- Rob Pfaffman, FAIA
Architecture Firm of the Year | WRT
Every year, the AIA Pennsylvania Architecture Firm of the Year Award recognizes one firm whose passion and practice has produced notable architecture for at least a decade. Deserving firms will have demonstrated excellence in design and leadership through any combination of the following criteria: the breadth and/or depth of their portfolio, a healthy firm culture, influence on the practice of architecture, exemplary outcomes for clients and/or society.
Since its beginnings in 1963, WRT has remained a pioneering firm of people who want to change the world for the better. The firm was one of the first to tackle issues of ecological, social, and economic resiliency with large scale interventions and planning—something it remains committed to today.
And when many firms were in the context of the moment, WRT’s founders established methods and principles that have become commonplace: an interdisciplinary approach that requires collaboration from team members across disciplines, an emphasis on an ethos rather than a signature aesthetic to unify the work, and a commitment to sustainable planning and design.
To ensure that the issues and concerns most important to clients are effectively addressed, WRT guides the development of projects through a process that depends upon a sound understanding of community values and aspirations, obtained through early and continuous citizen involvement, a national perspective on place-based design, and a commitment to understanding the site-specific opportunities and challenges as a basis for strategic decision-making.
WRT’s pioneering spirit infuses its practice to this day, transforming introspection into inventive new ways of serving its communities while remaining true to the firm’s collective values.
Medal of Distinction | Stephen Kieran, FAIA & James Timberlake, FAIA
The Medal of Distinction is the highest award bestowed by AIA Pennsylvania upon a living AIA Pennsylvania member. The recipient shall have made contributions to architecture that transcend local boundaries and have been of benefit to the profession and citizens of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Stephen Kieran and James Timberlake are architects, educators, authors, and founding partners of KieranTimberlake, an internationally acclaimed firm with a portfolio of beautifully crafted, thoughtfully made buildings that are holistically integrated to site, program, and people. Founded in 1984, KieranTimberlake’s achievements are the result of a thorough examination of the craft of architecture and leadership in practice-based architectural research.
Highly innovative projects include the first actively ventilated curtainwall of its type in North America; SmartWrap™, a mass-customizable building envelope; Cellophane House™, a fully recyclable, energy-gathering dwelling. The US Embassy in London, completed in 2018, signifies democratic ideals and demonstrates exceptional environmental leadership with systems to reduce energy consumption that have resulted in LEED Platinum and BREAM outstanding certifications.
Stephen and James both received Master of Architecture degrees from the University of Pennsylvania and were American Academy in Rome Prize fellows in 1981 and 1983, respectively. KieranTimberlake has received over 200 design citations, including the AIA Firm Award in 2008, the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Award in 2010, and five Top Ten AIA Green Awards. Since 2002, they have co-authored seven books on architecture, including the influential book refabricating Architecture and monograph KieranTimberlake: FULLNESS.
50 Year Timeless Award | The Philadelphia Museum of Art and Parkway Campus
The 50 Year Timeless Award recognizes a building that has endured the test of time and still resonates with the design community and the public.
No Pennsylvania building rivals the Museum’s power to shape the public domain. Nationally and internationally, it is instantly recognized as Philadelphia’s iconic identifier. It presides over the city’s foremost gathering place; a place of civic meaning to all citizens, regardless of their interest in Art. A hallmark of the Museum and its most famous attraction, the Rocky Steps, host a steady stream of visitors re-enacting the triumph of the City of Brotherly Love’s favorite fictional son.
Beyond this cinematic moment, the Museum is the backdrop for communal recreation, celebration, commemoration, protest and, occasionally, worship. It’s a reminder of Architecture’s expressive power its ability to touch large and highly diverse communities. And, it confirms Architecture’s status among the Fine Arts.
“Delight” is a word Vitruvius used 2,100 years ago to define Architecture, along with “firmness” and “commodity.” The Philadelphia Museum of Art is truly a timeless example of what he meant. AIA Pennsylvania honors the Museum for its dedication to architectural excellence. We revere the magnitude of its impact on civic life. Looking to the future, we celebrate its commitment to expanding access; and to Art and Architecture’s ability to transcend societal differences in favor of shared civic values.
Impact Designer Award | Erica Cochran Hameen, PhD, Assoc. AIA, NOMA, LEED AP
The Impact Designer Award recognizes a wide range of design disciplines held together by a common goal to design and create a better world through innovative, scalable and measurable solutions. Impact design is rooted in the core belief that design can be used to create positive social, environmental and economic change, and focuses on actively measuring impact to inform and direct the design process.
Dr Erica Cochran Hameen is the Inaugural Department Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, the Co-Director of the Center for Building Performance and Diagnostics (CBPD), Track Chair of the Doctor of Professional Practice program, and Assistant Professor at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU). Her architectural experience includes over 50 educational, media and broadcast, residential, community, and transportation facilities. Erica holds a B.Arch from Virginia Tech, a MS in Sustainable Design and a Ph.D. in Building Performance & Diagnostics from CMU. She leads research projects focused on Design Equity, Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ), energy efficiency and energy policy. She serves on the board of directors for the Green Building Alliance and is a Trustee for the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens.
Emerging Professional Award | Beatrice (Bea) Spolidoro, AIA, WELL AP
The Emerging Professional Award seeks to recognize the exceptional achievements and future promise of a licensed architect and to promote their continuing development. Recipients demonstrate design excellence, leadership in practice, leadership in education, and service to the profession and society.
Bea Spolidoro is an Italian architect in Pittsburgh, PA. She has worked at Rothschild Doyno Collaborative for seven years, and she is now a Principal at Fisher ARCHitecture. Bea has been Serving the Profession as an active AIA member at a local, state and National level. Her volunteering gigs span from leading YAF Pittsburgh to being a judge for the AIA National Honor Awards. Currently, she is Vice President of AIA Pittsburgh. Her Service to Society is manifested through her teaching and presenting on architecture-related topics, showing how design impacts our everyday-lives. Bea is also passionate about designing sustainable, healthy environments. For her, good design should improve both the physical and mental health of people.
Raymond J. Sinagra, AIA, Allied Trades Award | Carpenters Pittsburgh Training Center
The Allied Trades Award, renamed in 2019 in honor of Raymond J. Sinagra’s collaborative, whatever-it-takes spirit and dedication to the AEC community, is presented for contributions to the built environment by a contractor, developer, civil engineer, or other allied professional. The award honors those professionals who bring architects’ work into reality and who uphold the tenets of design, sustainability, and collaboration.
The apprenticeship program at the Carpenters’ Training Center offers a four-year tuition free program in 6 different skilled crafts, Commercial Carpentry, Floor Covering, Pile Driver, Heavy Highway Construction, Millwright and Mill Cabinet. Apprentices are trained in a combination of classroom/workshop and on-the-job training. While completing the classroom/workshop training at the Training Center apprentices are learning valuable skill sets that put them on the cutting edge of the construction industry while also earning college credits towards an associate degree in carpentry. While completing the on-the-job training apprentices are earning a competitive wage along with benefits that allow them to prepare for their future.
Contribution to the Profession by a Non-Architect Award | Micah Gursky
The Contribution to the Profession by a Non-Architect Award honors individuals, corporations, associations or other groups who do not practice architecture. Recipients may be cited for their direct contributions to the profession, applied research, or other through other disciplines that are allied with architects or enhanced the practice of architecture.
Tamaqua is Micah Gursky’s home. His place-focused career began when graduated from Princeton in 1995 and came home to make Tamaqua better. As Director of the Tamaqua Area Community Partnership, a visioning project started in 1994, his first project was creating local historic markers. From there he led Main Street & Elm Street efforts, park improvements, a LISC Community Safety Initiative, the creation of Depot Square Park, and he was instrumental in the restoration of the Tamaqua Railroad Station.
As a 16-year borough councilman, he established a 900-property (Photo #5) locally-protected historic district. He established the Tamaqua Community Arts Center and guides renowned creative-placemaking efforts (Photo #7) such as “Dear Tamaqua” and “Tamaqua Has Heart.” Working with a philanthropist in recovery, he created Hope & Coffee, to support and normalize recovery with a beautiful place to socialize and provide employment for people in recovery.
As Rural Health Clinic Administrator and Director of Business Development, he purposefully locates medical facilities in pedestrian-friendly locations—including his Rural Health Clinic, the Tamaqua Medical Center, and Pennsylvania’s first Family Medicine Residency Rural Training Track.
Reframing the community’s efforts in the innovative “Tamaqua Choose Happiness” plan, Micah is leading an effort to create meaningful connections between people and Tamaqua. “My goal is to make Tamaqua better without changing it,” says Micah, “because we live here.”
Government Award | Larry Newman, AICP
The Government Award is given in to any individual or group working in state or local government that has made significant contributions to the profession and business of architecture and/or the built environment.
Larry Newman, AICP is the founding Executive Director of the Diamond City Partnership – Wilkes-Barre’s downtown management organization.
For 20 years, Larry has led Wilkes-Barre’s downtown revival.
A planner educated as an architect, Larry has always championed design excellence – first within local government, and then in nonprofit service. A leader in Pennsylvania’s downtown revitalization community, his initiatives and his work in legacy cities have been recognized nationally.
Larry is a graduate of Harvard’s Graduate School of Design.
Government Award | David Althoff & Jessica Shirley
The Government Award is given in to any individual or group working in state or local government that has made significant contributions to the profession and business of architecture and/or the built environment.
Jessica Shirley is the Policy Director for the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, a role she has had since 2016. Dave Althoff is the Director of the Energy Programs Office for DEP, a role he has had since 2018. In these roles they have been instrumental in developing and implementing policies to address one of the most important issues facing the world today: Climate change.
In the latest update to the Climate Impacts Assessment Report, developed by staff overseen by Jessica and Dave, the need for energy-efficient buildings is made very clear. Hotter temperatures will make energy-intensive things like air conditioning and other cooling more important, with a projected average of 37 days over 90 degrees every summer by 2050, up from the average of just 5 days around the turn of the century. Buildings need to withstand heavy rainfalls like those we’ve seen this year with Hurricane Ida, and even farms and farmers will need to adjust to warmer and wetter weather to ensure crops and livestock can be safely stored and housed.
The recently released 2021 Climate Action Plan outlines several ways that building design, construction, and renovation can both reduce emissions and improve livability. Weatherization and energy efficiency improvements to new and existing buildings are a key component of fighting climate change.
In addition, the EPO’s Clean Energy Program Plan (CEPP cover) outlines actions and plans of DEP to ensure that Pennsylvania is on the path to an energy efficient future. Under Dave and Jessica’s leadership, DEP is working to reach long-term goals through improvements to our built environment.