Detroit Architects Earn Awards
The Detroit Chapter of the American Institute of Architects Detroit returned to the scene of its first Honor Awards Program 80 years ago when it met at the newly remade Detroit Institute of Arts on November 21. Nine projects were recognized for their exceptional merit.
A panel of distinguished architects headed by Chair David Craddock of the Ontario Association of Architects chose the winning buildings from among 66 anonymous entries. Craddock is a project manager with NORR Limited Architects & Engineers of Toronto, Canada.
| Indian Springs Metropolitan Authority James Clarkson Environmental Center Springfield Township, Michigan |
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Winners of the awards include:
Indian Springs Metropolitan Authority James Clarkson Environmental Center in Springfield Township and the Western Michigan University Richmond Center for Visual Arts in Kalamazoo both by the SmithGroup, Incorporated of Detroit. Owned by the Huron Clinton Metropolitan Authority.
St. Joseph’s Rebuild Center in New Orleans, Louisiana by the Detroit Collaborative Design Center out of the University of Detroit Mercy and New Orleans architect Wayne Troyer Architects. The owner is the Father Harry Thompson Center.
| University Center, Lansing Community College, Lansing, Michigan |
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University Center Lansing Community College in Lansing by the SHW Group of Berkley.
Allegiant Urban Design in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina by inFORM studio of Northville as consulting architect with architect of record, TAG atelier from South Carolina; owned by LWB Development & Frank Boulineau.
inFORM studio in Northville by its architect and owner.
St. Gertrude Catholic Church in St. Clair Shores by Constantine George Pappas AIA Architecture/Planning of Troy for the Archdiocese of Detroit.
Wentworth Commons Apartments in Chicago, Illinois by Harley Ellis Devereaux of Southfield, Chicago, Los Angeles; owned by Mercy Housing Lakefront.
| Matilda Wilson Aviary Wing, Detroit Zoological Park |
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Matilda Wilson Aviary Wing Detroit Zoological Park in Royal Oak by Luckenbach|Ziegelman Architects, PLLC of Ann Arbor and Detroit earned the Twenty-five Year Award for a work of enduring quality. It is owned by the Detroit Zoological Society and the City of Detroit.
In addition, five individuals were recognized for distinguished service to the profession:
GOLD MEDAL:
John V. Sheoris, FAIA has had two distinct careers. The first as a leading design architect of skyscrapers and hospitals around the world. The second career came about as the result of an award he received in 1982 from his alma mater, Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art. After a trip to New York to pick up a citation, the highest honor given to its alumni for distinguished service in their chosen field, he changed the future course of his career to academia.
| Gold Medal Recipient John V. Sheoris |
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He joined the faculty at Lawrence Technological University, and over many years provided invaluable leadership and service to his students and his colleagues in the College of Architecture and Design.
Sheoris is a Fellow in the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects. He has served numerous professional organizations including the National AIA Committee on Design. He is active with the Detroit Chapter and serves on the Design Retreat Committee for AIA Michigan. In addition, community participation is an important part of his life. He is a member of the Rotary Club of the Grosse Pointes, the Assumption Church long range planning committee, and had 23 years of service on the Grosse Pointe Park Plan Commission.
In addition to a degree from Cooper Union (AR51), he holds Bachelor (1953) and Master of Architecture (1954) degrees from Yale University.
In 2002 the American Institute of Architects Michigan picked Sheoris for its President’s Award. The award honors architects who work in corporate or education settings. He is Professor Emeritus of Architecture, College of Architecture and Design for Lawrence Technological University.
BLESSING AWARD:
Dennis W. Archer, JD put himself through college, graduating from Western Michigan University in 1965. His first job was teaching children with learning disabilities in the Detroit public school system. He attended law school in the evenings and, together with his wife, they both earned law degrees while working and raising their two sons.
Archer worked as a trial lawyer until 1986 when he was appointed to the Michigan Supreme Court, a position he held until 1990. He was elected as mayor of Detroit in 1993 and served two terms before returning to private practice.
Charles Alexander Blessing, FAIA was the most prominent figure in American city planning when he retired in 1974. He was an architect, engineer, artist, and planner who believed that Detroit should be a first rate city. In making this award AIA Detroit seeks to honor a person who shares Blessing’s vision of what a great city can be. Planning began under the Archer administration for projects like Campus Martius and Ford Field that have improved the urban landscape of Detroit.
YOUNG ARCHITECT AWARD: The award goes to
Thomas M. Roberts, AIA. He is an advocate for urban development who built his own home in a redeveloping area of downtown Wyandotte. This award recognizes an architect for exceptional contributions to the profession who is less than 40 years of age.
Roberts has invested in his hometown community in many other ways and is an advisor to the Planning Commission and City Council. He is known for his inventive designs for modern structures as well as seamless additions to historic buildings.
After a stint on the east coast following his graduation from the University of Detroit Mercy, Roberts came back to Detroit and worked with some of the city’s leading architects; Luckenbach | Ziegelman and McIntosh Poris Associates in Birmingham; Kessler | Francis | Cardoza Architects and SmithGroup of Detroit.
Currently, he is a designer with GunnLevine Architects of Detroit and is also an adjunct professor of design at the School of Architecture at the University of Detroit Mercy.
HONORARY AFFILIATE MEMBERS: Two Southeast Michigan leaders will be added to the list of Honorary Affiliate Member of the Detroit Chapter of the American Institute of Architects.
Terese Ireland, Executive Director of Pewabic Pottery and
Daniel Zechmeister, PE, head of the Michigan Masonry Institute, will join a roster of people who are not architects but have made important contributions to the Detroit area’s quality of life.
The American Institute of Architects Detroit, headed by Mark Nickita, AIA, of Birmingham, is a chapter of the 83,000 member national organization. The mission of the Honor Awards program is twofold: 1) to show the public “What Architects Do” and to inform about the value and importance of architectural excellence and 2) to enable architects to better understand notable achievements so that excellence becomes the standard.