AIA Recognizes 12 State-of-the-art Designs of Schools and Learning Centers

The American Institute of Architects’ (AIA’s) Committee on Architecture for Education (CAE) is recognizing 12 projects for state-of-the-art designs of schools and learning centers.

The Education Facility Design Award jury selected seven facilities for its Awards of Excellence and five projects for its Awards of Merit. Complete details for each project are available on AIA’s website.

To be eligible for AIA’s Awards of Excellence, the architect must demonstrate exemplary practice. Additionally, the design must meet a host of criteria, including enhancing learning in classrooms; balancing function with aesthetics; establishing a connection with the environment; being respectful of the surrounding community; demonstrating high-level planning in the design process; and integrating sustainability in a holistic fashion. Awards of Excellence were bestowed upon the following:

Blakely Elementary, Bainbridge Island, Wash. | Mithun

Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Complex, Boston | Payette

John W. Olver Design Building, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Mass. | Leers Weinzapfel Associates

King Open/Cambridge Street Upper School & Community Complex, Cambridge, Mass. | Arrowstreet Inc. and William Rawn Associates

Knox College Whitcomb Art Center, Galesburg, Ill. | Lake|Flato Architects

Little Star Montessori Infant & Toddler, Winthrop, Wash. | Prentiss + Balance + Wickline Architects

TIDE Academy, Menlo Park, Calif. | LPA Design Studios

Projects selected for the Awards of Merit are recognized for being of superior quality. This year’s recipients include:

John Lewis Elementary School, Washington, D.C. | Perkins Eastman DC in association with Perkins Eastman Architects

Nueva School, Science and Environmental Center, Hillsborough, Calif. | Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects

Seattle Academy of Arts and Sciences Middle School, Seattle | LMN Architects

Thaden School Reels Building, Bentonville, Ark. | Marlon Blackwell Architects