The Brick Industry, Southeast Region Announces Winners For The 2008 Brick Design Awards

Four Georgia-based architectural design firms and their building partners were recognized for skill and creativity in designing with brick at the AIA Georgia Design and Honor Awards Gala Celebration, held during the recent AIA Georgia Architecture 2008: Changing Practice, Changing Communities design conference at the Georgia International Convention Center.

The awards, conducted and co-sponsored by The Brick Industry, Southeast Region, “recognize and honor design achievements by Georgia-based architectural firms.”

The 16 member companies of The Brick Industry, Southeast region produce more than half of the brick supply in the United States. The nine-state territory includes Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Southeastern Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. The Brick Industry, Southeast Region is part of the Brick Industry Association, which is the national association for brick manufacturers and distributors.

The 2008 Brick Design Awards winners include the following.

The President's Award

The President's Award went to Loch Haven, a private residence in Statesboro, GA.

Architect was Daniel E. Snyder Architect, P.C., Savannah, GA, and brick manufacturer was Boral Bricks, Inc.

The owners of the project decided that they wanted a home that was both sustainable and comfortable. One of the strategies in creating this sustainable design was to use local materials. The house is primarily built out of red clay brick and lumber, both of which are in abundance in Georgia; choosing local brick reduced the carbon footprint of the home because materials were readily available and in close proximity.

Honor Awards

An Honor Award went to the Georgia Institute of Technology's Klaus Advanced Computing Building. The architect was Perkins+Will, Atlanta, GA, and the brick manufacturer was General Shale Brick through Alley-Cassetty Brick.

The Klaus Advanced Computing Building is located at the intersection of two major student pathways and creates the eastern entrance to the campus of the Georgia Institute of Technology. It was important that the project be sustainable and progressive, create a sense of harmony with the adjacent College of Computing buildings, and serve as a major gateway statement to the campus' eastern entrance. The project also required an open pedestrian gateway to the south, a structured parking garage and the re-routing of significant underground utilities. Brick's inherent sustainable characteristics met the needs of the client and allowed the building to blend in with the neighboring facilities. The Klaus Advanced Computing Building has earned a LEED Gold Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council because it conserves natural resources and provides a healthy environment for its occupants.

Another Honor Award went to the University of Georgia's Lamar Dodd School of Art. Architect for the project was Menefee+Winer Architects, Atlanta, GA, and the brick manufacturer was Triangle Brick Company, through North Georgia Brick Company, Inc.

Sustainable design and conservation principles, along with skillful artistic processes, were significant in developing the new Lamar Dodd School of Art building. The formal west-facing brick façade addresses the campus Physical Master Plan requirements and serves as a ceremonial “front door” to the building.. The formal brick facility serves as the “perfect frame” to the windows, which provide ideal illumination for the masterpieces housed within.

Merit Award

A Merit Award went to the University of West Georgia's Campus Center. Architect for the project was Cooper Carry, Inc., Atlanta, GA, and brick manufacturer was Boral Bricks, Inc.

The new Campus Center building is the primary recreational facility on the campus of University of West Georgia. The project involved the phased restoration and expansion of the existing Health and Physical Education building and new construction that surrounds and expands the existing facility. The facility needed to capture the energy, sights and sounds generated by the active student body. In addition, to developing a more spacious environment to accommodate the expanding activities the recreational center provided, architect Cooper Carry wanted to design a building that was both sustainable and consistent with the aesthetic of the campus. The exterior of the 131,000-square-foot project was renovated using brick to embody the existing architecture of the surrounding buildings while making it possible for the center to stand the test of time.