Eighteen University of Maryland architecture students were recognized for inventive, sustainably-minded design projects at this year’s AIA Maryland Excellence in Design Awards, sweeping each category at both the undergraduate and graduate level. This year’s jury, a roster of established practitioners, industry leaders and educators, also recognized several alumni in the jury citation, merit and honor categories. Winners were celebrated in a virtual ceremony on September 30, 2021.
UMD’s 2021 AIA Maryland Design Excellence Student Winners:
Undergraduate Beginning Design:
Winner: Zhengha Gong, Hashtag: Commercial Sector (James Tilghman)
Undergraduate Upper-Level Design:
Winner: Thomas Vite, Woven Landscape (Marcus Cross)
Jury Citation: Kaitlyn Briller, Canopy (Marcus Cross)
Graduate Beginning Design:
Winner: Fadi Alajati, Pineyard Housing (Peter Noonan)
Jury Citation: Adeola Okubadejo and Maryam Bana Zada, Columbia Air Visitor’s Center (Julie Gabrielli and Amy Gardner)
Jury Citation: Adeola Okubadejo, Destination Baghdad (Madlen Simon)
Graduate Upper-Level Design:
Winner: Andrew Walker, Cayler Point (Ming Hu)
Jury Citation: Melonee Quintanilla, Strong Foundation: Harlem Park, Baltimore’s K-8 School (Peter Noonan)
Jury Citation: Eric Resnick, Juanita Li, Gesine Pryor Azevedo, Continuities (Julie Gabrielli and Amy Gardner)
Jury Citation: Daniela Toni, Vacant to Vibrant (Ralph Bennett)
Jury Citation: Bhavishya Venkitaraman, Jemimah Asamoah, Jefferson Choi, Catherine Roach, Rachel Warner, Confluence (Matthew Bell)
Jury Citation: Rachel Cain, The I.R.I.S. (Madlen Simon)
“In a year when our students faced extraordinary challenges, this win is especially poignant,” said Brian Kelly, Director of University of Maryland’s Architecture Program. “It is wonderful to see their tenacity and design excellence recognized in a professional forum and we appreciate AIA Maryland for providing them the opportunity to share their work.”
The AIA Maryland Excellence in Design Awards program recognizes excellence in architectural design by AIA Maryland architects worldwide and AIA member work in Maryland. This annual awards program provides member architects an avenue for peer recognition and honors the architects, clients and consultants who work together to improve the built environment.
UMD’s 12 winning projects were selected among 32 student entries and featured engaging proposals for light-filled school buildings, programmatic assets, dynamic large-scale urban development and transit-adjacent master plans. The jury commended the students for thoughtful, creative and professional-grade work that balanced theme and execution.
Winning projects, which are submitted as a package of drawings and a brief narrative, must be able to speak for themselves and convey a clear and compelling approach to the design objective or challenge. The addition of hand-drawn sketchwork, the jury noted, set winners apart this year and demonstrated a real mastery of the discipline.
“From the standpoint of the jury, when you’re evaluating a design, when hand drawings are presented, they always capture the jury’s attention,” said AIA Juror Christian Sottile. “It was a strategic advantage for projects that did show hand drawn work, and I can tell you as an architect and an educator, it’s probably the single greatest tool you will have to carry through your professional career.”
Alumni Recognized for Revolutionary Design Work
UMD alumni also had an outstanding showing this year, with jury citations, merit and honor awards:
Institutional Architecture Merit Award:
- Daniel Lucenti (B.S. Architecture ’09), Allison Wilson (B.S. Architecture ’09, M.ARCH ’11), Earl Purdue (B.A. Urban Studies ’81, B.S. Architecture ’83), Matthew Doeller (M.ARCH ’15)—Ayers Saint Gross: Bryan Hall Renovation and Pedestrian Bridge, St. Louis, MO
Interior Architecture Merit Award:
- Mark McInturff (B.ARCH ’72), David Mogensen (M.ARCH ’03), Peter Noonan (B.S. Architecture, ’88, M.ARCH ’92)—McInturff Architects: A 15 Year Library for 10,000 Books, Potomac, MD
- Andrew Dan (B.S. Architecture ’89, M.ARCH ’92)—Wiedemann Architects: Gallery and Residence for Collector of Japanese Art, Bethesda, MD
Interior Architecture Jury Citation:
- Mark Nook (B.S. Architecture ’96, M.ARCH ’98), Wadiah Akbar (B.S. Architecture ‘16, M.ARCH ’18), Anastasiya Volkova (B.S. Architecture ’19)—Quinn Evans: AIA Baltimore Center for Architecture and Design, Baltimore, MD
Interior Architecture Merit Award:
- Jon Wallenmeyer (B.ARCH ’83)—SK+I Architecture: Modera Midtown, Atlanta, GA
Multi-Family Architecture Jury Citation:
- Maurice Walters (M.ARCH ’93)—Maurice Walters Architects: A2 Apartments, Baltimore, MD
- Luis Bernardo (B.S. Architecture ’85, M.ARCH ‘87), Michael Goodwin (B.S. Architecture ’90, M.ARCH ’92), Eric Wohnsigl (B.S. Architecture ’91, M.ARCH ’00), Emily Krick Sales (M.ARCH ’02), Alyse Talbott (B.S. Architecture ’08, M.ARCH ’10), Fiver Soraruf (M.ARCH ’08), Seonhee Kim (B.S. Architecture ’04)—Design Collective: RESA, Washington, D.C.
- Alex Comas (B.S. Architecture ’13), Nandor Mitrocsak (B.S. Architecture ’06, M.ARCH ’08)—Cunningham Quill Architects: The Terrell (Short Term Family and Permanent Supportive Housing), Baltimore, MD
Single Family Architecture Honor Award:
- Mark McInturff (B.ARCH ’72), Colleen Gove Healey (B.S. Architecture ’04, M.ARCH ’06), Peter Noonan (B.S. Architecture, ’88, M.ARCH ’92)—McInturff Architects: Chain Bridge House, Northern Virginia
Single Family Architecture Merit Award:
- Mark McInturff (B.ARCH ’72), Colleen Gove Healey (B.S. Architecture ’04, M.ARCH ’06)—McInturff Architects: Georgian Modern, Washington, D.C.
- Barbara Sweeney (M.ARCH ’85)—Wiedemann Architects: Waterfront Farm, St. Michaels, MD
Single Family Architecture Jury Citation:
- Kevin Vandeman, AIA (M.ARCH, M.RED ’12)—Brighton House, Clarksville, MD
Urban Design & Master Planning Merit Award:
- Glenn Neighbors (B.ARCH ’82), Dany Loekman (B.S. Architecture ’98)—Ayers Saint Gross: Ringling College of Art and Design Campus Master Plan, Sarasota, FL