Smart Design
2 local firms come out on top in the 2010 American Institute of Architects' Southern Arizona Design Awards
Judges
• R. Allen Eskew, FAIA (Jury Chair), Eskew Dumez Ripple Architects, New Orleans, LA
• Judith Kinnard, FAIA Schwartz-Kinnard, Architects; professor of architecture at Tulane School of Architecture, New Orleans, LA
• J. David Waggonner III, FAIA Waggonner & Ball Architects, New Orleans, LA
990 Office
Rob Paulus Architects, robpaulus.com
A 30-year-old auto repair shop turned modern office space boasts rainwater harvesting, passive solar orientation, a striking undulating wood-slat ceiling, and cleverly repurposed materials from the original business—awaiting Silver LEED certification.Red Rock Canyon Visitor Center Contact/Fee Station
Line and Space LLC Architects, lineandspace.com
As the first stop into this conservation area, the new station improves on existing fee booths, using materials that blend with the surrounding landscape. Aperforated steel skin around the buildings, a canopy structure, and windows with vertical louvers offer staff and visitors functionality without masking the view.One North Fifth
Rob Paulus Architects, robpaulus.com
The readaptation of the 1969-built Martin Luther King Jr. apartment building (above) puts a fresh, modern spin on the residential spaces, while adding 9,000 square feet of commercial spaces at street level. The new commercial space invigorates the area and creates a more aesthetic stretch for pedestrians.
San Diego National Wildlife Refuge Center Visitor Contact Station & Administration Building
Line and Space LLC Architects, lineandspace.com
The wide-open design of this new building blends into the landscape.To conserve resources it utilizes active and passive heating and cooling, photovoltaic panels, natural ventilation, water harvesting, and an orientation to accommodate the area's solar paths.