American Institute of Architects, California Council (AIACC) has awarded Dreyfuss & Blackford Architects with the 2013 AIACC Firm Award. The jury praised the practice’s ability to achieve a delicate balance between producing high quality architecture and having a long-standing commitment to mentorship. This award is the highest honor the AIACC can bestow on an architectural practice and Dreyfuss & Blackford Architects is the first Sacramento-based firm to receive it.
The American Institute of Architects, California Council (AIACC) announces Dreyfuss & Blackford Architects of Sacramento as the 2013 AIACC Firm Award recipient. This annual award is the highest honor bestowed on an architectural firm by the AIACC, recognizing firms who have consistently produced distinguished architecture for a period of at least 10 years.
Established in 1950, Dreyfuss & Blackford Architects is known as a high-quality, design-oriented regional practice that is a leader in sustainability. The firm has a well-earned reputation for creating enduring, contextual modernist buildings and environments. Since the success of its first major commission in 1959, the Sacramento Municipal Utility District Headquarters, Dreyfuss & Blackford has consistently been selected to design complex, large-scale projects intended for long-term use, a remarkable achievement for a relatively small firm. The innovative use of steel frame construction and pre-cast concrete have long been hallmarks of the firm’s work, as seen in its award-winning headquarters for CalPERS, the Public Employee Retirement System, Sacramento. Since 2000, Dreyfuss & Blackford has also explored new ways of planning open, light work environments for high security control centers such as the California Emergency Management Agency headquarters, Sacramento, and the California Independent System Operator headquarters, Folsom.
Mentoring future generations of architects is central to the firm’s culture. Under the leadership of principals John Webre, AIA; Kris Barkley, AIA; Gus Fischer, AIA; Peter Saucerman, AIA; Jason A. Silva, AIA; Scott Shannon, AIA; and Courtney McLeod Golden, AIA, the firm provides internships for high school and college students and promotes professional development amongst its staff of twenty-eight, pairing seasoned professionals with emerging architects on its project teams. The Awards jury praised Dreyfuss & Blackford Architects as “the complete package” for an architectural firm. “They have achieved the ideal balance between quality design and mentorship. Their commitment to community involvement is impressive, and their collaboration with other firms sets them apart.”
Dreyfuss & Blackford Architects has received over 100 regional and national awards for its work, including previous recognition from the AIACC with its 2003 Savings By Design Energy Efficiency Integration Award. In 2012, the firm received a Green Leadership Award from the Sacramento Business Journal for its leadership in environmental, energy-efficient design.
The AIACC congratulates Dreyfuss & Blackford Architects on this impressive accomplishment.
