University of Miami School of Architecture (U-SoA) faculty, students, and leadership enjoyed an unforgettable night at AIA Miami’s Design Awards Gala, taking home nine awards.
Prof. Allan Shulman’s firm, Shulman + Associates received 4 awards: in the Architecture Less Than 50,000 SF category, the Honor Award of Excellence for the Billboard Building, in the Divine Detail category, (2) Merit Awards of Excellence for the Butterfly Stair and the Betsy-Carlton Hotel, and in the Interior Architecture category, the Citation Award of Excellence for the MOOD Life Club.
Among the most iconic, the Billboard Building, located at the entrance to Miami’s Design District, at the intersection of Interstate 195 and NE 2nd Avenue (the district’s N-S main street), exploits its location to maximum effect. The project combines a 3-story 1920’s commercial building with a slender addition that rises more than 90 feet. The addition embraces the old building, with the wrapper forming a billboard that faces the highway corridor on one side, and an art-wall that faces the district on the other. The architectural integration of the two buildings contrasts the ornate stucco façade of the original, with the transparent, scenographic qualities of the tower.
Prof. Jose A. Gelabert-Navia, and his firm’s Perkins and Will team won a Design Award for the Ridge Hospital in Ghana.
In the Student Design category, Lorena Knezevic received the Merit Award of Excellence for the Epee Academy and Camille Cortez, was presented with the Student of the Year Award by U-SoA’s representative on the AIA Board of Director, Wyn Bradley.
In the Unbuilt category, Dean Rodolphe el-Khoury won the Honor Award for Excellence with his team at RAD-UM, Christopher Chung and Veruska Vasconez for Bio-Display. Finally, Dean el-Khoury’s Leadership in Education Award sealed the evening in Red Carpet fashion. The AIA Miami Gala was a night of tremendous recognition for U-SoA, and we salute all the nominees and winners!
