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2007 Excellence In Masonry
Award Winning Projects
complete with judges comments
Excellence in Masonry:
The Greene
Architect: Meacham & Apel Architects, Inc.
Michael Karpinski, Meacham & Apel Architects
Engineer: Jezerinac-Geers & Associates, Inc.
Mason Contractor: Anderson Masonry
The jury felt that
this project truly exemplifies a “celebration of brick masonry.” The architect
has skillfully used a variety of references to the historic use of brick in
small-town, commercial buildings of the late 19th and early 20th
centuries without resorting to the pitfalls of being “overly Disneyesque.”
Evidence of this is evident in the manner in which
varied brick coursing and placement within the walls has been skillfully
applied, as well as the effective detailing gained from corbelling at the
cornices. Brick is skillfully used throughout the project to obtain the
desired, abstract ornamentation without resorting to typical, surface
application techniques.
Brick is also skillfully used in the hardscape that
truly enhances the quality of the site development of this project. Few
projects of this type invest in this high quality in the development of the
landscape and hardscape.
In addition to demonstrating the almost limitless
variety of brick available, the jury felt that this project demonstrated the
highest quality in masonry construction and craftsmanship.
This excellent quality
of this project is obviously the result of a total team effort … developer,
architect, general and mason contractors, and masonry products supplier … and
is, in the jury’s mind, most deserving of the 2006 Excellence in Masonry award.
Merit Award:
Hope VI Gateway
Architect The Architectural Group, Inc.
Rick Holmes, The Architectural Group
Mason Contractor: Anderson Masonry
Although this is an
urban design project and … by far … the smallest of the projects evaluated, the
jury felt this project of eight gateway structures to the Southern Dayton View
Neighborhood deserved an merit design award on several accounts.
First; these are the types of important, urban
landscape elements that were historically used to mark the entries or gateways
to neighborhoods or districts. Good urban design …whether applied to new or
revitalized historic neighborhoods … needs to again employ such elements as
these.
Second; the architect’s inclusion of conceptual and
design development drawings informed the jury members of the thought-process
behind this modest-scaled project.
Thirdly; the design and connection detailing of the
stone masonry and ornamental iron is both well done and crafted. These modest
streetscape elements are what they need to be and no more. They do not “shout
out” to be noticed, but rather take their rightful place at the corners of the
streets’ intersection.
Merit Design Award: Reynolds and Reynolds
Phase III (Reynolds University)
Architect: BHDP ( No One Attending) Accepting by Anderson Masonry
Mason Contractor: Anderson Masonry
The jury felt that
this project deserved a merit design award for its outstanding use of masonry on
the exterior of this addition to an existing office building even though masonry
backup was not included.
However, the architects are to be lauded for
juxtaposing the well-detailed, masonry-clad addition against the metal and glass
existing building. The main entrance with the steel space frame on cast,
concrete columns is especially dramatic. The use of rusticated and smooth
faced, cast masonry units to demarcate the first and second stories is effective
as is the use of brick on the landscape lighting pylons leading to the secondary
entrance.
The jury did feel that the inclusion of the applied,
flat-metal panel, “cornice band” below the masonry parapet detracted from the
overall success of the design of the wall.
Masonry Systems Award: Turtle
Creek Township Central Facility
Architect: Architectural Resources Corporation
Mason Contractor: Anderson Masonry
The jury praised
this fire station for being a very rational and strong statement of the
important public safety functions housed within. It makes a strong statement on
the landscape through its use of a limited number of bold building and roof
forms, as well as a limited palette of material colors. It achieves a
recognizable “civic scale” that distinguishes it from … yet does not overpower …
the suburban context in which it is sited.
Without resorting to trite historic clichés, the
architect’s skillful incorporation of arches, contrasting color courses and both
concrete masonry units and brick, resulted in a contemporary piece of
architecture, yet one that the jury felt would be easily understood and
appreciated by the lay public.
The appropriate use of both load-bearing and masonry
systems in the building contribute to its economic sensibilities. The
utilitarian and low-maintenance interiors owe their successful esthetics to the
logical use of masonry.
This seems to be a building that would instill pride in
both the firefighters who live here and who man the apparatus it houses as well
as the citizens who are protected by them. It is a project very worthy of the
award bestowed on it.
Merit Design Award: Fairmont High School
Performing Arts Center
Architect: Ruetschle Architects
Mason Contractor: Hagerman Construction
The jury deems this
substantial addition to a rather, non-descript existing school building worthy
of an award on several accounts.
First; it recognizes that the architects have given
this building a very exciting and recognizable “new, public front-door” and
entry statement. The external image portrayed is one of openness and
invitation … which is especially dramatic and effective in the evening hours
when many of the public events in the performing arts take place here. However,
it is the juxtaposition of this transparency and lightness with the opaqueness
and solidity of the brick and limestone that makes it successful.
Second; Brick and concrete masonry units are used
efficiently and effectively in the major, music practice spaces of this
addition. The reverse, corbelled stair balustrade is an especially noteworthy
detail.
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