Last week, the San Francisco chapter of the American Institute of Architects celebrated and awarded themselves with a gin-fueled soirée in SoMa. It's no surprise that Morphosis' Fed Building won an Honor Award as a "slender eighteen-story tower punctuating the San Francisco skyline" with a "democratic layout (that) rejects the corner office." Congrats, but whatevs— we all knew that one was coming. Let's move on to some of the other notable winners:
1) Designed by Brand + Allen Architects, 185 Post Street won not only an Honor Award, but also a spot at the top of today's re-cap by Chron architecture critic John King. While the judges kept it cool with the archi-speak— excerpt: "texture and history of the existing façade provide visual depth and detail that enriches the character of the glass skin"— King got a little hot and bothered, describing the building as "a skin-tight, see-through blouse." Eyebrows: raised, with much amusement.
2)The evening might as well been re-dubbed the Stanley Saitowitz / Natoma Architects Awards Ceremony, as the firm took home 5 total awards, including a Merit Award for 1234 Howard Street and an Honor Award for the restaurant, Conduit.
3) Fougeron Architects nabbed an Honor Award for their sleek Tehama Grasshopper warehouse conversion. As per the judges:: "The rigidity of the original concrete structure is broken down in a subtle interplay of light, surfaces, levels, and indoor and outdoor spaces."
4) Our favorite do-good designers at Public Architecture won a Citation Award for their unbuilt Day Labor Station proposal. Comments: "the Station and accompanying advocacy initiative elevate the debate about their role within the fabric of the community."
For a full list of winning projects with photos and commentary, see the AIASF website.
· Place: 185 Post St. among winning buildings [SF Gate]
· AIA Design Awards [AIA website]
[Images via AIASF.org]