Our designs for ResilientSEE, Morrow High School, Sycamore Gateway Plaza, and Lodge One at Camp Southern Ground earned high recognition at this year’s NOMA Conference. In honor of our late colleague and friend, architect Phil Freelon, the awards celebrate projects that demonstrate “outstanding architectural design work.” Here’s a recap:
Resilient Planning at Multiple Scales: Puerto Rico (ResilientSEE)
Vision Category – Honors Award
ACADIA+Autodesk+NOMA Computational Design Award – Honorable Mention
The Vision Category, which recognizes non-commissioned work, honored—a global alliance that addresses the climate resilience challenges that Puerto Rico faced as a result of Hurricane Maria. Led by Yanel de Angel and Gautam Sundaram, the analysis and design of this project are a part of a framework that helps municipalities, like Toa Baja, understand their vulnerabilities and strategically identify solutions through data analysis.
ResilientSEE also received honorable mention for the ACADIA+Autodesk+NOMA Computational Design Award, which recognizes exceptional projects that creatively explores computational design thinking toward societal and/or environmental goals. The jury was impressed with the team’s use of computation in environmental and social analysis, and in the powerful visual communication of the project.
Our collaborative partners on ResilientSEE are NASA Develop, MIT Urban Risk Lab, Álvarez-Díaz & Villalón Architecture and Interiors, WSP, Moffatt & Nichol, and SGH.
Morrow High School in Morrow, Georgia
Unbuilt Category – Citation
The new Morrow High School will be an uplifting learning environment for a predominantly Black working-class neighborhood in the suburbs of south metro Atlanta. To be completed in 2022, the data-driven design of this state-of-the-art facility prioritizes safety, wellness, and sustainability. The corridor in the S-shaped academic building, for example, provides abundant daylighting in an otherwise narrow space. The project site also includes an athletic building with basketball and volleyball courts to encourage students to stay active.
Greenville Town Common, Sycamore Hill Gateway Plaza in Greenville, North Carolina Unbuilt Category – Citation
Sycamore Hill Gateway memorializes the historic African American downtown community and their landmark church, Sycamore Hill Missionary Baptist. Both were removed during a 1960’s Urban Renewal project, which displaced families and businesses, leaving lasting scars on downtown Greenville. When completed in 2020, the design of Greenville Town Common will serve as a place for healing and celebratory remembrance of the Sycamore Hill community.
Camp Southern Ground, Lodge One in Fayetteville, Georgia
Built Category – Citation
Lodge One is the latest step in the continual growth of non-profit Camp Southern Ground. The camp’s mission is to provide unique camp experiences for children from varied socioeconomic backgrounds, races, and religions. The design team for Lodge One used computation design software to visualize various iterations that optimized daylighting and direct visual connection to nature, while mitigating heat gain. The lodge also includes numerous flexible sleeping rooms and multipurpose spaces used for camp activities, group therapy, and rehabilitation workshops.
These projects represent some of the many ways we continue to honor Phil Freelon’s legacy. In 2019, the year NOMA renamed the awards after him, our work on Destination Crenshaw—what will be the nation’s largest outdoor art and cultural celebration of African American culture—received an Honor Award.
