At its annual Awards Gala on May 3, the Potomac Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects recognized 17 projects with professional awards. In addition, Daria Gelman and Alexandra Schiavoni, Virginia Tech graduate students at the Washington-Alexandria Architecture Center, and Avantika Dalal, an MLA student at the University of Maryland, were presented with Edward B. Ballard Scholarships. Finally, John G. Parsons, FASLA was celebrated with the Chapter’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Read more: John Parsons Lifetime Achievement Awardee.
The top professional award – the President’s Award – was presented to AECOM for Sense of Place, in the Analysis, Planning, and Urban Design Category.
After years of isolation, the District’s Florida Avenue Market Site (FAMS) is undergoing major urban revitalization that could threaten its historical heritage and cultural diversity, i.e. Gallaudet University. This urban framework plan interweaves deaf culture, sensory rich public spaces and functional landscape infrastructure into safe and inclusive public realms. Landscape elements have been spatially oriented to optimize mobility, openness, visibility, acoustics and awareness. The integration of DeafSpace values uncovered challenges unbeknownst to us as well as remarkable opportunities for enhanced visual, spatial accessibility and tactile sensibility. Our “Sense of Place” is the interaction of design, user-experience and purposeful practices.
Shown here, accepting the award, left to right: Claire Bedat (AECOM), Potomac Chapter ASLA President Steve Cook, Reid Fellenbaum (AECOM), Zhihao Li (AECOM), and Matthew Hill (AECOM).
The following awards were also announced:
Honor Award for Analysis, Planning, and Urban Design
Project: Access Road Ecotones
Firm: Landscape Architecture Bureau
Honor Awards for Built Design
Project: Garden Gateway- Brookside Gardens Entrance and Parking Renovation
Firm: M-NCPPC Montgomery Parks, Park Development Division
Project: University of Pennsylvania – New College House at Hill Field
Firm: Michael Vergason Landscape Architects
Merit Awards for Analysis, Planning, and Urban Design
Project: Crystal City to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Pedestrian Connection Feasibility Study
Firm: Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc.
Project: Sandy Springs Comprehensive Plan & Small Area Plans
Firm: Rhodeside & Harwell
Project: Olmsted Walk Design Guidelines
Firm: Smithsonian National Zoological Park
Merit Award for Communications
Project: Sustainable Landscape Maintenance Manual for the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
Firm: Cheryl Corson Design LLC
Merit Awards for Built Design
Project: Saint Albans Athletic Complex
Firm: WMC Landscape Studio
Project: The Big Splash: A Writer’s Retreat
Firm: Campion Hruby Landscape Architects
Project: Double Vision
Firm: Campion Hruby Landscape Architects
Project: Habitat House
Firm: Jordan Honeyman Landscape Architecture LLC
Merit Awards for Design-Unbuilt
Project: Half Street
Firm: Future Green Studio
Project: Experience Migration
Firm: Smithsonian National Zoological Park and Conservation Biology Institute
Merit Awards for Social Impact
Project: Simon Elementary School Playground
Firm: LandDesign
Project: 8th Street Arts Park
Firm: Lee and Associates, Inc.
Merit Award for Historic Preservation
Project: Rehabilitation of South Capitol Park
Firm: Hord Coplan Macht