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