Architectural firms win regional honors

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Two Memphis architectural f irms claimed three of 16 design awards from among 120 entries submitted by architects in Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Arkansas.

Winning Honor Citations in the 2013 Gulf States Region of the American Institute of Architecture were archimania and brg3s/TRO Jung Brannen.

archimania won an Honor Citation for the in- terior design of the new Leadership Memphis headquarters on South Main.

The organization that develops civic leadership wanted a new street-level location that was open and visible.

One juror wrote, “This interior renovation introduced new energies and vibrancy into the leadership program — both figuratively and literally.”

Another said, “The simple and elegant organization of elements created a graphic plan that works both in two dimensions, as well as three.”

A juror also said, “The bold yellow divider and extension is exciting and creative.’’

The design of the Memphis Area Transit Authority Airways Transit Center won an Honor Citation for brg3s/TRO Jung Brannen. About 75 percent of the 30,000-square-foot building at 3033 Airways is used by Greyhound.

One juror commented: “Whereas most buildings usually have canopies that take away from the overall design, the architect created bus canopies that actually take the spotlight of design and made this proj- ect into one that caught the jury’s attention.”

The 30-foot deep bus canopies angle up about 20 degrees, suggesting the wing of an airplane and the movement of travel.

Another juror wrote, “The canopies are a strong element that looks to the future of intermodal transportation.”

And, “Site strategy is strong with the flow of the buses determining the slight canting of the building which then drives the angularity and sense of ‘freedom’ that travel embodies.’’

archimania also won a Merit Award for its interior design for the Mercer Capital offices on the 26th floor of Clark Tower, 5100 Poplar.

A juror said of the design: “Understated, yet refined detailing and use of minimal color palette results in a strong crisp interior.’’

Said another “The architect showed a good balance of restraint and refinement with just the right moves to bring it all together.’’

Another juror said, “It is very effective in its challenge to connote a differ-

ent sensibility for its client with a new, yet classical and timeless motif.”

The awards were presented this month when Gulf State architects gathered in Denver to celebrate the 2013 Honor Awards program.

According to organization officials, jurors noted that the Gulf States architects seemed to have “similar sensibilities about culture and place.”

The jurors, architects from Charleston, SC., were headed by program chairwoman Belinda Stewart of Eupora, Miss.