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2024 Design Awards Honor Recipient //award Honor //project details Architect: Brooks + ScarpaProject Location: Venice, CaliforniaPhotographer: Jeff Durkin Breadtruck Films, Brooks + Scarpa This new LEED Gold four-story 35-unit Rose mixed-use 100% affordable apartment structure for transitional aged youths. When kids “term out” as they say when they turn 18 years old and are forced to leave a youth facility, most wind up living on the street because there is no place for them to go. Rose Apartments provides a home to this young adult who would otherwise be living on the street. The building is located where no car is needed. It is situated directly across the street from Whole Foods, 7 Eleven, a laundromat, Lincoln Hardware and a host of other amenities and is just seven blocks from the beach, adjacent to the toney shops and restaurants on the eclectic Rose Avenue in Venice.  Taking cues from the nearby Horatio Court, built in 1919 by Irving Gill, the building is designed around an elevated courtyard above ground level commercial space.  The courtyard typology has existed in Los Angeles for more than a hundred years. It promotes pedestrian-oriented neighborhoods as an alternative to sprawl, creating usable space in the center of the project, instead of unused, leftover space outside of the building volume. According to Ken Bernstein, director of preservation for the Los Angeles Conservancy, a lot of the courtyard apartments build prior to the 1950s, especially in Hollywood and West Hollywood, were part of a search for indigenous architecture,” he says, as much as an attempt to create neighborliness. More than any other multi-dwelling housing, courtyard apartments, “make you feel like you belong to a place.” For people living around the courtyard, the space provides a sense of safety and privacy; the courtyard is a quasi-public space that mediates between the home and the street. //comments An innovative evolution of a courtyard typology, this project creates exceptional spaces that support informal interaction for residents. The jury admires the scale, and the desire to be innovative and still meet incredible performance standards. The scale shift at the front facade is contextual and breaks the massing to accommodate density that otherwise wouldn’t have been had on this site. //framework for design excellence measures Measure 1: Design for Integration Located on the edge of the very popular and trendy Rose Ave in Venice Beach, the project affords access to important community amenities to an extremely popular and pedestrian friendly neighborhood. Because it is housing for transitional aged youths, the project affords equal access for a very low-income tenant population who would otherwise not be able to afford to live in this community. The central feature of Rose Apartments design is an immersive courtyard that mediates between the urban environment and intimacy of the residences. Open to Rose Avenue from the second level but retreated through a series of cascading planters, the courtyard offers residents multiple outdoor gathering spaces and increased privacy, while still reciprocating with the neighborhood around it. Capped by the planted terraces on the upper levels, the courtyard establishes a “picture-frame” that provides views, ample natural light and breezes, and the creation of a sense of place. This much needed affordable housing provides poor youths and disadvantaged populations housing in an affluent area of town where low wage workers are critical but unable to afford to live. It also contributes to the much-needed housing stock in short supply in Los Angeles. Measure 2: Design for Equitable Communities It is located within 1/4 mile of 22 basic community resources. The majority of the tenants do not own cars and daily errands do not require one. The innovative design balances privacy with opportunities to connect with the community. Because Rose Apartments includes 100% affordable units set aside for very low income tenants they have the same access to the pedestrian and resource rich community amenities that would otherwise not be available to them because of the high cost of housing in the area. Measure 3: Design for Ecosystems The project’s location is urban and the previous site was one large 100% impermeable surface lot with a small single story Church building. ‘Flow-through’ planters which act like swales. It incorporates more planting than most urban buildings. Drought tolerant plants and gravel provide storm water retention and habitats for animals. All impermeable surfaces are directed to the ‘flow-through’ infiltration planters and all exterior lights are shielded. Measure 4: Design for Water A Stormwater Management Plan was implemented to promote infiltration, capture and treat stormwater runoff from 90% of the average annual rainfall, using best management practices. The building has been designed such that over 30% of the site consists of vegetative landscaping or permeable surfaces. Impermeable surfaces are directed to on-site infiltration planters, which retain and clean storm water. This results in a site in which over 100% of the surfaces capture storm water in some way. Water savings of approx. 38% above average. Measure 5: Design for Economy We prioritized both first and long-term costs for our non-profit client due to the tight budgets of housing and the need to have no or low maintenance costs for the future of the building. The building envelope utilizes low-cost passive strategies to reduce energy use including increased insulation in the walls/roof, natural cross ventilation and a white roof. Framing efficiencies were utilized: prefab detailed cut list and lumber order, open-web floor/roof trusses spaced more than 16″ and panelized construction. Floor plates, building volumes and shear walls stack vertically, reducing cost and construction waste. Measure 6: Design for Energy This is an all electric building designed to be over 10% better than California’s Title 24 Energy Efficiency standards. Project includeds EV charging, living and green cool roofs, 100% stormwarter retention and all energy star appliances. Measure 7: Design for Well-Being Good design supports health and well-being for all people, considering physical, mental, and emotional effects on occupants and the surrounding community. The design encourages positive informal social interaction among neighbors, acquaintances, and visitors. By welcoming and bringing together the

2024 Design Awards Honor Recipient //award Honor //project details Architect: David Baker ArchitectsProject Location: Vallejo, CaliforniaPhotographer: Bruce Damonte Located just north of downtown Vallejo, Blue Oak Landing provides 75 supportive apartments in two buildings linked by open-air circulation across a courtyard. The project sets a new bar for performance, resourcefulness, and connection to place for permanent supportive housing (PSH) in the Bay Area. The all-electric building—on track for zero energy—was built with modular technology to streamline delivery of much-needed homes for unhoused residents. This project is the architect’s first zero energy PSH and the developer’s first modular project. The 54 mods were fabricated by a local factory three miles from the site and placed over the course of 10 days. Once solar carports are installed, the property is predicted to generate as much energy as it consumes annually. The building greets the street with a strong graphic character defined by an articulated sawtooth edge set off by perforated weathering-steel panels. Within a generous native landscape bordering an urban wetland, the massing is split in two, with bridge circulation framing a visual link to a broad courtyard and creek beyond. Three levels of homes are served by open-air circulation, and homes along the building facade feature south-facing windows shielded from late afternoon sun by extended vertical fins. The airy ground level is dedicated to resident and service uses, including a flexible community room with full-height glazing on two sides. The dynamic yard offers a community patio, resident vegetable garden, universal play area, and dog run. A low-profile fence preserves visual connection to the creek, including views of grazing goats. //comments This was an exemplary project that satisfied every requirement the jury can think of for a project of this type and quality of design. The creative use of prefabrication units is amazing. It considers the needs of previously homeless families as well as the environmental challenges of the site. Coherent and powerful design. //framework for design excellence measures Measure 1: Design for Integration This project sets a new bar for energy performance, resourcefulness and connection to place for permanently supportive housing in the Bay Area. Through a strong partnership between architect and owner, the project abandoned on-site combustion mid-construction, embracing an expansive high-efficiency rooftop PV array and CO2-based central heat pump water heater and putting the project on track to zero energy. A utility easement bisecting an awkward triangular lot led to a building form split into two bars connected by a bridge, with an open lobby creating a link from the street to a generous creekside yard that enhances permeability, stormwater treatment and native habitat in additional to functional program in the form of a series of outdoor “rooms.” Ruthlessly efficient modular construction is combined with features that enhance daylight, views and natural ventilation, and custom fabrication in the facade, entry gate and lobby ceiling, to create an economical building that elevates the human experience and sense of identity. Measure 2: Design for Equitable Communities Modules were fabricated at a factory three miles from the site, a substantial investment in local business. 70% of the factory’s 400+ workforce are local residents, who took pride in building homes in their community. The factory supports union and “fair chance employment”, hiring and training formerly unhoused and incarcerated workers. The project includes space for a nonprofit with intensive behavioral health services that supports County residents to move toward resilience, wellness, and independence. Homelessness impacts communities as well as individuals: By providing stable housing for 180 residents, this community moves people away from Vallejo’s streets and shelters. Measure 3: Design for Ecosystems The site was an underutilized lot along a major thoroughfare in the city of Vallejo, adjacent to a city creek that feeds an important Bay watershed. The project adds much needed housing while also increasing overall site permeability and habitat by integrating the 4-story building with a verdant yard planted with 100% native species and bioswales and hosting a range of outdoor program areas. Although Dark Sky and Bird Safe standards were not a formal reference for design, the design is in general compliance with these design principles. Measure 4: Design for Water This project includes above-average water efficiency measures including 0.8 gpf toilets, 1.5 gpm showerheads, low-water landscape and efficient irrigation design. Measure 5: Design for Economy This project builds upon previous modular projects to realize extremely efficient modular design, with only 54 double-loaded modules for a 75-unit building, and sawtooth design that minimizes on-site construction at the roof level. Factory construction reduced construction time by 10% and a prefab rainscreen system simplified construction sequence of the primary facade. Reliance on raw, natural material finishes and artistic detailing executed in-house by the architect (custom perforation pattern in the gate and facade steel, custom lobby ceiling, and partnerships with local artists) elevates the project while saving costs. Measure 6: Design for Energy Energy efficiency features include a highly-efficient CO2 heat pump water heater, and minimal common area HVAC. The “dog trot” plan and arrangement of program is designed to maximize effective cross-ventilation especially on the ground floor. If residents open their doors to the exterior corridors, they could also find relief in their homes from cross ventilation in an emergency. A rooftop bifacial PV array is predicted to offset 70% of the building’s energy. Solar carports, not yet constructed, will increase PV offset to 100%, making this one of the first zero energy permanent supportive housing projects in the state. Measure 7: Design for Well-Being Similar to ecosystems narrative, although no explicit optimization studies were done or standards followed beyond CalGreen and GreenPoint Rated to ensure healthy environmental benchmarks were observed, the design incorporated best practice fundamentals, such as window size, orientation and shading designed to reduce heat gain and improve visual and thermal comfort; and architect’s base specifications targeting Green Science Policy Institute’s “6 classes” chemicals. Measure 8: Design for Resources ‘The design relies on the finish of raw natural materials (concrete, steel, tile, wood, exposed piping) and maximizes exterior

2024 Design Awards Honor Recipient //award Honor //project details Architect: Studio Gang with TEF DesignProject Location: Santa Cruz, California Photographer: Jason O’Rear Located in an ecologically sensitive environment on the UCSC campus, the Kresge College Expansion reinforces and layers onto an existing heritage campus by MLTW. Kresge College is reinvigorated with a new academic center at the nexus of the original campus street along with a trio of new residential buildings that respond to the University’s pressing need for more student housing. The project’s goal of connecting with the surrounding forest and the campus core is achieved with sensitivity to scale and building placement, always with deference to the majesty of the redwoods, and a newly accessible ravine bridge that provides more welcoming connections to the greater UCSC campus. At the campus scale, the original pedestrian street is extended into an activated loop path, with social spaces that flow into the residential buildings’ shared ground-floor amenities. The street culminates with the new academic center, which employs a technique common to the local polypore fungi to negotiate the site’s steep topography: simultaneously stepping down the slope and flaring out. The expansion builds upon Kresge College’s founding theme of participatory democracy through a process of extensive student and community engagement leading to designs that enhance the original campus by increasing density, connectivity, and vitality. //comments  This is a spectacular project. The buildings were surgically inserted to let nature prevail. A sensitive architectural response to the site, with buildings carefully nested into the redwood forest, and bridging between the buildings, that elevates students above the forest floor. //framework for design excellence measures Measure 1: Design for Integration From the placement of buildings to protect the health and biodiversity of the forest, to the use of mass timber hybrid structures to lower embodied carbon, design decisions were made to serve multiple aspects of sustainability. The residential buildings are woven into the forest to preserve the majority of redwoods and benefit from the shade provided by the tree canopy that reduces cooling loads. Bird-safe fritted glass and large operable windows enable views of nature and natural ventilation, and when combined with a high-performance envelope, reduce the size of mechanical systems. Heat recovery and night cooling eliminate the need for air conditioning while enabling mechanical filtered ventilation to kick in if needed during wildfire or other pollution events. To minimize water demand, the historic runnel system was rehabilitated and woven into circulation pathways and the natural topography to direct, capture, and filter stormwater for reuse. The cumulative impact provides a vibrant residential and academic environment that demonstrates how to live and learn with nature. Measure 2: Design for Equitable Communities Town halls were open to the public, bringing neighboring residents, often alumni, along with current students and faculty to share stories of the original Kresge College and discuss the expansion’s concepts and goals. As one of the largest UCSC projects since the College’s founding, benefits to the citizens of California were often debated in person and the press, providing ongoing feedback to the design team. The Academic Center will provide opportunities for greater research, learning, and collaboration across the UCSC campus, as well as welcome outside visitors, other colleges, lecturers, and the community. Measure 3: Design for Ecosystems A primary driver of the Kresge Expansion and Renewal project design was a reconnection of the living and working spaces to the surrounding redwood forest. The design provides visual and physical connections to the natural environment linking students, faculty, and staff more overtly to their ecosystems. Buildings, open spaces, and circulation were sited specifically to not only protect and connect with existing trees, vegetation, and topography but also to enable habitat continuity for the many nonhuman species inhabiting the campus and surrounding area. Measure 4: Design for Water The design includes a new sustainable water infrastructure with a storage capacity of more than 100,000 gallons. Stormwater is collected from Kresge College’s roofs and hardscapes, treated as non-potable water, and conveyed for reuse as toilet flushing to four new buildings. Two cisterns were installed, pedestrian walkways were widened, the existing runnel system was enhanced, and new circulation paths were integrated into the topography to facilitate a natural process of collecting and filtering stormwater runoff. Lastly, this new infrastructure included connections to the larger university campus, empowering UCSC to take a big step forward toward its water sustainability goals. Measure 5: Design for Economy Several factors contributed to cost challenges over the life of the project. Conceived prior to the pandemic, subsequent delays, wildfires, unusual winter storms, and an accelerating crisis of student housing shortages all exacerbated a history of high construction costs in the difficult Santa Cruz environment. Design and construction strategies to deliver the project with an increased program despite these challenges included net-to-gross efficiency and the use of “gross sf” as informal student study and social spaces, deliberate phasing of site work and staging to construct the four buildings in rapid sequence, and off-site prefabrication of mass timber and pac-wall components. Measure 6: Design for Energy Early in design, modeling iterations were used to identify that investing in the envelope yielded the highest efficiency value—minimizing the cost, energy, and maintenance requirements of mechanical conditioning. Weather analysis and the experience of nearby buildings supported a heavy reliance on natural ventilation for cooling, with airflow modeling utilized to optimize window size and placement to provide summer cooling in the majority of exterior rooms. An underfloor displacement system with night purge to pre-cool the floor slab is used in the auditorium. Heat recovery ventilators minimize winter ventilation loads. Water heating utilizes high-efficiency heat pumps. Measure 7: Design for Well-Being Critical to the design was the provision of fresh air and daylight for all the building occupants. The residential ‘butterfly’ window configurations were specifically configured to increase air movement into and out of the dorm rooms. The mechanical systems were designed with the primary focus on venting via fresh air in lieu of mechanically cooling with refrigerants. The classrooms and

2024 Design Awards Honor Recipient //award Honor //project details Architect: ZGFProject Location: San Luis Obispo, California Photographer: Magda Biernat As the first interdisciplinary building at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, the Frost Center unites three colleges under one roof. The new building houses classrooms, labs, and faculty office space for the College of Liberal Arts, the College of Science and Mathematics, and the College of Agriculture, Food, and Environmental Sciences. The Frost Center represents the future of classroom and laboratory design: open, inviting, and flexible enough to support education priorities for a growing and diverse undergraduate student body. The architecture is defined by brick, metal, and glass, and complemented by a rhythmic repetition of perforated fins. From the outside, the massing creates a scale of smaller, interconnected buildings as opposed to a large, singular building. The exterior materiality flows into the interior architecture, establishing a continuity that deepens the link between the building’s indoor and outdoor environments. The central atrium defines the interior environment and is lined on all sides by flexible tech-enabled classrooms, collaboration and study spaces, laboratories, and offices. Angular, layered, and visually dynamic, the architecture of the atrium offers sightlines and physical paths of connection that unify the various research and teaching modules to create a sense of togetherness, engagement, and shared experiences.  //comments The very large, complicated program feels humane– an incredible solution.  The simplicity of the exterior is a balancing point for the geometry of the massing, and it provides for a richness of interior space.       //framework for design excellence measures Measure 1: Design for Integration To integrate the Frost Center into the undeveloped site, the massing concept is reminiscent of an Italian hill town with individual interconnected tower blocks responding to the site topography and existing buildings. This accommodates large programmatic elements while being respectful of the surrounding campus scale, resulting in a more contextual and accessible building than comparable laboratories of this scale. Creating a healthy, operationally efficient indoor environment was prioritized. This includes healthy indoor air quality, energy and embodied carbon reduction, and enhanced user comfort. A strategy that lowers the building’s energy usage, supports user comfort, and defines the building’s architectural expression are the exterior fins. This shading strategy features vertical and horizontal fins engineered to make floor-to-ceiling windows in the laboratories possible without excessive glare or heat gain. Attuned to specific solar orientations that optimize daylight and energy efficiency, the fins enhance occupant comfort by allowing natural light to penetrate deeply into the building and are calibrated to maximize views. Designed to achieve LEED Gold® certification, the building consumes 30% less potable water than current California efficiency standards, exceeds current Title 24 standards by 20%, and is designed to accommodate future rooftop solar panels. Measure 2: Design for Equitable Communities With the teaching kitchen, computer lab, expressive technology studio, lecture hall, and classrooms that pour into the first-floor atrium, this building is designed to accommodate a range of communities—from elementary and high school students who are brought in for STEM educational programs, to adult education programs for foods sciences and liberal arts. Measure 3: Design for Ecosystems To establish outdoor environments that mutually benefit human and non-human inhabitants, the landscaping is designed to provide a diversity of native and adaptive plants. With the vegetated site area reaching 25%, the landscape design also creates outdoor learning environments that are vibrant with local flora including pollinating and drought resistant species. To protect birds and reduce maintenance, an ornithologist was consulted to finely tune the façade to prevent swallows from nesting on the building. Additionally, the building is sited respectfully in context with one of the largest specimen eucalyptus trees in North America to avoid disrupting its root system. Measure 4: Design for Water This project achieves significant water reductions through water management strategies that address both indoor and outdoor water use. A robust stormwater detention system captures rainwater utilizing detention basins surrounding the building site, with gravity fed wells to introduce rainfall back into the subterrain ground water. Coupled with the selection of native and drought tolerant plants, there is a 50% reduction in outdoor water use. Water saving fixtures in the toilets and labs contribute to the building consuming 30% less potable water than current California efficiency standards. Measure 5: Design for Economy With three colleges moving in, the design team performed analyses on program requirements across the departments to identify overlaps. This allowed the team to avoid redundancies, while ensuring adequate space types and equipment were provided. The building features a high efficiency ratio at 71% due to the large amount of usable collaboration space outside the laboratories and classrooms. Lecture halls and classrooms are also designed to accommodate multiple layouts to suit different styles of lecturing and learning, which means only one venue is needed to accommodate the three colleges and produce different experiences. Measure 6: Design for Energy Laboratories typically have high EUI benchmarks due to equipment, so the team targeted equipment efficiency to reduce the overall EUI. Other strategies to reduce energy demand include lighting power reductions made possible by the exterior fins, demand-controlled ventilation fume hoods and active chilled beams in the laboratories, radiant slabs on the ground floor, and atrium ventilation through stack effect. This strategy eliminated the need for a ducted return or exhaust system at the ground level and the need to actively ventilate or condition circulation areas on upper levels. The result is an EUI that’s 54% below the baseline. Measure 7: Design for Well-Being The façade shading strategy features vertical and horizontal fins designed to make floor-to-ceiling windows in the laboratories possible without solar glare or heat gain. Based on parametric modeling studies, the fin orientation and size optimize daylight and energy efficiency. This improves occupant comfort while maximizing the views towards the hills of San Luis Obispo. Passive design strategies and natural ventilation ensure the building is as healthy as possible for occupants. One hundred percent outside air from air handling units and operable windows in offices

2024 Design Awards Honor Recipient //award Honor //project details Architect: Perkins&WillProject Location: San Francisco, CaliforniaPhotographer: Bruce Damonte Built in 1941, Historic Building 12 was transformed into the beacon of the future Pier 70 site and the heart and soul of the neighborhood. The renovation of Building 12 was envisioned as a vibrant community gathering and event space that is integral and connected to the landscape and overall site offering spectacular views of the San Francisco Bay and the city. The design of Building 12 welcomes visitors to the grand market hall via three colossal red portals and fully operable window walls along key facades to provide maximum porosity between the interior market hall and the surrounding pedestrian plazas and streets. While the ground floor and new mezzanine are open to the public, the new second level will house artisan and maker studios and the former Mold Loft on the upper floor is designed for workplace. Building 12 is intended to be a celebration of local making that engages the public in the act of manufacturing. //comments Exceptional adaptive reuse of a building: the use of the structure, the beautiful execution, the interior spaces. The jury admires the elevation of an old industrial building with new uses that are really very beautiful. The tactic for this architect, which is an appropriate one, was to do no harm to what you find. //framework for design excellence measures Measure 1: Design for Integration To adapt to projected 100-year sea-level rise and to ensure the future resilience of this project, the historic 120,000 gsf Building 12 and the adjacent Building 15 frame were lifted 10’-0” above current ground level. Landscaped site work and the surrounding streets were brought up to the new first-floor level of Building 12 with a new parking area installed beneath the lifted first floor. This effort involved 19 months of planning and 14 months of construction, and included temporary steel bracing, over 1 mile of steel cable bracing and 136 hydraulic jacks. The building was lifted in 6-inch increments until achieving the full 10′ height. An additional project challenge came with translating this steel shed structure into a high-performing building with modern uses. Using THERM analysis to develop the wall assembly along with radiant floor heating in the market hall, a new high-performing curtain wall system, all-electric HVAC, all LED lighting and low-flow fixtures we were able to exceed today’s efficiency expectations for historic renovations. By adaptively reusing Building 12 and providing smart and sustainable upgrades we have diverted waste from landfills and increased the lifespan of this historic resource while preserving a local sense of place. Measure 2: Design for Equitable Communities As the first public building to open on Pier 70 neighborhood, Building 12 has been called the heart and soul of the new neighborhood. As a Maker’s Market Hall and Maker Space, Building 12 will serve the community as a thriving creative hub that provides a venue for the very local act of making. The scale of the main hall along with the public program provides space for a number of different types of events to occur that welcome the community and encourage people to mingle and interact– to share thoughts and ideas through the art of making. Measure 3: Design for Ecosystems While landscape design was not part of the project scope, we did work with the Pier 70 horizontal team to strategically open up the facade at ground level to engage with the surrounding site. The new Building 12 is envisioned as an extension of the city street and surrounding parks. At the main approaches to the building, we designed massive red entry portals with huge 20′ tall folding doors that announce the main entrances to the Market Hall. We also provided secondary window wall openings on the three main facades, essentially letting the outside in and vice versa. Measure 4: Design for Water The deisgn team planned for a variety of uses in the Market Hall, including aerial dance and other performances, large public and private events, and typical daily use. To support these different functions, the furniture is designed to be mobile so that it can easily be stowed away for large events. Areas at the 1st and 2nd levels have been designed to accommodate PDR, retail or office uses and services have been provided to support those different functions. In key areas within the 1st level tenant spaces, we increased the structural capacity to support mezzanines, if needed by the tenants. Measure 5: Design for Economy Textured concrete, tile, and steel screens on the ground level can hold up to the challenges of the urban site, while providing visual interest through color, scale, and texture. The locally sourced tile—in colors inspired by the neighborhood’s heritage—is a durable material that doesn’t fade and is easy to clean and graffiti- and water-resistant. The premium tile material is used judiciously, while the majority of the building is clad in economical, and highly durable fiber-cement siding. Measure 6: Design for Energy Building 12 is operationally all electric, setting a precedent for decarbonized historic building renovations. Heat pumps provide heating hot water to a radiant slab, which combined with natural ventilation and the R-17 wall assembly (well beyond what is required for a historic retrofit) keeps the space comfortable year round while using very little energy. The same heat pumps provide heating to the second floor maker’s spaces, while the third floor offices are designed to be heated and cooled by a variable refrigerant flow system. By eliminate fossil fuels for heating and procuring 100% renewable energy this project is operationally carbon-free. Measure 7: Design for Well-Being In this project, we prioritized health and wellness for indoor air quality and thermal comfort. Carbon filters can be used in the mechanical system during wildfires. The building is naturally ventillated when possible. We also have a decentralized HVAC system, which allows for better thermal comfort and control based on the need of the different uses and spaces in

2024 Design Awards Merit Recipient //award Merit //project details Architect: Bohlin Cywinski JacksonProject Location: Pleasant Hill, CaliforniaPhotographer: Matthew Millman, Jonathan Mitchell Engaged by Pleasant Hill to create its first civic building in many years, we were asked to design a 21st century library, where all ages would feel welcome and encouraged to learn, create, and explore. The City wanted an inclusive community destination and a “signature building” with a timeless, flexible design. The library was conceived alongside three adjacent projects partially located within the Grayson Creek 100-year floodplain, including roadwork improvements, a new multifamily housing development, and future sports fields. Together, the project team mitigated flood concerns, while knitting sites together with bike and pedestrian pathways. Pleasant Hill Library is an exemplary response to numerous Framework measures, including Equitable Communities, Wellbeing, Ecosystem, Economy, and Change. The project’s all-electric, highly energy-efficient design is targeting net zero energy, and includes radiant heating and cooling, natural ventilation with night-flush operability, and a rooftop PV solar array. Its free span central hall provides ample capacity for diverse offerings and allows easy reconfiguration of stacks should programmatic needs evolve. Movable furniture subtly delineates zones tailored to youth, teens, and adults, while bringing pops of color to the interior. A clerestory and large skylights allow natural light to flood the interior. Pavilions off the main hall house a ‘messy makerspace’, ‘story lab’, and a quiet reading ‘retreat.’ Since opening, Pleasant Hill Library has become a vibrant community hub, with nearly 30% more checkouts than the next county branch in its first full year of operation. The library has also hosted nearly 51,000 participants across 548 events. //comments This project got a lot for a little. A beautiful children’s library. The way the building brings daylight in and modulates with these special rooms makes it an exceptional space. There is also a strong sustainability program and landscape design—really strong. //framework for design excellence measures Measure 1: Design for Integration Pleasant Hill Library is an exemplary response to numerous Framework measures, including Equitable Communities, Wellbeing, Ecosystem, Economy, and Change. A thoughtful interweaving of architecture and landscape, the project stretches along the site’s east-west axis, allowing the Grayson Creek riparian corridor room to expand and providing optimized solar orientation. In concert, flood mitigation studies validated site placement, allowing grading adjustments to mitigate stormwater by directing flow around the library. Prevailing southwest breezes are also harnessed for natural ventilation. Pleasant Hill Library is all-electric and targeting net zero energy through the incorporation of passive and active strategies. The primary roof pitches upward to the south, bringing indirect daylight into the main hall through a continuous clerestory. Solar panel arrays are clipped directly to the standing seam metal roof, while large glass windows and curtain walls frame views of native shade trees and drought-tolerant plantings. A radiant concrete slab leverages the regional climate’s large diurnal swing as the primary heating and cooling system. In summer, the slab’s thermal mass naturally cools overnight and provides passive cooling the next day. The slab gradually heats or cools during off hours in advance of forecasted temperatures. The design also integrates a natural ventilation system with night-flush cooling. Measure 2: Design for Equitable Communities The project team coordinated and led extensive programming and community engagement processes with stakeholder groups of all ages through meetings, focus groups, and charrettes to guide the library’s diverse spaces. Out of this process, a consensus was reached to organize the library around an open hall that could function as a community ‘living room’. The decision was made to plan the library as a single-story building to prioritize universal access and ease of circulation to library patrons of all ages. Community engagement also informed the placement of the Story Lab, a flexible gathering and event space. Measure 3: Design for Ecosystems Natural light and views connect occupants to their surroundings. This is particularly evident in the community living room, which looks onto the new bioretention areas and the Grayson Creek landscape. By providing this habitat buffer zone along the Creek, the ecological health of the area has been improved with an expanded riparian corridor. Native oak tree plantings were introduced, along with larger Valley oaks, to blend with the existing creek landscape. Winding pathways bring the public closer to this wonderful resource. Two-thirds of species are locally adapted, drought tolerant native plants that tolerate the recycled water used for irrigation. Measure 4: Design for Water Library site design involved extensive flood mitigation in coordination with adjacent projects. This included raising the finished grades of the library site by an average of 4’, lowering the sports field to accept floodwater, and creating bioretention basins between the library and creek. These basins naturally filter and treat all stormwater runoff from the site – including roof, parking lot, and hardscape – while retaining floodwaters when Grayson Creek overflows. Basins were tested with strong atmospheric rivers during the 2022-23 winter and provided the necessary volume for water infiltration and delay, improving the performance of the local watershed. Measure 5: Design for Economy City and Library desired a flexible space that could adapt to changing needs and provide lasting value. While the new library is smaller than Pleasant Hill’s former facility, it provides a significantly greater diversity of programs. Balancing first costs against long-term benefits, square footage was carefully managed by right-sizing spaces with staff and maximizing use through blended, multi-use arrangements – each space is tasked with supporting multiple functions. Mechanical and electrical systems prioritized long-term value and efficient performance. An in-floor hydronic radiant slab, the primary means of heating and cooling, minimized overhead equipment and ductwork, reducing long-term maintenance costs. Measure 6: Design for Energy The library is currently targeting Net Zero Energy. During the first full 12 months of operation, measured use indicated a positive KWH delta. Ongoing conversations with our client and energy consultant indicate possible explanations including many more people than anticipated using the library as a daily workspace and that the rooftop PV array may not be performing as

2024 Design Awards Merit Recipient //award Merit //project details Architect: The Miller Hull Partnership, LLP in collaboration with Poster Mirto McDonaldProject Location: Tucson, ArizonaPhotographer: Chipper Hatter; Lara Swimmer The Student Success District at the University of Arizona is a groundbreaking addition to the University’s urban fabric, strengthening connections between new and existing structures, activating underutilized spaces both indoors and out, and prioritizing the student experience. This complex project redefines and revitalizes the Main Library and the Bear Down Gymnasium, reorients the entry to the Weaver Science-Engineering Library, and merges them with the new 55,000 SF Bartlett Center for Academic Success.   Envisioned as a unified and universally accessible space that broadens the definition of student support, the District brings together the university’s commitment to academic and research excellence, student support, health and wellness, and the preparation students need to become leaders in the modern workplace. Completed in the spring of 2022, the Student Success District is the place that drives students’ 24/7 development through an array of student support services and spaces based on collaborative, hands-on learning with deep technological engagement.  //comments This is an extraordinarily complex program and site, and the way the architects responded to the creation of new places for students is admirable. This is a great place-making project, a really innovative uplift and reimagining of place. The old and new, inside and outside work well together. //framework for design excellence measures Measure 1: Design for Integration Prior to this project, three important buildings along the Mall at the heart of campus operated as independent, isolated silos. The existing buildings on site spanned 95 years of history, each with a different use, architectural style, grade connection, and floor-to-floor height. Functionally & physically disconnected from one another, the programs within these buildings were hamstrung by a series of band-aid solutions to accommodate evolving programs over the years resulting in interior experiences that felt isolated and were plagued with universal design challenges. By adding new entries on all sides of each building and connecting exterior grades to create a fully accessible landscape, students can now move freely among the district, creating a porosity that enables each building to effortlessly breathe in and out of each other. Outdoor patios and walkways become more than connections between buildings; they provide unique spaces for everything from collaboration to meditation. The design of the district creates cohesion resulting from the treatment of the surrounding spaces and landscape, the seamless interior/exterior passageway through each building, and the aesthetic consistencies of the interiors, with an emphasis on clear wayfinding and the use of vibrant color to promote a sense of belonging and equity. Economy is also a core performance measure for this project. La Fénix is an efficiently designed and durable building with a focus on supporting the local economy. The Energy performance of this project centers on responding to the building’s microclimate, ensuring occupant comfort and control, and creating a high-performing building envelope. Measure 2: Design for Equitable Communities The University serves a diverse range of students from traditionally underrepresented communities, including the Navajo Nation. Many of these are first-generation students who come from family and community backgrounds unable to provide the support that many traditional students take for granted. The programs housed within the District support and prepare students for academic success and develop important life skills necessary for post-graduation success. The physical layout of the District responds to this inclusivity by with open and welcoming buildings and landscape, catering to students who are actively seeking services and welcoming those who may simply be passing through. Measure 3: Design for Ecosystems The University of Arizona lies in the heart of the Sonoran Desert, one of the driest environments in the country, with extremely hot summers and little relief from the sun due to the spare indigenous vegetation that gives little shade. Responding to the unique nature of this place, the landscape between the buildings is planted with native drought-tolerant species and shade structures at the connection points between buildings offer relief from the harsh sun and comfortable outdoor study spaces. The interior finishes reference the vivid colors found in the landscape, and the moments of oasis in the desert. Measure 4: Design for Water The district is situated in an extreme water deprived landscape as Tucson averages only 11” of rain per year. The layout of the district takes advantage of two significant paseos that run between the buildings, designed with a palette of drought tolerant indigenous plantings and dry streams appropriate to the arid desert environment. During the infrequent but deluging storm events, the open arroyos collect stormwater, mitigating flash flooding and directing precious water resources to enhance vegetation to promote shade for outdoor programming and respite. Areas requiring irrigation utilize recycled water, resulting in a 78% reduction compared to baseline. Measure 5: Design for Economy The UofA chose to deliver this project using the progressive design-build delivery method, enabling the design team, the contractor, and the owner to co-create a program ands scope that aligned with project budget. Three of the four buildings in the District were repurposed, setting the stage for the reimagining of these heavily used but underutilized spaces in the heart of the campus. High impact decisions, such as linking Bear Down Gym and the Bartlett Center through exterior bridges rather than an enclosed atrium not only reduced overall project costs but also increased district connectivity through activated exterior paseos. Measure 6: Design for Energy The renovation projects focused on lowering energy demands through increased daylighting, comprehensive lighting upgrades, and upgraded mechanical systems. Daylighting was enhanced through targeted envelope upgrades and reprogramming to remove perimeter private office space and make access to daylight and views more equitable for all building users. Taking advantage of the flexibility of new construction, the Bartlett Center utilized a high performing building envelope with optimized orientation and shading to achieve 25% betterment over the LEED Baseline. All buildings are powered by electricity from purchased solar and wind energy, resulting in a 70%

2024 Design Awards Merit Recipient //award Merit //project details Architect: Brooks + ScarpaProject Location: Santa Monica, CaliforniaPhotographer: Brooks + Scarpa This totally electric “Net Zero” 100% affordable housing project is certified LEED Gold and has an astounding pEUI of 6.6, more than 8x more efficient than typical similar buildings who average 59 pEUI.   Offering shelter and comfort, 1819 Pico eschews the typical neighborhood defensive apartment buildings with solid walls and fences in favor of a carved-out cube, a beacon in the neighborhood that celebrates social space by de-emphasizing private space. Strategically placed windows, purposeful exterior circulation and units that wrap the outer-most edges, orient the 48 apartments to social spaces that are spatially apart, yet visually connected to each other and the street below.  //comments LEED platinum and Net Zero affordable housing is exactly what we need out in the world. The breaking down of the facade gives layering to what was a large street-facing facade. The straightforwardness—the materials that were used, designed for durability at quality and low maintenance—are great qualities to have in a housing project. //framework for design excellence measures Measure 1: Design for Integration Located on the edge of the very popular and trendy Santa Monica Pico neighborhood, the project affords access to important community amenities to an extremely popular and pedestrian friendly neighborhood. Because it is family affordable housing, the project affords equal access for a very low-income tenant population who would otherwise not be able to afford to live in this community. Offering shelter and comfort, Rose Apartments eschews the typical neighborhood defensive apartment buildings with solid walls and fences in favor of a carved-out cube, a beacon in the neighborhood that celebrates social space by de-emphasizing private space. The central feature of the design is an immersive courtyard that mediates between the urban environment and intimacy of the residences. Open to Pico Blvd from the second level but retreated through a series of cascading planters, the courtyard offers residents multiple outdoor gathering spaces and increased privacy, while still reciprocating with the neighborhood around it. Capped by the planted terraces on the upper levels, the courtyard establishes a “picture-frame” that provides views, ample natural light and breezes, and the creation of a sense of place. Measure 2: Design for Equitable Communities This project included four public community meetings, two meetings with the city council and a host of small group meetings with various community groups and stakeholders. It was a rigorous process that included many modifications to the design to get the necessary approvals to construct the project. Thru community workshops a neighborhood non-profit market and food incubator space was added to the ground floor along the street across from Santa Monica College. Measure 3: Design for Ecosystems The project’s location is urban and the previous site was one large 100% impermeable surface lot with a small single story Church building. ‘Flow-through’ planters which act like swales. It incorporates more planting than most urban buildings. Drought tolerant plants and gravel provide storm water retention and habitats for animals. All impermeable surfaces are directed to the ‘flow-through’ infiltration planters and all exterior lights are shielded. Measure 4: Design for Water A Stormwater Management Plan was implemented to promote infiltration, capture and treat stormwater runoff from 90% of the average annual rainfall, using best management practices. Brunson Terrace has been designed such that over 30% of the site consists of vegetative landscaping or permeable surfaces. Impermeable surfaces are directed to on-site infiltration planters, which retain and clean storm water. This results in a site in which over 100% of the surfaces capture storm water in some way. Water savings of approx. 38% above average. Measure 5: Design for Economy We prioritized both first and long-term costs for our non-profit client due to the tight budgets of housing and the need to have no or low maintenance costs for the future of the building. The building envelope utilizes low-cost passive strategies to reduce energy use including increased insulation in the walls/roof, natural cross ventilation and a white roof. Framing efficiencies were utilized: prefab detailed cut list and lumber order, open-web floor/roof trusses spaced more than 16″ and panelized construction. Floor plates, building volumes and shear walls stack vertically, reducing cost and construction waste. Measure 6: Design for Energy This is an all electric building designed to be over 50% better than California’s Title 24 Energy Efficiency standards. Project includes EV charging, living and green cool roofs, 100% stormwater retention and all energy star appliances. Measure 7: Design for Well-Being Good design supports health and well-being for all people, considering physical, mental, and emotional effects on occupants and the surrounding community. The design encourages positive informal social interaction among neighbors, acquaintances, and visitors. By welcoming and bringing together the client, designers, and the community during the design process, it deepened our collective understanding of context, purpose, and unique perspectives to positively influence the human experience throughout the Pico neighborhood communities.   Measure 8: Design for Resources During construction 99% of waste was diverted from the landfill. Materials were selected for their modest first cost and also their no or low-maintenance qualities. Strategies were developed to address durability issues, air quality issues and moisture control. Major materials have HPD certifications, all materials meet the City of Santa Monica Green Building Code, the California Air Resources Board and the South Coast Air Quality Management District’s criteria. Measure 9: Design for Change It is designed to last a minimum of 50 years, which runs with the affordability covenants that are required. The design incorporates passive survive-ability. It minimizes vehicular space in favor of living space and provides multiple transportation options: vehicular, pedestrian, bicycle and electric vehicle. Measure 10: Design for Discovery The project was designed to foster a long-term relationship between the designer, users, and operator to ensure design intentions are realized and the project performance can improve over time and remains easy to maintain. The fundamental basis of the design was meant to promote a sense of discovery

2024 Design Awards Merit Recipient //award Merit //project details Architect: Brooks + ScarpaProject Location: Hillsborough, North CarolinaPhotographer: Mark Herboth Located on a wooded 65-acre site in the Appalachian foothills near the Eno river around Raleigh Durham, NC, the Steeplechase house is designed as a place of reflection and repose – a pavilion amongst the trees that connects to the expansive natural setting. The simple double gable roofs rise to 31 feet high with expanses of glass that allows nature to visually connect to the interior space and help forge a deeper, more meaningful understanding of the relationship between the natural and built environments.    The structure’s reflective glass and black metal exterior give the building an ever-changing presence during the seasons; receding into the forest‘s dappled light in the summer and winter stalk-like tree structures and standing out like a beacon with the occasional winter snow, while the natural plywood interior create a protected and warm gathering place, while preserving the spectacular view into the forest.   The plan is organized around two open gabled volumes for the public and private zones of the house. The kitchen/dining area connects the two sides of the house with a transparent lower scaled gallery like loggia with glass on both sides that feels like a walk in the forest when moving between the two volumes. This transitional space divides and connects the two distinct zones of the house while allowing a sense of spaciousness and escape. //comments This project takes a prototypical and iconic house form and is innovative with it with a modern approach that extrudes that form and then abstracts it. The reflections are beautiful and then the section shifts and serpentines through the site to create a wonderful courtyard space on the inside. //framework for design excellence measures Measure 1: Design for Integration Through an innovative incorporation of natural light, profound connection with nature, and meticulous use of natural materials, the new home was designed to conserve 98% of the existing 65-acre site, while harmoniously coexisting with its natural environment and ensuring minimal disturbance to the natural setting. The design seamlessly integrates large windows and strategically placed skylights, bathing interior spaces in natural light and fostering a vibrant connection between indoor living spaces and the outdoor environment. This architecture employs natural materials not only for their aesthetic appeal but also for their sustainability, enhancing the building’s ecological footprint. The residence’s innovative reinterpretation of traditional gable roof forms, prevalent in the region, further demonstrates a commitment to design excellence. By blending these traditional elements with modern design principles, the residence creates a unique visual language that speaks to both heritage and innovation. This approach results in a building that stands in harmony within its natural setting, offering a forward-looking model for sustainable residential design, thus serving as a beacon of architectural innovation, showcasing how thoughtful design can enhance human and environmental well-being while respecting and revitalizing traditional forms.   Economy is also a core performance measure for this project. La Fénix is an efficiently designed and durable building with a focus on supporting the local economy. The Energy performance of this project centers on responding to the building’s microclimate, ensuring occupant comfort and control, and creating a high-performing building envelope. Measure 2: Design for Equitable Communities Benefits go beyond the immediate occupants by championing eco-friendly practices that positively impact the wider community. Utilizing 100% recycled metal and FSC certified wood products, the building sets a precedent for sustainable construction that mitigates environmental harm. These materials not only reduce the ecological footprint but also inspire local builders to adopt greener practices, fostering a culture of sustainability within the community. Additionally, by showcasing how aesthetically pleasing and functional eco-conscious materials can be, the residence encourages a shift in public perception, promoting environmental stewardship and well-being across the broader societal spectrum. Measure 3: Design for Ecosystems The owners have put in place a plan to conserve and restore the 65 acre site to its natural habitat, supporting regional flora and fauna. No irrigation is provided on the site. All new planting foster habitat restoration but also enhance ecological health, setting a benchmark for future development in harmony with nature. Measure 4: Design for Water All stormwater is managed on site. Impervious surfaces are directed to on-site filtration. Water savings of approx. 38% above average due to low flow fixtures equates to substantial cost savings for both utility domestic and sewer water rates and payback time is less than 1 year. Measure 5: Design for Economy We prioritized both first and long-term costs and the need to have no or low maintenance costs for the future of the building. The design is a balance of economy and strategic enhancement. The design team worked with the general contractor throughout each design phase to identify opportunities for cost savings while maintaining a high-quality, durable, and sustainable design. The building systems were selected for their efficiency and ease of maintenance. Measure 6: Design for Energy Large windows and skylights maximize natural daylight and cross ventilation, reducing the need for artificial lighting. The building is strategically placed to allow existing trees to block direct sunlight during the hottest parts of the day, minimizing cooling demands. High-quality insulation and energy-efficient glazing further reduce energy usage. A state-of-the-art energy management system monitors and controls lighting, HVAC that helps optimize energy usage and ensures that equipment operates at its most efficient levels. Measure 7: Design for Well-Being The well-being of the residents is significantly enhanced by a thoughtful design centered around natural light and cross ventilation. By maximizing the infusion of natural light, the design promotes vitamin D synthesis and regulates circadian rhythms, fostering better sleep and mood. Cross ventilation ensures a constant flow of fresh air, reducing the reliance on artificial climate control, and contributing to a comfortable living environment. The exclusive use of natural, non-toxic materials eliminates off-gassing, safeguarding residents from harmful chemicals, enhancing indoor air quality, and directly benefiting respiratory health and overall well-being. Measure 8: Design for Resources  The design

design awards Thirty-one projects recognized for design excellence will be celebrated in-person on November 15 at Woodbury University’s Burbank Campus //byline For images of winning projects, click here. Contact: trothman@aiacalifornia.org September 18, 2024 (September 19, 2024. Sacramento, CA) Architecture that addresses a diverse group of uses are recognized for their approach to design excellence in 2024. From—affordable and supportive housing that elevates individual lives and dense cities; to a new college nestled amidst a stunning set of trees on an existing campus; to a research and innovation center for a dynamic university in the center of the state of California; and the renovation and renewal of an old industrial building in San Francisco—each of these have been named 2024 AIA Design Awards Honors recipients, the awards program’s highest honor. The five projects—Blue Oak Landing and Rose Apartments; Kresge College Expansion at the University of California, Santa Cruz; California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, William and Linda Frost Center for Research and Innovation; and Building 12—each integrated rigorous sustainability requirements within their design. This work is joined by twenty-six stellar Merit and Citation recipients that include a Girl Scout camp, an international arrivals facility at an airport, a modular home, work places, a library, a center for academic medicine, a music conservatory, single-family residences and more. “This outstanding year of awarded projects delivers the positive impact and influence that architects have on daily lives, whether a building’s users are at work or play, rest or learning,” said 2024 AIA California President Winston Thorne, AIA. “For those who practice the demanding and gratifying field of architecture, 2024 inspires us. It delivers well-conceived, thoughtful placemaking throughout project type.” The 2024 AIA California Design Winners were awarded across three different levels: From highest they are Honor Awards (5); Merit Awards (12); and Citation Awards (14) Each documented how design choices enabled building performance benchmarks. The 2024 AIA California Design Award recipients will be honored on November 15 during a daylong program at Woodbury University. The celebration will connect students of Woodbury University’s respected School of Architecture with award recipients throughout the state through lectures, receptions, and a job fair. “AIA California and the California Architectural Foundation is committed to supporting next generation of design professionals,” said AIA California Executive Vice President Nicki Dennis Stephens, Hon. AIA. “Making leaders in the profession more accessible to students is critical to this goal.” See a full list of recipients below. For images of each project and building performance highlights, click here. HONOR Blue Oak Landing (Vallejo, California) David Baker Architects Offering 75-units of supportive housing, this is an exemplary project that satisfied every requirement the jury can think of for a project of this type and quality of design. The creative use of prefabrication units is amazing. It considers the needs of previously homeless families as well as the environmental challenges of the site. Coherent and powerful design. Building 12 (San Francisco, California) Perkins&Will Exceptional adaptive reuse of a building: the use of the structure, the beautiful execution, the interior spaces. The jury admires the elevation of an old industrial building with new uses that are really very beautiful. The tactic for this architect, which is an appropriate one, was to do no harm to what you find. California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, William and Linda Frost Center for Research and Innovation (San Luis Obispo, California) ZGF The very large, complicated program feels humane–an incredible solution.  The simplicity of the exterior is a balancing point for the geometry of the massing, and it provides for a richness of interior space. Kresge College Expansion at the University of California, Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz, CA) Studio Gang (Design Architect and Architect of Record) with TEF Design (Associate Architect) This is a spectacular project. The buildings were surgically inserted to let nature prevail. A sensitive architectural response to the site, with buildings carefully nestled into the redwood forest, and bridging between the buildings, that elevates students above the forest floor. Rose Apartments (Venice, CA) Brooks + Scarpa An innovative evolution of a courtyard typology, this project creates exceptional spaces that support informal interaction for residents. The jury admires the scale, and the desire to be innovative and still meet incredible performance standards. The scale shift at the front facade is contextual and breaks the massing to accommodate density that otherwise wouldn’t have been had on this site. MERIT Aro Homes (Mountain View, CA) Olson Kundig A solution for a modular house that doesn’t look modular. It integrates a quite contemporary interior with an exterior in a form that’s more familiar to most people, and probably fits into most neighborhoods in a in a more sympathetic way than what we typically see with a lot of modern modular housing. Brunson Terrace (Santa Monica, CA) Brooks + Scarpa LEED platinum and Net Zero affordable housing is exactly what we need out in the world. The breaking down of the facade gives layering to what was a large street-facing facade. The straightforwardness—the materials that were used, designed for durability at quality and low maintenance—are great qualities to have in a housing project. Girl Scout Camp Lakota (Frazier Park, California) Perkins&Will The insertion of a clearly modern typology, or building aesthetic, into nature—done in a way that still brought back the kind of qualities and characteristics of a summer camp in the mountains—was really wonderful. Opulence of experience, but not an opulence of material use. The modular construction was wonderful, and so appropriate for a rural site like this. International Arrivals Facility at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Seattle, Washington) Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) This is a really interesting addition to an already incredibly dense infrastructure. The form of the building in the roof is very appropriate for an airport and was a great fit into the existing context. The bridge—to have a structure that airplanes can scoot around and under—was a very a bold move. The jury appreciates how the section responds in scale to the programmatic pieces underneath as