CHARLESTON, West Virginia – The West Virginia Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, AIA West Virginia, has announced the winners of the AIA Top Design Awards for 2021, and four of the winners are in Morgantown.

Thirty-two project submissions and one submission for Chapter Crafts were reviewed by a five-person jury led by the team of Marc Goldmon and Paul Matheny, directors of Matheny Goldmon Architecture + Interiors, LLC, an award-winning company at Huntsville, Ala Two honorary awards, two merit awards and three citation awards have been selected. The announcement was made during a festival event on June 22 at the Clay Center in Charleston, W.Va.

Paradigm Architecture of Morgantown won both an Honorary Award for Excellence in Architecture and an Award of Merit. The West Virginia University College of Business and Economics Startup Engine Project won the Honorary Award and represents approximately 7,500 square feet of incubator and co-working space for new businesses under the University Place Garage in Morgantown , West Virginia.

The project includes offices, an accelerator for new businesses, meeting space for more than 200 people, offices for program directors, a community kitchen and conference rooms. In addition, all the space is readily available with advanced technological capabilities such as video conferencing and virtual presentations. The mission of the program is to attract, select and accelerate startups focused on the sectors / industries identified in the West Virginia Forward report with the aim of supporting the diversification of the state’s economy. The startup engine supports this diversity through industry-specific, cohort-based business development programs. The program helps startups refine their ideas, access seed capital, develop mentoring relationships, and partner with existing businesses.

The Award of Merit celebrates the work of Paradigm Architecture for its work on the Mylan Park Aquatic Center, a state-of-the-art 89,000 square foot swimming and diving facility that houses an Olympic-size competition pool, diving well, and more. a community recreational pool and outdoor paddling pool.

The Mylan Park Aquatic Center is more than new recreational equipment for Morgantown. It is a “quality of life” facility that sets a new standard for opportunities to improve the health and well-being of residents. It also adds athletic, entertaining and economic energy to serve as a valuable catalyst for community and regional growth.

Desmone Architects of Morgantown received a design citation from Leidos at the Westridge Commerce Center. New construction of a 30,000 square foot one-story building for the Morgantown, W.Va. office of information technology company Leidos. The two metal buildings are connected by a long conventional steel-framed area where one of the main corridors is located. Offices and spaces for employees are placed in the larger form and several conference rooms and reception space are located in the smaller form.

The interior spaces are arranged along a central corridor axis, with widened space nodes where transverse corridors intersect. High open ceilings, slatted windows, and an abundance of interior and exterior glass provide abundant natural light for users.

Williamson Shriver Architects, Inc of Suncrest Elementary School’s Charleston Design won a citation. Suncrest Elementary School is a new K-5 Elementary School in Morgantown W.Va. established by closing the existing Suncrest PK3 Elementary School and the boundaries of North Elementary School to reduce overcrowding. This project was jointly funded by Monongalia County Schools and the School Building Authority of W.Va. in the spring of 2014.

The main focus of designing this school was a large STREAM (science technology, reading, engineering, art, and math) lab that the whole school could use. The SREAM Lab included a large flexible teaching space with two adjoining classrooms demarcated by functional glass partitions. One of the classroom spaces provides specialized learning materials focused on the science curriculum. The second is a more flexible use space with direct connections to the adjacent art lab. In the large space there is a work room and a circulation desk for the media center spaces. An Art Walk corridor was incorporated behind the administrative area which provided space to display student work. This corridor is used daily by students as it connects the academic areas with the dining room and the gymnasium.

Silling Architects of Charleston received an Honorary Award for Excellence in Architecture and an Award of Merit. The honorary award went to the new Martinsburg Police Department and City Court project. With a growing police department and municipal court operations, the city of Martinsburg needed additional space for these services. Working closely with representatives from the city, the police department and the municipal court, Silling provided programming services and developed a graphical fit test as a way to demonstrate how the program could fit into a new building. built on the purchased property.

Overall, the conception of this new justice establishment is contemporary and relevant in its historical context. It is transparent and accessible while maintaining safety and security. It cares about the well-being of its public court users as well as its judicial and law enforcement personnel, and it is executed in a way that elevates the spirit of the place and adds value to its context. .

“To say I’m proud of this building would be an understatement. I am simply delighted. I think this is the finest municipal police department and courtroom in the state of West Virginia, ”said Chief Constable Chief Swartwood.

Silling Architects also received an Award of Merit for the Lofts on 5th project located in the historic downtown district of Fernandina Beach, Florida.

Edward Tucker Architects of Huntington won a citation for Highlawn Elementary School in Cabell County. The new school was located on the site of the old Enslow School, which had been vacant for many years. Enslow’s structure was demolished to make way for the new building, with only the existing gymnasium remaining to be incorporated into the new design. The existing driveway and utilities that ran through the site were redirected to allow for a more secure campus plan.

The design of the new building features brick details that pay homage to the historic context of the neighborhood, while incorporating modern elements such as the timber frame and metal panels. Natural materials and earthy colors create a comfortable learning environment, with plenty of windows providing a feeling of openness and access to daylight. The edge of the building defines a central courtyard for the playground.

“These awards are a celebration of architecture in West Virginia,” said Matt Breakey, president of AIA West Virginia. “This is a wonderful opportunity to come together with peers, clients and partners in the design and construction industry to recognize design excellence and celebrate the role of design in our built environment and its importance to the communities in which we all live and work. We are delighted to celebrate in person at the Cultural Center in October and appreciate the response from the public who saw the winning creations in June.