| AIA's 2010 Institute Honor Awards for Interior Architecture |
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| Thursday, 21 January 2010 10:51 | |
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As mentioned is the previous article, The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has selected the 2010 recipients of the Institute Honor Awards, the profession’s highest recognition of works that exemplify excellence in architecture, interior architecture and urban design. Selected from over 700 total submissions, 28 recipients located throughout the world will be honored in June at the AIA 2010 National Convention and Design Exposition in Miami. All images courtesy of the AIA The jury for the 2010 Institute Honor Awards for Interior Architecture includes: Daniel H. Wheeler, FAIA, (chair) Wheeler Kearns Architects, Inc.; David H. Hart, FAIA, Utah Capitol Preservation Board; Audrey A. Matlock, AIA, Audrey Matlock, Architect; Audrey Stokes O'Hagan, AIA, Audrey O’Hagan Architect and Clive R. Wilkinson, AIA, RIBA, Clive Wilkinson Architects.
The Cathedral of Christ the Light; Oakland, CaliforniaSkidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP and Kendall/Heaton Associates, Inc.
CHANEL Robertson Blvd.; Los Angeles
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| Last Updated on Tuesday, 26 January 2010 12:28 |
Zoning restrictions dictated preservation of an existing building, which was stripped down to the bare wood frame. Through the open street façade a gently rising promenade passes through three distinct “zones” to a semi-obscured stair hinting at continued exploration above. The U-shaped first floor is organized around an exterior courtyard with a plaster façade punctured by 17 uniformly sized openings. The unifying courtyard is present in each ‘room’, but always freshly orientated in both plan and section.
The architect’s ultimate goal was to shape, within the one hundred year old shell of this previous National Biscuit Company bakery building, a simple yet texturally and spatially rich interior that integrates the context with the food service both functionally and metaphorically. Inspired by chef and owner Tom Colicchio’s culinary approach of uncomplicated respect for the ingredient, all furnishings and fittings, such as the walnut and steel dining tables, were designed to celebrate their materials and the simple craftsmanship used to assemble them.
The challenge was to design a single space that functions well as a cafeteria, practice gym and performance hall. Solving the acoustic challenges of these varied uses led to a solution derived from a sushi roll - absorptive on its outermost layer with a thin, reflective inner layer. Attention is paid to detailing the wood panels to distribute sound appropriately for performances while protecting light fixtures and mechanical systems for use as a gymnasium.
Customers enter as performers on a stage, stepping into the elevated, double-height proscenium at the front of the store. The spatial sequence unfolds down a full-width, white Corian grand stair, which transitions into the more intimate display and changing area at the rear of the space. With LED backlighting, the steps appear to float; they double as seating for special events or a display riser with translucent acrylic platforms. Reflecting the juxtapositions that characterize Vera Wang’s fashion design, the material palette is based on a series of complementary contrasts.
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