NEW YORK, NY.- The eminent juries convened for the AIA New York Chapter’s Design Awards announced the thirty-four winning projects at a symposium on Monday evening at the Center for Architecture.

The thirty-four selected projects and the architecture firms behind them – many of whom were on hand for the event – represented exceptional work by AIA New York members in four categories: interiors, architecture, unbuilt work, and new for 2010, urban design. Each winning project, granted either an “honor” or “merit” award, was chosen for its exemplary originality. The criteria used by the juries included design quality, program resolution, innovation, thoughtfulness and technique. Jurors included San Diego professor Teddy Cruz and Los Angeles luminary Craig Hodgetts, FAIA, and Canadian architects Brigette Shim, Hon. FAIA, and Gilles Saucier. There were 425 entries in four categories, including close to two hundred submissions in the architecture category alone.

Design Matters
“We want the world to appreciate New York architecture and New York architects,” said Anthony Schirripa, FAIA, IIDA, the 2010 AIA New York Chapter President. “The design that comes out of New York is important, and the Design Awards celebrate the great work of architects, planners, clients and consultants who are inspired by and constantly inspiring our great city. Design matters— especially here and now.”

The symposium was moderated by William Menking, editor-in-chief of the Architect’s Newspaper. Menking led the jurors in a lively discussion of the winning projects, which were selected from hundreds of submissions for work located around the globe. “The juries brought fresh perspectives on New York’s architecture and design,” said Menking. “Jurors understood the importance of the client-architect relationship, and picked projects that highlighted that good architecture is more than luxury—it’s what works best for the end user, be it a government agency, a nonprofit organization, or a private business.”

“This year’s awards prove that good design isn’t just expensive design,” said Rick Bell, FAIA, Executive Director of AIA New York Chapter. “The recession has hurt our industry, but it hasn’t damaged our sense of what makes a successful project: environmental consciousness, a socially responsible program, and aesthetic delight.”

This is the first year that the Design Awards program has included an Urban Design Award. Teddy Cruz, Maurice Cox, and Julie Eizenberg, AIA, reviewed the entries, and picked four projects. “The public is really key,” said Julie Eizenberg, AIA, of Koning Eizenberg Architecture. The winning designs shared “a generosity of spirit, a clarity in communication, and a joy in what design can bring to communities.”