AIA Orange County Honors LPA with Eight Awards

LPA earned eight awards across six categories at the annual American Institute of Architects (AIA) Orange County Chapter Design Awards Gala, staged in a virtual ceremony Oct. 1. In addition to the honored projects, LPA Managing Director Damon Dusterhoft received the President’s Award for his outstanding service to the chapter.

During the ceremony, AIA Orange County President William Itzen praised Dusterhoft’s work with younger architects. “The value of mentorship in and through our relationships is immeasurable,” he said. “A mentor like Damon… figures out how to make time for you, encourages you and your goals – even beyond architecture.”

LPA’s design of Lake Hills Chapel received the chapter’s 25-Year Award, which recognizes local architecture that has stood the test of time. The 6,500-square-foot chapel, which was designed for vocal and instructional musical presentations, uses traditional forms in a contemporary manner and reflects the church’s mission to be “simple, strong, elegant and timeless.”

LPA’s study of the performance and cost-effectiveness of a mass timber office development received special recognition in the Inspire Category for research that provides innovative solutions to challenges facing the built environment. Jurors liked “the amazing long-term sustainable aspects to this construction system and were impressed by the amount of effort to research and analyze the structural, mechanical, and aesthetic benefits.” This was an important demonstration of how steel and concrete can be replaced by a more renewable and sustainable resource in a common building typology, the jurors said.

“I am incredibly proud of our integrated teams of architects and engineers and the projects honored by the AIAOC this year,” LPA President Dan Heinfeld said. “The awards represent a diversity of project types that reflect our practice and are a testament to our commitment to building performance as a catalyst for design excellence.”

This year’s event included an interactive element, with participation from viewers to vote for a project in a new category called “The People’s Choice Award.” LPA’s projects honored by the AIAOC Design Awards are listed below.

Commercial Category

Environmental Nature Center Preschool – Honor Award

The Environmental Nature Center Preschool, a school for children ages 2 ½-5 that delivers nature-based education and lessons of sustainability, is a LEED Platinum and net-zero facility recently honored by AIA National as a COTE Top Ten recipient, the highest industry honor for sustainable design. Jurors “unanimously celebrated [the design] as an exemplary project for sustainable design that gets it right in so many ways.” The architectural response is sophisticated and there are several special moments throughout the project where seating areas and break out spaces create their own microclimates within the site, jurors said.

eSTEM Academy – Merit Award

Eastvale eSTEM Academy is a state-of-the-art three-story campus that features a multi-layered series of connected colabs and flexible learning environments, where learners can solve problems in bright, vibrant environments that promote creative thinking. “This project graphically addressed the AIA Framework for Design Excellence, which revealed a very process-rich and thoughtful architectural response,” jurors said. They noted the attention to energy performance, stormwater treatment, and engaging with the community in the design process.

CSUSB Center for Global Innovation – Citation Award

The California State University, San Bernardino Center for Global Innovation (CGI) is a LEED Platinum, 70,000-square-foot, three-story building that houses classrooms and administration offices for the College of Extended Learning. The building integrates a meaningful social experience with academics on campus. Jurors appreciated the siting of this project, noting how the building offers lively outdoor spaces protected from strong winds and sun, while orienting to the mountain views that surround the site. The architects responded to a difficult climate and were able to accomplish a lot with what was certainly a challenging budget, jurors said.

Commercial Interiors Category

LPA Irvine Office – Merit Award

The LPA Irvine Office transforms a typical shell office space into a sustainable/collaborative work environment. The 55,000-square-foot space achieved LEED CI Platinum certification and meets the 70 percent energy efficiency benchmark of the AIA 2030 Commitment. The three-story space displays the firm’s work process and culture, focusing on energy efficiency and wellness. The jury unanimously appreciated the strong, clean, and simple design, noting that it successfully pushed sustainability by elegantly repurposing a 15-year-old shell and core building into a dynamic working environment.

Residential Development Category

Normandie Supportive Housing – Honor Award

The Normandie Supportive Housing project, located in Los Angeles, is a 75-unit permanent supportive housing development that creates a new delivery model for developing affordable housing. The design utilizes single use recycled shipping containers that are prefabricated off-site. Jurors noted the refined material palette, and the judicious use of color to add depth to the exterior. “A thoughtful and creative way to address low income housing,” jurors said.