Schools named best new learning center designs

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) honored 12 North American schools as part of its 2016 Education Facility Design Awards.

The winners have the latest design concepts tailored specifically for students, from early to higher education, and professional development facilities.

The following schools were given the Award of Excellence:

• Henderson-Hopkins School (Baltimore), designed by Rogers Partners and Architects and Urban Designers;
• Mundo Verde Bilingual Public Charter School (Washington, D.C.), designed by Studio Twenty-seven Architecture;
• Regional plant 2 teaching facility at Wake Technical College (Raleigh, North Carolina), designed by Clark Nexsen;
• Richard Ivey building at Western University (London, Ontario), designed by Hariri Pontarini Architects;
• Seton Hill arts center at Seton Hill University (Greensburg, Pennsylvania), designed by DesignLab Architects and BSHM Architects; and
• Vol Walker Hall renovation and the Steven L. Anderson Design Center at the University of Arkansas (Fayetteville, Arkansas), designed by Marlon Blackwell Architects and Polk Stanley Wilcox Architects.

The following facilities were recognized with the Award of Merit:

• Dwight-Englewood School Hajjar Center (Englewood, New Jersey), designed by Gensler;
• Fayetteville High School addition and renovation (Fayetteville, Ark.), designed by Hight Jackson Associates and DLR Group and Marlon Blackwell;
• Gateway Community College’s integrated education building (Phoenix, Arizona), designed by Smith Group JJR;
• Harvard Business School’s Tata Hall (Boston, Massachusetts), designed by William Rawn Associates, Architects;
• Indian Springs School (Birmingham, Alabama), designed by Lake/Flato Architects and Architecture Works; and
• Kennedy Child Study Center (East Harlem, New York), designed by Pell Overton Architects.

To learn more about the winners, click here.