An area restoration project wins top architecture award

The Philadelphia chapter of the American Institute of Architects announced its annual awards Wednesday, and once again the city's young firms were strongly represented among the winners.

Unusually, the top honor, the Gold award, was given for a restoration project. Martin Jay Rosenblum & Associates won for its work on the Spreter Studio in Gladwyne.

The Moto DesignShop, which has not won in previous years, took two awards, an honor in the built category for its Sixth Street Gallery and Apartments, and a second honor awarded in the unbuilt category for its Grid House.

Other emerging firms represented among the winners included Plumbob for its Thin Flats condos, and Erdy McHenry Architects for the Piazza at Schmidts, projects that are both located in Northern Liberties. Erdy McHenry was also honored for its Radian apartments in West Philadelphia and for its unbuilt Lumen-Air House.

In the built category, Michael Ryan Architects took honors for its Point Drive Residence, and Bohlin Cywinski Jackson received a merit award for its Marcus Nanotechnology Research Center Building.

KieranTimberlake Associates, which has run away with the awards in past years, picked up merit awards for two college projects, Silliman College at Yale University and its West Campus Residential Initiative at Cornell University.

Another merit award went to Kelly/Maiello, Architects & Planners, for its Philadelphia City Hall Envelope Restoration. Populace Office won a merit award for its Loft LS.

In the unbuilt category, Wallace Roberts & Todd received a silver award for its Roosevelt Plaza and a merit award for Stevens Institute for Engineering and Science Innovation, in New Jersey.

The jury also singled out specific design details and gave awards for "Divine Details" to Moto DesignShop for a corner detail on its Sixth Street project. Tantillo Architecture was honored for a wall element at International Plaza, Building Two.