The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) presented the agency’s top awards in design on March 15 for 19 federal projects that represent the best contributions in architecture and arts at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, DC.
The GSA Design Awards has taken place biennially since 1990 but had not been held since 2016. This year’s ceremony honored projects that were completed between 2016 and 2022. The Honor Awards and Citations recognize federal employees and the project architects, engineers, landscape architects, urban designers, interior designers, artists, conservationists, and preservationists whose exemplary work benefits the people who work in and visit federal buildings in communities nationwide.
“I’m thrilled to honor the professionals who have contributed their time and talents to ensure that federal buildings nationwide are vibrant, contributing parts of their communities,”said GSA Administrator Robin Carnahan. “Through these awards, we are reaffirming our belief that excellence in design means creating spaces in which the federal government can deliver government effectively while also providing great overall experiences for the people who work in and visit federal facilities.”
“GSA’s Design Awards are evaluated by a panel of jurists who are private-sector leaders in the fields of architecture, landscape architecture, engineering, sustainable design, and construction. To be recognized by a jury of peers is a great distinction for the project teams and celebrates the power of public buildings,” said Public Buildings Service Commissioner Nina Albert
The awards were presented by Carnahan, Albert and GSA Chief Architect, Charles Hardy.
Winners are:
(Note: “on the boards” means during the eligibility period, the project was not yet substantially complete.)
Honor Awards
- Columbus Land Port of Entry, Columbus, New Mexico (Honor Awards – Architecture and Landscape Architecture)
- Department of State Workspace Prototypes, Washington, DC (Honor Award – On the Boards)
- FBI Central Records Complex, Winchester, Virginia (Honor Award – Construction)
- The Fruit of the Spirit, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Honor Award – Art)
- Hedge Wedge, San Diego, California (Honor Award – Art)
- The Robes of Justitia, Nashville, Tennessee (Honor Award – Art)
- United States Courthouse, Los Angeles, California (Honor Award – Architecture)
- Yosemite Falls, Los Angeles, California (Honor Award – Art)
Citations
- Arthur J. Altmeyer Federal Building, Woodlawn, Maryland (Citation – Architecture)
- Captain John Foster Williams U.S. Coast Guard Building and Seawall, Boston, Massachusetts (Citations – Construction and Engineering)
- Convent Avenue and Juarez-Lincoln Land Ports of Entry, Laredo, Texas (Citation – Construction)
- Dwight D. Eisenhower National Memorial, Washington, DC (Citation – Landscape Architecture)
- John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, Cambridge, Massachusetts (Citation – On the Boards)
- John F. Kennedy Federal Building, Boston, Massachusetts (Citation – Preservation)
- Red Neon Circle Fragments on a Blue Wall, Dayton, Ohio (Citation – Conservation)
- Robert C. Weaver Federal Building, Washington, DC (Citation – Workplace)
- Tomochichi Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse Annex, Savannah, Georgia (Citation – Urban Design and Planning)
- United States Custom House, San Ysidro, California (Citation – Preservation)
- USC Consolidation- Conrad B. Duberstein U.S. Post Office and Courthouse, Brooklyn, New York (Citation – Workplace)
Along with the presentation of awards, the ceremony also included a visual retrospective to mark the 50th anniversary of the agency’s Art in Architecture (AiA) program.
“This year as GSA’s Art in Architecture program marks its 50th anniversary, we have the opportunity to marvel at the incredible collection of artworks commissioned for federal buildings over the past five decades,” said GSA Fine Arts Director Jennifer Gibson, who keynoted the event. “These artworks, which become part of the fabric of a community, are the result of an individual artist’s creative talent and vision. They are also evidence that artistic expression in our democratic society is something to cherish and celebrate. It will be fascinating to see what the next 50 years bring and how artists continue to contribute to this federal art legacy.”
For more information please visit the GSA Design Awards webpage.
