Wednesday, November 4, 2009

American Institute of Architects; Architecture and Community Heritage, Inc.; and Fort Wayne Downtown Improvement District Team Up for Design Awards

The Fort Wayne Chapter of the American Institute of Architects; ARCH, Inc.; and the Fort Wayne Downtown Improvement District announced yesterday that they have joined forces in presenting their design and preservation awards at a combined reception / awards celebration which will begin at 5:00pm on the second floor of Chase Bank in the AEP auditorium at One Summit Square in downtown Fort Wayne on Wednesday, November 11, 2009.

“Representatives of our organizations wanted to recognize outstanding achievement in design and preservation,” said Cory Miller, AIA, and Associate at SchenkelShultz Architecture, and Design & Practice Chairman for the Fort Wayne chapter of the American Institute of Architects. “Providing an annual opportunity to celebrate and reward best practices and design excellence was something we – as organizations with like-minded goals - could do better as a group than individually.”

Angie Quinn, Executive Director of ARCH, noted “The preservation of our community treasures is accomplished building by building, project by project, through the efforts of individuals who see the value of good design. AIA and DID share those goals with ARCH.”

Richard Davis, President of the Downtown Improvement District, welcomed the opportunity to join what is expected to become an annual collaborative awards celebration. “While our 91-block area represents a smaller concentration of potential projects to recognize, the downtown contains a disproportionate number of the significant achievements, both in terms of architecture and community heritage.”

Davis cited the recently-completed Parkview Field, the current restoration of the Allen County Courthouse, and the additions to Trinity English Lutheran Church as examples of large-scale downtown projects in which design is the critical element.

The collaborative design and preservation achievement awards will be presented following a reception which will which will begin at 5:00pm on the second floor of Chase Bank in the AEP auditorium at One Summit Square in downtown Fort Wayne on Wednesday, November 11, 2009.

Those wishing to attend should RSVP Lori Graf at 426-5117.

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