Peter G. Kuttner, FAIA, of Cambridge Seven Associates, Inc., chair of the jury for the architecture awards, reported that "the jury found themselves fascinated at the craftsmanship in intimate and very personal projects, while simultaneously impressed with the bravura expression in major new projects, and the intelligent restoration of several historically significant buildings."

Three of the award-winning projects in architecture have been covered in detail in ArchitectureWeek: the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art addition in Kansas City, Missouri, by Steven Holl Architects; the Shaw Center for the Arts in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, by Schwartz/ Silver Architects; and the Heifer International World Headquarters in Little Rock, Arkansas, by Polk Stanley Rowland Curzon Porter Architects (which has since received LEED Platinum certification). We've also published the Loblolly House in Taylors Island, Maryland, designed by 2008 AIA Architecture Firm Award winner KieranTimberlake Associates LLP, recently profiled in ArchitectureWeek.

One of the nine architecture honor award-winners new to these pages is the 26th Street Low-Income Housing project in Santa Monica, California, by Kanner Architects. Designed with extensive community input, the 42,000-square-foot (3,900-square-meter) building includes 44 units aimed at low- and moderate-income residents. A linear room arrangement facilitates cross-ventilation, eliminating the need for rooftop air conditioning equipment. A street-fronting community room and a landscaped courtyard provide shared space. Dual-glazed and laminated windows on both street-facing sides minimize street noise.   >>>