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Notably, the other two honor awards in sustainable design went to renovations of historic buildings.

For Unilever House (100 VE) in London, United Kingdom — which also recently earned a 2008 national AIA design award — Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates preserved key parts of the historic building while converting the interior to a more modern work space for Unilever's London headquarters. Sustainable design led to a BREEAM rating of "excellent."

Completed in 1931 for Unilever and listed as a Grade II heritage structure in 1977, the building stands on a prominent site overlooking the River Thames. The architects consulted extensively with Unilever, the City of London, and English Heritage. The resulting plan increased the usable space and transformed the interior with reconfigured floor plates and an atrium. Carbon emissions were reduced by 25 percent.

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM) was recognized for its restoration of the Inland Steel Building in Chicago, Illinois. Originally designed in the 1950s by SOM's Walter Netsch (1920-2008) and Bruce Graham, the landmark tower now provides flexible, sustainable work space in an "office hotel" model.

The retrofit and interior transformation were designed to meet LEED Platinum standards, both for Core and Shell and for Commercial Interiors, while also satisfying landmark requirements. Active chilled beams in the ceiling and motorized solar shading optimize thermal performance.

A kit-of-parts of furniture, partitions, and coordinated finish palettes avoid the waste of demolition and fit-out. Workstations allow occupants to customize air and daylight preferences. The building also sports a green roof to manage stormwater and reduce the heat-island effect.

Three projects received merit awards in sustainable design: the Heimbold Center, mentioned above; Harvard University Library Services Building in Cambridge, Massachusetts, by Leers Weinzapfel Associates and Samuel Anderson Architects; and Linked Hybrid, a multifamily residential project in Beijing, China, by Steven Holl Architects.

Urban Design

The 55 Water Street Plaza in New York City, by Rogers Marvel Architects with Ken Smith Landscape Architect, brings vibrancy to a previously barren hardscape that looks out over New York Harbor.

New plantings, terraces, escalators, and elevators connect the raised one-acre (0.4-hectare) park with the street below. A new tower on the park's northeast corner houses park amenities and concessions and acts as an inviting lantern at night. Flexible event space can accommodate an ice rink, film venue, or wedding tent. On the south side, a sloping green boasts a changing array of flora. The park ties into the planned "Green Necklace" of parks around Manhattan.

Zakrzewski + Hyde Architects garnered the other urban design honor award for their vision of a green space and urban promenade in the Hudson Square area of New York City. Hudson Square RISE (Raised Integral Surface Experience) was developed with Starr Whitehouse Landscape Architects and Planners PLLC, with input from community organizations, residents, and building owners, in response to a controversial New York Department of Sanitation garage proposed for the site.

The RISE design would cover the garage, creating three park levels, each with dedicated programming: botanical, cultural, or recreational. A series of ADA-accessible pathways would connect the levels, continuing to the rooftops of the largely vacant St. John Center and neighboring UPS building, and ultimately connecting the park to Pier 40 and the Hudson River Parkway.

In the urban design category, four projects received merit awards: Unified New Orleans Plan (District 3 and District 4) for New Orleans, Louisiana, by Frederic Schwartz Architects; Pentagon Reservation: Perimeter Security and Pedestrian Plaza in Washington, D.C., by Rogers Marvel Architects and Ritter Architects; Musiskwartier in Arnhem, the Netherlands, by Robert A.M. Stern Architects; and the 50th Street Ventilation Facility, Long Island Rail Road, in New York City, designed by DMJM Harris.

Winners of the Building Type Awards were recognized at an awards luncheon on April 30, 2008. An exhibit of the winning projects will be on display at the Center for Architecture in New York City through July 2008.

The 2009 awards will highlight the healthcare and housing sectors.

The 2008 AIA NY/BSA Building Type Awards jury comprised three groups. Educational facilities: Jane H. Weinzapfel, FAIA, principal, Leers Weinzapfel Associates Architects, Inc., Boston; John Weekes, AIA, principal, Dull Olson Weekes Architects (DOWA), Portland, Oregon; John Comazzi, Wilkins + Comazzi Design LLC, Ann Arbor, Michigan, and assistant professor, College of Design, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

Urban design: Martha Lampkin Welborne, FAIA, managing director, Grand Avenue Committee, Los Angeles, California; M. David Lee, FAIA, vice president, Stull and Lee, Inc., Boston; Thomas Fisher, professor and dean, College of Design, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.   >>>

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SUBSCRIPTION SAMPLE Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF) was honored for its sustainable renovation of the 1931 Unilever House (100 VE) in London. Photo: H.G. Esch Extra Large Image The dramatic interior renovation of Unilever House was accomplished while preserving the building's historic exterior. Photo: H.G. Esch Extra Large Image SUBSCRIPTION SAMPLE The renovated Unilever House received a BREEAM rating of "excellent" for sustainable design. Photo: H.G. Esch Extra Large Image The Inland Steel Building in Chicago, Illinois, was originally designed by Walter Netsch (1920-2008) and Bruce Graham of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM). Photo: Courtesy SOM Extra Large Image SOM was recognized in sustainable design for its renovation of the Inland Steel Building. Photo: Courtesy SOM Extra Large Image SUBSCRIPTION SAMPLE The recently completed New York Times Building, by Renzo Piano and FXFOWLE Architects, was recognized for sustainable design. Photo: David Sundberg/ Esto Extra Large Image A screen of ceramic rods shades much of the New York Times Building's 52-story tower. Photo: Nic Lehoux Extra Large Image The Queens Botanical Garden Visitor & Administration Center, designed by BKSK Architects, recently received a LEED Platinum rating. Photo: Jeff Goldberg/ Esto Extra Large Image For the 55 Water Street Plaza in New York City, Rogers Marvel Architects converted a previously barren site overlooking New York Harbor. Photo: Nathan Sayers Extra Large Image Hudson Square RISE, a charrette entry by Zakrzewski + Hyde Architects, was the only unbuilt project to receive an honor-level award in the 2008 Building Type Awards. Image: Zakrzewski + Hyde Archictects Extra Large Image   Click on thumbnail images to view full-size pictures.