Announcing the 2015 TAP Innovation Award Recipients

Rather than abandon the notion of BIM, the 2015 AIA TAP Innovation Awards emphasizes how this array of new practices and technologies will further enable project delivery and enhance data-centric methodologies in the management of buildings for their entire lifecycle, from design to construction and through operations.

AIA TAP endeavors to enliven the discourse on how these innovations can advance the profession and practice of architecture and further the mission of the institute.

In the program’s eleventh year, 2015 AIA TAP Innovation Awards emphasizes how these innovations can further the mission of the Institute.

View the profiles linked below:

Exemplary use in a Small Firm
Award Recipient
D-Bridge
Point B Design

01 – Exemplary use in a Small Firm, Point B Design.

Jury Comments:

What a unique project! Its strength lies in the connection between design software and fabrication and then construction. It is evident the team has labored hard to integrate software and change practices to incorporate structural analysis and fabrication knowledge into the design process. There is a clear connection between the design decisions executed and constructability with the bridge between home and gallery high tech/low tech stainless steel pre-fab honeycomb pieces. The IPD (integrated project delivery) type of collaboration exhibits efficiency and control of fabrication. Very nice construction sequencing and equally nice use of BIM workflows.

Stellar Architecture
Award Recipient
Emerson College Los Angeles
Morphosis Architects

02 – Stellar Architecture Emerson College Los Angeles

Jury Comments:

A truly remarkable entry. A home for undergrad housing program to expand the social aspect of education outdoor screening area connection to weather data optimization of minimal waste used colocation live/work aspect 2030 Challenge/ LEED Gold. It exemplifies Stellar Architecture and possesses several innovations in addition to a solid high performance building portfolio. The exciting elements that should be noted are the two types of skin elements, the folded panel solar screen, and the kinetic shading system. A clear winner with extraordinary building technologies.

Delivery Process Excellence
Award Recipient
Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Lab
Ayers Saint Gross

03 – Delivery Process Excellence Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Lab

Jury Comments:

This is state of the art BIM practice implemented at the University of Delaware. A science lab federated model shared with fabricators, system coordination, a wide array of applications/software, and robotically controlled bulldozers. The open exchange of IFC files between design and construction are important. Innovations that also caught the jury’s attention included mobile screens and an open exchange of files between design and construction.

Delivery Process Excellence
Honorable Mention
Collaborative Life Sciences Building
SERA Architects and CO Architects

04 – Delivery Process Excellence Honorable Mention Collaborative Life Sciences Building

Jury Comments:

This was a well written and impressive submission. New ground was broken here in project delivery with an impressive outcome. This is a huge complex program consisting of three different owner organizations, LEED platinum building, challenging architectural parties and was completed in an incredible 38 months. They have a clear presentation of the tools used and the savings identified. The scale and speed at which they used the technologies and processes here make this project stand out.

Look for the Awards Brochure in June. To learn more about AIA TAP (technology in architectural practice), visit them online here.