Now in its fifth year, the ARCHI-TECH AV Awards continue to honor outstanding examples of the creative and effective integration of cutting-edge technology into commercial construction projects. ARCHI-TECH magazine partners with InfoComm International® for this prestigious program. During the nomination period, which ran from November 1, 2006, through February 23, 2007, entries were submitted from across the nation and represented project types including, but not limited to: corporate/office, worship, retail, education, medical/health, entertainment, and museum.
Each of the six judges - two architects, two AV integrators, and two technology consultants - independently evaluated the entries by assigning 1 to 5 points in each of six criteria: concept, design, innovation, scheduling, teamwork, and solution. On April 6, the judges discussed via conference call each submission and decided award winners. The projects were recognized on June 18 during an awards event held during InfoComm's annual trade show. The winners are:
Best Project Over $1 Million:Hearst Tower • New York, NYBest Project Under $1 Million:William Beaumont Hospital Surgical Learning Center • Royal Oak, MIWinners:New York City Office of Emergency Management • Brooklyn, NYRenée & Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall • Costa Mesa, CAInfinity Teens Disco • Celebrity CruisesThe following professionals served as judges for this year's awards program:
Ron Baker is vice president at Omaha, NE-based HDR Architecture. Baker joined the firm as an interior architect; his specialty is design of corporate office and healthcare interiors. He focuses on how changes in technology impact HDR's practice. Currently he serves as a team leader in the Omaha office, overseeing the firm's technology staff. He is a member of the AIA and NCARB.
David Goldenberg is formerly of ACE Communications, a Garden City, NY-based systems integrator. With more than 15 years of industry experience, he has written articles, contributed to trade publications, and served on panels and given lectures on audiovisual technology for many organizations.
Peter Gross, AIA, is a principal at New York-based architectural firm Swanke Hayden Connell Architects. (During the time of judging, however, he was with Kohn Pedersen Fox.) He has spent most of his 23 years as an architect designing and managing large-scale projects in cities across the United States and the Far East. His projects include airports, corporate headquarters, high-rise offices, infrastructure, and mixed-use developments. Gross holds a bachelor of architecture degree from Syracuse University.
Brian Pipe is a consultant with Arup Communications, an international engineering consultancy practice based in London. The firm is currently responsible for installing the FIDS (Flight Information Display System) into Heathrow Airport's new Terminal 5. He is chairman of InfoComm's European council and a member of its board of governors. Awarded InfoComm's "Volunteer of the Year Award" last year, he also serves on the board of directors for Integrated Systems Europe, a major European AV trade show.
Tony Warner, CTS-D, CSI CDT, manages RTKL's audiovisual design practice as part of the firm's Special Systems Design Group (SSDG). Founded in 1946, RTKL is a worldwide planning, architecture, design, and creative services organization. RTKL's SSDG provides comprehensive voice, data, audiovisual, acoustics, wiring infrastructure, and security systems technology solutions. Warner maintains an active industry involvement and is a frequent contributor to industry trade publications and journals.
Ron Willis, CTS-D, is the senior development manager for Lockheed Martin Information Technology Professional Services, Advanced Presentation Systems Division (APS). He is responsible for business development and marketing policy for the APS Unit, which includes customer meetings, requirements matrix development and initial system design and customer follow-up, and project satisfaction. He is an active member of several professional organizations including InfoComm.
