Lavallee Brensinger Awarded Two AIA NH Excellence in Architecture Awards

AMHERST, N.H., Jan. 16, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Lavallee Brensinger Architects received two Awards for Excellence in Architecture at the New Hampshire Chapter of the American Institute of Architects' 30th Annual Awards Banquet on January 10^th: an Honor Award for the City of Manchester new Police Department, and a Citation Award for the Manchester Community College Student Center.

A jury comprised of representatives from the Maryland's architecture community selected award recipients that exemplify excellence in overall design, including aesthetics, clarity, creativity, appropriate functionality, sustainability, building performance, and appropriateness with regard to fulfilling the client's program.

Replacing its cramped, inefficient and technology-challenged 1970s station, the new Manchester Police Station provides a 21^st Century facility for the next 40 years. The new structure is accessible, adaptable, energy efficient, and compliant with modern law enforcement standards. Apart from its administrative spaces, the building accommodates community and training rooms, a 14-cell detention area, an evidence analysis and storage suite, a tactical firing range, and a state-of-the-art communications hub. The public facades juxtapose the City's historic red brick fabric with a random mosaic of glazing, securely obscuring the building's inner functions while opening the building interior to natural light. At the center of this mosaic, a balcony glows blue at night, a symbol of safety to a downtown-edge neighborhood in transition.

"This is a brilliant facade solution for both the function and context," said the jury, "The uniformity of a police department and the various internal functions within are unified by the facade, and the bollards compliment and strengthen it. The design skillfully considers that the police department must be open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The nighttime photos are exceptional. This a sensitive design for a police station."

In addition to Department of Public Works management and staff and Lavallee Brensinger Architects, other project team members included: Architecture Design Group, police planning; Foley Buhl Roberts & Associates, structural engineers; RDK Engineers, mechanical/electrical/plumbing engineers; and Harvey Construction, construction manager.  Photography submitted is credited to Joseph St. Pierre and Mike Sears.

The updated facade of the Manchester Community College Student Center provides a sophisticated academic image along Interstate 293, linking the disconnected existing space and creating an epicenter of student activity within the heart of the college. A motif of glass, opaque surfaces, and exposed building components carry this image throughout the interior of the building, which offers a multi-purpose function and athletic center, small multi-use educational and activity rooms, student organization spaces, faculty and student offices, performance area, fitness center, locker rooms, lounge space, dining facility, and full service cafe.

The jury commented that "the strong interior design provides a dynamic environment with an appropriate variety of space types and scales. The project effectively expresses its role as a crossroads for student interaction."

In addition to Manchester Community College management and staff and Lavallee Brensinger Architects, other project team members included: TFMoran, civil engineering; Foley Buhl Roberts & Associates, structural engineers; Yeaton Associates, Inc., mechanical/electrical/plumbing/fire protection engineers; and Eckman Construction, construction manager. All photography submitted is credited to Ed Wonsek.

Other Honor Award Recipients include the Peter T. Paul College of Business & Economics at UNH, Goody Clancy Architects; Norway Point in NH Lakes Region, Samyn-D'Elia Architects; and Burr and Burton Academy Academic Building in Peru, VT, Bensonwood, Walpole, NH. Merit Awards went to Lighthouse Cove Cottage in Wolfeboro, NH, TMS Architects; and Keene Family YMCA in Keene, NH, ARC/Architectural Resource Cambridge. Citation Awards also went to Piedra Fina Restaurant in Marlboro, NH, Daniel V. Scully/Architects; and a private rural NH residence, Dennis Mires, PA, The Architects.

Contact: Melissa Bruneau, 603-622-5450 X136, [email protected]

SOURCE Lavallee Brensinger Architects