The Arlington County Board honored 14 projects with the 2023 DESIGNArlington awards on Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024. The biennial program recognizes excellence in architectural and landscape design and public art, showcasing the best of Arlington.
“Arlington has some of the most creative designs and uses of space in its parks, schools, public art, and private development,” Arlington County Board Chair Libby Garvey said, “DESIGNArlington lets us celebrate projects that have gone above and beyond and encourages future construction that is thoughtful in how it contributes to the history, goals, and feel of our community.”
The winners include community and public facilities, commercial buildings, and housing communities. Images of the winning works can be found on the DESIGNArlington webpage.
WATCH: 2023 DESIGNArlington Winners
Excellence Awards give the highest recognition for projects that represent a comprehensive approach to high-quality design and execution. Merit Awards recognize outstanding projects that successfully integrate site context and design. Honorable Mentions honor projects that promote the expansion of Arlington County’s goals in affordable housing, biophilic design, public art, historic preservation, or education.
Excellence Awards
- Lubber Run Community Center
- VMDO Architects, Bowman, Springpoint, CMTA, Oculus
- 1770 Crystal Drive Repositioning
- Gensler
- Clarendon West
- WDG Architects, Parker Rodriguez Landscape Architects
Merit Awards
- Pierce Condominiums
- Hickok Cole
- Cardinal Elementary School
- VMDO Architects, Bowman, CMTA, Silman, Waterstreet Studio
- U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial Comfort Station
- Page, Rhodeside & Harwell
- Centro
- KGD Architecture, Oculus, Thought Barn
- Fire Lines
- David and Eli Hess, Penzance, Hickok Cole
- Water Park
- MGMA, Elkus Manfredi, Hoerr Schaudt, Bowman
Honorable Mention Awards
- Education Center Arlington Public Schools
- Studio Twenty-Seven Architecture
- Ruthie’s All Day
- Bonstra | Haresign
- Jennie Dean Park
- LSG Landscape Architecture, IMEG Corp.
- National Landing Parklet
- ZGF Architects, Chapel Valley Landscape
- North Larrimore Street and 9th Street North
- Arlington County Department of Community Planning, Housing and Development (CPHD) – Arlington Neighborhoods Program and Department of Environmental Services (DES) – Office of Sustainability and Environmental Management
Evaluation Process
An independent panel of esteemed jurors examined each project according to its own merits, in accordance with the County’s design priorities, including visual composition and aesthetics, relationship to the context, contributions to a sense of place that defines Arlington, sustainable design and development, accessibility, historic preservation, high-quality craftmanship, and creative use of durable materials.
The four jurors were:
- David Dixon, Vice President – Stantec’s Urban Places Fellow
- Kara Lanahan, Principal – Jennifer Horn Landscape Architecture
- Bill Spack, Architect and Preservationist – Cox Graae + Spack Architects (Washington D.C.)
- Michael Sherman, Director – Policy and Research at National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC)
About DESIGNArlington
DESIGNArlington is a biennial awards program, launched in 2009, aimed at increasing public awareness of outstanding design. The program recognizes design work that enhances all aspects of the County’s environment, such as notable architecture, historic preservation, landscape and public art projects. Residents, property owners, developers and members of the design community submit nominations for new construction, renovations, additions or adaptive re-use projects. Eligible projects must have been completed within the last 10 years.
See the original press release on the Arlington County website
