Uninhibited

The winners of the 14th annual Superior Interiors Design Awards didn't let tight budgets or small spaces inhibit their creativity.

by Jonathan Wander

"Remarkable."

That was the word of the day from the judges of this year's 14th annual Superior Interiors Design Awards. Time and again the judges were impressed not only with the results achieved by the architects in each of the five categories, but also with the way the architects were able to perform their magic within daunting budget and space restraints. As in years past, our local architects and designers exhibited a range of styles - from spare, clean lines to ornamented-at-every-inch. One common theme was the use of rich materials, warm woods and glistening tiles, a reflection of the axiom to "spend the money on the things you touch."

This year's competition was co-sponsored by the Pittsburgh chapters of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and American Society of Interior Designers and was judged by three members of Cleveland-area architectural and design firms. In their decision-making, the judges decided to rate each project based on three criteria: construction, usefulness (how it met the needs of the client) and aesthetics/sensual appeal.

We thank the Cleveland architects, who took great care in their judging, thoughtfully reviewing each project, debating the merits of each and finally (and sometimes grudgingly) narrowing down each category to one winner. The names of the nominated architects were, of course, kept anonymous during the judging. We also thank Anne Swager, executive director of AIA Pittsburgh, and Pittsburgh magazine's Mary Louise Dattilo for their help in organizing the competition.

 

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Mountain Drama

Winner: Architectural Residence
New Construction

 

The Cleveland judges were clearly wowed by the way this town home takes maximum advantage of its spectacular Mount Washington setting overlooking the Pittsburgh skyline and rivers.

"The home balances the dramatic views with a nicely restrained interior and exterior design," the judges commented. They especially appreciated the home's use of space, considering it was limited by its tucked-into-a-hillside location and was part of a row of neighboring homes.

Above left: The spectacular views were the home's focal point, inside and out.
Above right: The living areas were intimate, even with the drama just outside.

The design team of John A. Martine and Sean Beasley of Strada Architecture LLC said that the goal for the residence was "to create a comfortable, exciting, energy-efficient, contemporary dwelling that expresses craft in detailing and maximizes the views of the city and river valley below. The design was inspired by the Modernist hillside dwellings of Prague and the work of Rudolf Schindler in California."

The green aspect of the home comes not only from the surrounding trees but also from its use of sustainable materials. "The completed dwelling has achieved and exceeded Energy Star certification. This means the home is 30 percent more efficient than is required by the most recent energy standards," the team said. This sustainability and use of insulated concrete form scored big points with the judges meeting their construction criteria.

Architect: John A. Martine, AIA, principal; Sean Beasley, staff architect, Strada Architecture LLC
General Contractor: Sota Construction Services Inc.
Brick/Masonry: Cast stone by RockCast
Building Structure: Insulated concrete form by Arxx Walls & Foundations
Pavings: Limestone exposed aggregate concrete by 43rd Street Concrete Co.
Metal Siding Panels: UniClad (custom fabrication)
Windows: Marvin Low E II with Argon by Bennett Supply Co.
Metal Canopies: Zottola Fab
Kitchen and Vanity Tops: Blumes Solid Surface
Plumbing: Kohler-Ryco Plumbing and Crescent Baths and Kitchens
Light Fixtures: Cardello Electric
Heating/Cooling/Energy Recovery: Tudi Mechanical
Glass and Mirrors: Emerald Art Glass
Furnishings: Perlora

 

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