The Boston Society for Architecture’s annual design honors have been awarded, and the winners range from a Weston farmstand to a hefty, new steam plant in Allston.
The BSA and its juries bestowed a total of 23 design awards that collectively recognize the power of the built environment to empower communities, promote change and build a more sustainable and equitable Boston.
“Architecture isn’t just about buildings – it’s about people. It’s about shaping environments that bring us together, foster equity and create opportunities for everyone. Exceptional design has the power to redefine what’s possible,” BSA Executive Director Danyson Taveres said in a statement. “The annual BSA Awards gala is an opportunity to celebrate that power – the creativity that fuels it, the brilliant minds who drive it forward and the community that makes it all meaningful.”
Projects were evaluated by a jury of architects, designers, artists, public servants, planners and more from Boston and across the country.
More photos of the award-winners and runners-up are available at designawards.architects.org.
2024 Harleston Parker Medal
Project: Roxbury Branch of the Boston Public Library Renovation
Architect: Utile
Jury comments: In one word, this building is transformative. This building demonstrates a good model for how to transform brutalist buildings, of which Boston has so many. Its “outside-in” experience is enhanced by the view of the canopy of the interior “trees” from outside. One can see how the community is involved in this space. Overall, the project required a lot of community engagement, evident in its community-driven programming, like the Nutrition Lab.
Photo by Anton Grassl | Courtesy of the Boston Society for Architecture
Harleston Parker People’s Choice Award
Project: Harvard Allston District Energy Facility
Architect: Leers Weinzapfel Associates
Jury comments: The project is a great example of what a power plant can be. The jury was impressed by the ways in which the building can support the district and greater community’s energy needs. This is an interesting building that captivates you when you drive by and its purpose is celebrated. It acts as a marker in the area, as an infrastructural project, with fascinating points to how we can do architecture without people in it. In the past this would have been hidden but here it celebrates the other elements at play in our world.
Photo by Brad Feinknopf | Courtesy of the Boston Society for Architecture
Built Design Excellence – Adaptive Reuse
Project: Aliki Perroti & Seth Frank Lyceum at Amherst College
Architect: Bruner/Cott Architects
Jury comments: The project submission demonstrates a thoughtful integration of design excellence with sustainability goals, successfully combining historic preservation with modern, environmentally responsible building practices. The design emphasizes natural light, carbon neutrality and community engagement while maintaining the aesthetic integrity of the existing Greek Revival structure. The project appears to have been very thoughtful and intentional about a variety of sustainability measures, leading to impressive energy reduction, especially considering that the project reused half of an existing building.
Photo by Robert Benson | Courtesy of the Boston Society for Architecture
Built Design Excellence – Education
Project: Barry Mills Hall and the John and Lile Gibbons Center for Arctic Studies at Bowdoin College
Architect: HGA
Jury comments: The contemporary design of this building fits quite well within the more historic buildings on campus. A simple, elegant and well detailed clear building design, well scaled to the campus. The form, strong but spacious, in context has strength and is very appealing, as is the building’s interior materiality. There is an interesting use of precedent to create the dark building with very bright interiors.
Photo by Michael Moran | Courtesy of the Boston Society for Architecture
Built Design Excellence – Housing
Project: Jackson Hole Workforce Housing
Architect: Merge Architects
Jury comments: The choice of materials and the composition of the massing of this project is sophisticated, with great attention to roof design which also exhibits thought. The density of the project and the ways in which to make that density attractive at an economic cost stand out. The project uses nice board form concrete, reflecting the siding above, and includes nice detail of the deck guard rails. Lastly, the density of the projects works nicely and fits within the context of Jackson Hole. Overall, beautiful, thoughtful, well-executed work to fill a gap in the affordability of housing.
Photo by
Krafty Photos | Courtesy of the Boston Society for Architecture
Built Design Excellence – Other
Project: Downtown Park in Cary, North Carolina
Architect: Machado Silvetti
Jury comments: This is a wonderful park and multiple-pavilion project with an interesting strategy to create different zones and activities. A playful project that creates a dynamic sculpture park of pavilions in an awkward site connecting the elements with curving paths. This project creates a lively, memorable space. The form and material are heavy but identifiable.
Photo by Tzu Chen | Courtesy of the Boston Society for Architecture
Built Design Excellence – Other
Project: Land’s Sake Farmstand in Weston
Architect: Payette
Jury comments: The Land’s Sake Farmstand project is an impressive submission that successfully integrates sustainability, community engagement and educational goals. The design is thoughtful, blending traditional New England building techniques with modern, low-carbon technologies. The project emphasizes community involvement and environmental stewardship, reflecting the farm’s mission of connecting people to the land. The architect’s work was performed 100 percent pro bono, and the all-timber building is a fitting choice for such a program.
Photo by Warren Jagger Photography | Courtesy of the Boston Society for Architecture
Small Firms – Adaptive Reuse
Project: Church Street Residences in Boston
Architect: Studio Luz Architects
Jury comments: The blending of new, modern construction with the historic city fabric makes for an elegant, well-sited, extremely contextual, sustainable urban residence. By restoring two existing structures and introducing a new vertical addition, the design not only respects the site’s architectural character but also provides new live-work and residential. The integration of an Energy Recovery Ventilation (ERV) system and high-efficiency fan coil units further underscores the project’s commitment to sustainability without reliance on fossil fuels.
Photo by Jane Messinger | Courtesy of the Boston Society for Architecture
Small Firms – Other
Project: The Point House
Architect: Studio Hearth Architecture + Design
Jury comments: This project is lovely, refined and simple. An example of a modern update of the shingle style, with beautiful, minimal interiors.
Photo by Nat Rea | Courtesy of the Boston Society for Architecture
