Oak Point Associates receives AIA Maine Merit Award for Architecture

Online, June 7, 2010 (Newswire.com) - Biddeford, Maine, May 20- Oak Point Associates, an architecture and engineering firm based in Biddeford, Maine, was awarded the Merit Award for the AIA Maine biannual Design Awards for the design of the Foster Student Innovation Center at the University of Maine's Orono campus. The Maine chapter of the American Institute of Architects granted the award and jurors included nationally recognized architects based in the Pacific Northwest.

The jury appreciated the Center's simple, well-resolved formal expression. Juror James Cutler of Cutler Anderson Architects stated, "Using a relatively simplified palette to display the workings of a very worthy institution, the rigor displayed in the organization of the elements was noted by the jury."

Beginning in 1985, AIA Maine has sponsored a bi-annual juried review of Maine architecture, recognizing those projects that demonstrate design excellence. This year's awards also placed significant emphasis on sustainability and building performance. The Foster Student Innovation Center was designed to house the University's "Innovation Engineering" program and has achieved LEED Silver from the U.S. Green Building Council as a building that incorporates numerous sustainable design strategies. The building utilized a Low Impact Design approach, recycled 91% of waste during construction, provides daylight to 89% and views to the surrounding wooded environment to 98% of the occupied space, and reduces energy consumption by 38%. Significant architectural features include the Aha! Space that encourages creativity and cross pollination of ideas, internal glass garage doors that provide space flexibility, as well as experimental roof panels designed by the University's wood composites laboratory.

Oak Point's president and project architect, Robert Tillotson, said of the award: "We are honored to receive the Merit Award from AIA Maine. This year's entries included exceptional work by our Maine colleagues and demonstrated the positive direction architecture is taking toward building a sustainable future for our state and beyond. Credit should be given to AIA Maine for their emphasis on sustainability and energy performance in this year's competition, which promotes public awareness and raises the bar for future designs."