Barcelona Elementary School to Receive the 2011 Jeff Harnar Award for Contemporary Architecture
Posted February 25, 2011
The Thornburg Charitable Foundation, in cooperation with the UNM School of Architecture and Planning, is pleased to announce that the new classroom building wing for Barcelona Elementary School will receive the 2011 Jeff Harnar Award for Contemporary Architecture. The winner of the $10,000 prize is the most significant award bestowed for architecture in New Mexico.
Selected by a distinguished panel that included Christopher Hawthorne, the Los Angeles Times architecture critic, and Steve Badanes, noted architectural designer now residing in Seattle, the Barcelona addition was designed by the firm Baker Architecture + Design, and was one of over 25 finalist projects submitted for the 2011 competition. Barcelona Elementary is a part of the Albuquerque Public Schools system.
According to Roger Schluntz, FAIA, former dean of the School of Architecture and Planning and the professional advisor for the competition, ''…the panel was given the nearly impossible task of selecting a single project that, in its estimation, best fulfilled the criteria for the distinguished prize. The selection panel was astonished by both the breadth and the creativity of the inspired, and often intriguing, design work and projects submitted. The number, diversity, and quality of excellent submissions speak very well for the current state of architectural practice and extraordinary design in New Mexico, despite the challenging economic climate.''
The Jeff Harnar Award for Contemporary Architecture, established by the Thornburg Charitable Foundation, was created to encourage creativity and excellence in design and to honor the memory of Jeff Harnar, a talented Santa Fe architect who successfully crafted modern materials and innovative design for projects that reside comfortably and respectfully with the rich architectural heritage and diversity in New Mexico.