May 2, 2009

"Significant Interiors" book features Smith-Buonanno

A major publication just released by the American Institute of Architects includes work by Providence's KITE Architects."Significant Interiors" showcases the 25 most compelling projects to win the coveted the national AIA Interior Architecture Honor Award. The large format, 224 full-color book includes a chapter exploring KITE's Smith-Buonanno Hall at Brown University with eight pages of full-color photos, drawings, and critique.

EXCERPTS from "Intelligent Design", Published by the AIA Interior Architecture Knowledge Community, Images Press, Coordinating Editor Andrew Hall, August 2008:

"Is this building the product of environmental adaptation or evolution, or the intentional design of a talented architect? The Smith-Buonanno Hall project stretches the boundaries of pure historic renovation, exceeds the expectations of adaptive reuse, and leads to a new standard for interior classroom space...

"The prominent interior space with its distinctive wood trusses, brick walls, and wood floor was respected in the new design...They intended to clearly contrast new and existing construction, allowing new and old to gracefully complement each other. "The most popular teaching space on campus, it is a highly sought-after venue for classes, meetings, and presentations. Shoggy Thieren Waryn of the Department of French Studies at Brown reports that 'the success of the building among faculty is such that at the beginning of the semester, we all pray to have our classroom assignments in that building.'...The project has also set a new standard for interior classroom space at the university, becoming 'the benchmark for excellence in all subsequent capital projects,' according to James Sisson, the university's construction manager."

To order a your own copy from Amazon click here!