Architect’s Newspaper’s “It’s all Wood, Man” January edition featured LWA projects, the UMass Amherst Design Building and Stadium Drive Residence Halls at University of Arkansas. “It’s all Wood, Man” maps out the leaders of the industry in research and development of Mas Timber across the United States, listing two LWA projects, UMass Design Building and Stadium Drive Residence Halls. Being listed twice amongst a select number of architecture firms, suggests that LWA as a clear leader in academic CLT design and construction.

Read feature here: https://archpaper.com/2019/01/january2019/

Ashley Rao is an enthusiastic and enormously capable design leader.  Her strong communication skills give her the unique ability to both coordinate complex projects within the design/consultant team and to relay project goals and design concepts to the client and general public. Ashley is a graduate of Harvard University with a master’s degree in architecture from Yale University. With prior experience at Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects in New Haven, CT,  Ashley is passionate about creating vibrant, sustainable buildings and urban environments, speaking nationally at seminars and on webinars about mass timber design.

Ben Wilcox joined Leers Weinzapfel in 2007 and has been a pivotal member of the design team with a special emphasis on construction and with a follow through in the field.  Within the firm, Ben is a leader in the quality control review process as well as mentoring young staff in building detailing, coordination, and project delivery. Prior to joining Leers Weinzapfel Associates Ben worked as an Assistant Civil Engineer, an Assistant Project Manager, and a Construction Operations Assistant.

In 1986, the Commission was established to insure that the architecture and urban design of new projects in the City of Boston have a positive impact on the public realm.  In cooperation with the Boston Planning and Development Authority but independent of it, the work of the Commission is advisory, not legally binding.  Rather it is the best advice of a group of volunteer highly respected peers whose sole interest is in preserving the design qualities of the city they love, and embracing the future in ways that will continue to make the city beautiful, liveable, sustainable, and just.

Girl UnInterrupted, an equity initiative that seeks to bridge the gap between young female designers and leaders in the architecture field, recently posted survey results to four more cities; New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Washington DC.

Check out the results here: https://www.girluninterruptedproject.com/survey/

Architect Magazine featured the publication. See feature here: https://www.architectmagazine.com/practice/girl-uninterrupted-project-releases-initial-survey-results_o

Recent BDC Network article features our Dartmouth College Dana Hall project, as we re-imagine the Dana Hall library building as a new campus connector and aim for net zero energy use.

See feature here: https://www.bdcnetwork.com/vacant-dartmouth-college-building-become-faculty-and-graduate-student-center?eid=324457683&bid=2309953

The annual ARCHITECT 50 program ranks the best architecture firms in the U.S. based on design excellence, sustainability, and business performance.

This year Leers Weinzapfel Associates was ranked 35th Overall, 80 in business, 18 in sustainability and 72 in design.  To view the full list, click here.

ARCHITECT magazine is the official publication of the American Institute of Architects (AIA).

This award is given to firms that have a commitment to the advancement of emerging professionals and dedication to fostering growth both personal and professional. To learn more about the award and to see the list of winning firms, visit: http://aianewengland.org/ep-friendly-firm-awards/

Author, William Morgan, emphasizes that in order to capture the spirit of New England, there needs to be a “direct correlation between realizing a quality work of art and understanding the region’s history of wresting a hard-won life from the granite earth.” Morgan continues, noting that the Design Building, through its balance of dynamic design and connection to place, is “a bold homegrown achievement”.

Read more here.

WMUR notes that Wentworth students have the opportunity to participate in a summer co-op, allowing for a hands-on learning experience, promoting the “intangible made tangible” in construction education. This new building has a dynamic duality for the students of Wentworth, by being an interactive opportunity for them to work on site, as well as becoming the future academic space for their fields of study. President of Wentworth, Zorica Pantic, continues by saying that this sort of project is what draws prospective students to the institute. Ultimately, the New Multi-Purpose Academic Building will be a showcase for the evolution of teaching from engineering technology to engineering and innovation programs.

Read the full article here.

The latest book by Principal Andrea Leers, “Welcoming the West: Japan’s Grand Resort Hotels”, was recently reviewed in Architectural Record. Focusing on the history and design of six grand resort hotels: the Nara, the Fujiya, the Nikko Kanaya, the Fuji View, the Biwako, and the Gamagori, this book examines the pivotal moment when Japan’s architectural traditions were latent with change and possibility. The Architectural Review describes it as “an important addition to the study of the country’s architecture”. The full article can be seen here.

To learn more or purchase the book, visit: https://www.jovis.de/en/books/details/product/welcoming_the_west.html