A fire station designed from ashes, an homage to a Civil War turning point and a refuge for oyster recovery were just some of the University of Maryland student projects to amass accolades at this year’s AIA Maryland Excellence in Design Awards. They joined nearly a dozen alums and faculty honored for projects that exemplify sustainable and beautiful design and contribute to the public realm.
This year’s competition saw a record number of designers vying for top honors, with just 27 professional projects recognized out of over 150 entries. Each project was evaluated by a jury of leading practitioners, industry leaders and educators.
In the student category, Maryland dominated the playing field, earning six of the seven awards bestowed in the undergraduate and graduate categories. Alumni and faculty were celebrated for high-impact projects in categories ranging from residential architecture to master plans, including Public Building of the Year, the Vision Award and the Sustainability Award.
“We are thrilled to have so many of our students and alumni recognized year after year by AIA Maryland,” said Mohammad Gharipour, director of UMD’s Architecture Program. “It’s a testament to their talent and vision, and their passion for crafting meaningful places.”
UMD’s 2025 AIA winners include:
Student Awards:
The Hive / Merit Award, Undergraduate, Upper-Level Design
Evelyne Sokhon (Daniel Curry, studio critic)
Monocacy Learning Campus / Honor Award, Undergraduate, Upper-Level Design
Alden Schutz (Julia Klineberg, studio critic)
Path of Remembrance: Lahaina Fire Station 15 / Citation Award, Graduate, Beginning Design
Lauren McNamara and Kate Briller (Peter Noonan, studio critic)
Cascade Gallery / Merit Award, Undergraduate, Beginning Design
Andrea Sobalvarro (Michael Abrams, studio critic)
Edmonston Community Building / Honor Award, Graduate, Beginning Design
Ryan Cramer (Madlen Simon, studio critic)
Roots to Reefs: Transforming Ghost Forests into Oyster Promenades in the Age of Sea Level Rise / Merit Award, Graduate, Upper-Level Design
Dieu Merci (Michael Ezban, studio critic)
Professional Awards:
The Reservoir District / Honor Award & Vision Award, Urban Design and Master Planning
Matthew Bell, FAIA and Christian Callari, AIA M.Arch ‘01—Perkins Eastman (design architect and master planner); Thomas Jester, FAIA, M. Arch ’99 Quinn Evans (architect of record)
Flint Hill / Honor Award & Sustainability Award, Residential Architecture
Amy Gardner, FAIA and Brittany Williams, AIA ’05 M.Arch ‘07—Gardner Architects
Ellen Ochoa Middle School / Citation Award & Public Building of the Year, Institutional Architecture
Melanie Hennigan, AIA ’83, M.Arch ‘87—Grimm+Parker Architects
Food Bank of Delaware – Milford Branch / Honor Award, Commercial Architecture
Allsion L. Shockley, AIA ’09, M.Arch ‘11—Becker Morgan Group
1238 Wisconsin / Citation Award, Mixed-Use Development
Mark McInturff, FAIA ‘72; Peter Noonan, FAIA ’88, M.Arch ‘92; David Morgensen, AIA—McInturff Architects
Union Market/ Citation Award/ Mixed Use Development
Thurgood Marshall + Legacy Hall / Citation Award / Residential Architecture – Multifamily
Esther Caplan, AIA ‘17—Hord Coplan Macht