William Menking reports for The Architect’s Newspaper: Brooklyn Dominates 2014 Municipal Art Society MASterworks Awards.
THE WEEKSVILLE HERITAGE CENTER BY CAPLES JEFFERSON ARCHITECTS TOOK THE MASTERWORKS TOP HONOR. (NIC LEHOUX)
For over 120 years, the Municipal Art Society has been an important organization in New York City’s efforts to promote a more livable environment and preserve the best of its past. It’s successful preservation campaigns and advocacy for better architecture—whether its advocacy to rebuild a better Penn Station or TKTK—are well known. Now the organization has announced its annual MASterworks Awards, and of the nine buildings selected this year as honorees, six are in Brooklyn, confirming that borough’s continuing upgrading evolution.
ENGLEHARDT ADDITION, EBERHARD FABER PENCIL FACTORY BY SCOTT HENSON ARCHITECT WAS HONORED BY THE MAS. (J.M. KUCY / JMK-GALLERY.COM)
The Weeksville Heritage Center (Caples Jefferson Architects) has won the top honor, “Best New Building,” while “Best Restoration” goes to the Englehardt Addition, Eberhard Faber Pencil Factory(Scott Henson Architect). The “Best Neighborhood Catalyst” award will be given to the BRIC Arts Media House & Urban Glass (LEESER Architecture), and “Best New Urban Amenity” will go to LeFrak Center at Lakeside (Tod Williams and Billie Tsien Architects). Brooklyn Bridge Park (Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates) will be recognized as “Best Urban Landscape.”
THE QUEENS MUSEUM BY GRIMSHAW ARCHITECTS. (SCOTT RUDD)
Additionally, this year’s MASterworks also recognized two new design categories. “Best Adaptive Reuse” will be awarded to The Queens Museum (Grimshaw Architects) and the NYC DDC Zerega Avenue Emergency Medical Services Building (Smith-Miller Hawkinson Architects) will take home the award for “Best New Infrastructure.”
EDIBLE SCHOOLYARD AT P.S. 216 BY WORKAC. (NICK MILLER / AN)
Finally, “Best Green Design Initiative” honors will be given to Edible Schoolyard at P.S. 216 (WORKac) and P.S. 261 School and Community Playground (SiteWorks Landscape Architecture). The MASterworks Awards, recognize projects completed in the preceding year that exemplify excellence in architecture and urban design and make a significant contribution to New York’s built environment.
