News & Industry Articles

April 25, 2008
Grand Rapids, Michigan 

For the second consecutive year Nederveld has accepted the American Institute of Architects Grand Valley (AIAGV) chapter’s Urban and Regional Design Award for the Hudsonville Architectural Design Elements Portfolio and Downtown Master Plan during the Honor Awards Program Saturday, April 19, at the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids.  This is the second year this award has been given.

 AIAGV’s Urban and Regional Design Award recognizes distinguished achievements that involve the expanding role of the architect in urban design, city planning and community development.  The Architectural Design Elements Portfolio and the Hudsonville Downtown Master Plan have been created as part of Ottawa County’s Urban Smart Growth Demonstration Project.  The planning documents represent components of a highly-visual, graphics-based master plan and zoning ordinance that is intended to improve the ability of an urban community to effectively plan for future growth and development.  The 2007 Regional and Urban Design Honor Award-winning project was for Nederveld’s Brikyaat Neighborhood Development Plan.

These projects are submitted to an independent awards jury for selection. The Nederveld award was one of only two, which garnered unanimous support from the jury.  Members of the AIA Chesapeake Bay chapter in Maryland composed the 2008 awards jury, which included Greg Torchio, Marta Hansen, Ernie Olds, Wayne Good and Ravi Waldon.

The jury’s comments about the Hudsonville Architectural Design Elements Portfolio are as follows:

·         Unanimously deserving of an award

·         Showed a thorough and rigorous process that involved a lot of people

·         Noteworthy of the local planning agency’s support of the project:  getting behind an initiative that could sustain and clearly bring economic viability to the area

·         Must have been much more challenging with the presence of the train tracks running parallel to the street

·         Street-scape was well thought out

·         Green space was implemented thoughtfully

·         Parking was handled with care

·         Nederveld created a wonderful vision for the area

The American Institute of Architects, AIA Michigan and AIA Grand Valley recognizes individuals and organizations for their outstanding achievements in support of the profession of architecture and the AIA.  The Honor Awards Program is structured so that selection and recognition of winners serve two distinct purposes: one directed to the profession, and the other to the public.

For additional information on “Nederveld Receives the 2^nd
Consecutive AIAGV Urban and Regional Design Award”
contact Mark Miller at Nederveld.

_{L to R:  Nate Gillette – immediate Past President of the AIAGV,
Paul Sachs – Planner, Ottawa County Planning Department,
Dan Strikwerda – City Planner, Hudsonville, Larry Brandsen – City
Commissioner, Hudsonville and Mark Miller – Nederveld and
President of AIAGV.}