Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1542301
DALLAS – FORT WORTH PAPERCITY DESIGN AWARDS MAGDA BIERNAT MILLICENT HARVEY PROJECT Lake Highlands Middle School FIRM Perkins&Will LEAD DESIGNER Lauren Mereness ADDITIONAL RECOGNITION Vandana Nayak, managing principal; Micah Davis, project manager; Kevin Mereness, design principal; Bob Davis, senior project architect; SWA, landscape design JUDGE'S REMARK "Lake Highlands Middle School doesn't just rise above its surroundings — it rethinks what a school can be. The exterior is fun and sculptural, with clean lines and generous glazing. The slatted canopy at the entrance is a subtle gesture of welcome — modern, rhythmic, and human-scaled. The common space is the heart of the school. The wide central stair isn't just a circulation device: It's a social condenser encouraging movement, interaction, and visibility." — Drew Davis HONORABLE MENTION Josh Allen, Alexa Mendez, Create Atelier, for &Smiles Pediatric Dentistry COMMERCIAL DESIGN PROJECT Lovers Lane Office FIRM Hocker LEAD LANDSCAPE DESIGNERS David Hocker, Dylan Stewart ADDITIONAL RECOGNITION Droese Raney Architects; Essential Light Design Studio JUDGES' REMARKS "Lovers Lane Office is a master class in quiet sophistication — an urban garden that trades spectacle for serenity. The greenery isn't ornamental — it's immersive. It softens the geometry, cools the palette, and invites pause. The water feature adds a quiet pulse to the space, reinforcing its meditative quality. And in a commercial context, that's a bold move: designing for reflection rather than performance." — Drew Davis "The detailing is very clever: inventive, natural, organic." — Erik Evens HONORABLE MENTION Chuck McDaniel, Zane Busbee, SWA Group, for Hi Line Connector COMMERCIAL LANDSCAPE DESIGN 90