The American Institute of Architect’s (AIA) Philadelphia chapter celebrated the best in design by its member firms recently, with two awards going to the Sidwell Friends Meeting House and Arts Center. Kieran Timberlake, the architect firm that designed the center, received an Honor award for the overall project, and a “Divine Detail” award for the daylighting approach in the Meeting Room. The Los Angeles-based jury chair described it as a “phenomenal and inspirational project.”

Below are comments from the jury:

DIVINE DETAIL
Sidwell Friends School Meeting House —Daylighting
The divine detail that produced the divine light—though not formally entered in this category, the jury was captivated by the many and varied ways light was introduced into the space, and the gentleness and warmth it imparts to the emotional magic within.

HONOR AWARDS—BUILT CATEGORY
Sidwell Friends School Meeting House
An artful balance of elegant geometry with nuanced richness of expression, the project creates a sublime community space which respects traditions while creating place and surprise through the magic of daylight and the direct expression of structure and shelter. A brilliant solution to the necessity of siting the Meeting House within an existing gymnasium, the architects buried the Meeting House within thick walls and layered planes, creating an immersive experience of natural light and silence. The jury found the meeting room’s simplicity, economy of means, and quiet beauty truly inspirational.

See the full list of design award winners.