The Charles Bulfinch Medal
* * *
By David Brussat
Friday, December 2, 2011
Wednesday’s celebration of the second annual Bulfinch Awards was a splendid evening of fun and edification at the Grand Staircase of the Massachusetts State House, designed by Charles Bulfinch himself. His spirit seemed to hover benevolently as attendees talked architecture and munched on hors d’ouvres that seemed to outdo even last year’s feast in splendor.
Eventually, the crowd of 126 – up strongly from 80 last year – found their seats and listened as ICAA President Paul Gunther opened the ceremony, applauding the chapter for its award program and this second set of winners for proving, once again, the fecundity of design in New England. Mr. Gunther handed off to chapter President John Margolis, who applauded the prize jury and the corporate sponsors of the program and of the evening’s festivities. President Margolis introduced chapter board member John Tittmann, of Albert, Righter & Tittmann, who introduced the evening’s keynote speaker, Judge Douglas Woodlock.
Judge Woodlock delivered a most engaging and erudite talk about the challenges of propriety in achieving a design for civic buildings that honors and serves, without overwhelming, the citizens of a democracy. He clearly sits with the Institute in his love for high classicism and his disdain for much of what has not even attempted, really, to fit in its shoes this past half century. Accompanying his discussion were images that demonstrated Judge Woodlock’s points with classical and contemporary examples. The keynote ended with a brief opening of the floor to questions from the audience. The text of the judge’s remarks will be made available soon on this blog.
After the judge’s presentation, the main business of the evening was transacted. Mr. Margolis, along with chapter Vice President Sheldon Kostelecky and fellow board member and treasurer Susan Close disbursed the five awards to their winners. Their work, flashed on screen and graced by quotations from the jury’s ruminations, brought the appropriate oo’s and ahh’s from a rapt audience. And then the ceremony was over, except for more knots of attendees discussing the ceremony, and of course dispensing with what remained of the fabulous food.
A roster of the winners may be found here. What follows are photographs of the event. Soon they will be updated with captions naming the people they depict, but in the interest of interest, the shots are being posted right away, straight up. Here they are:
Betty Moore, of New England Home, and Chapter President John Margolis
Keynote speaker Judge Douglas Woodlock
Bob Gryzwacz, grand prize winner, and Chapter Vice President Sheldon Kostelecky
ICAA President Paul Gunther
Mr. Margolis making introductions
Chapter board member John Tittmann of Albert, Righter & Tittmann
Judge Woodlock delivers his keynote
Victoria Sims and chapter member Steven Spandle
Lisa Curran, Susan Corr and Tina Ferrara of sponsor Waterworks
Barbara Sallick, president of Waterworks, and Mr. Margolis
Mr. Spandle, Raffi Berberian and Ms. Sims
?, Ms. Moore and independent writer Mary Shepard, of Middletown, R.I.
? and Devin Hefferon, of Gregory Lombardi Landscape Architecture
William Buckingham, Mary Ballard, T.H., ? and James Carver
?, Jessica Macara, ? and ?
Mr. Tittmann, Mr. Gunther and Mr. Margolis
Brooks Truesdale, Michael Carter, chapter board member Patrick Hickox, Kyle Hoepner
? and Mr. Buckingham
Ann Prince and John Adam
Mr. Gryzwacz, Ms. Curran and Ms. Corr
Alan Wall, of Tradewind Windows, and Ted Cunningham, of Windover Construction (sponsors)
?, ?, ? and ?
? and ?
?, Jessica Macara and chapter treasurer Susan Close
?, Devin Hefferon and ?
Kara Dowley, Adam Bonosky, Gregory Lombardi and Kristina Eldrenkamp
?, ? and Susan Parker, of Waterworks
Mr. Wall, Robert MacNeille and ?
Winners of the Bulfinch for grand prize and in five categories
The chapter board on the Grand Staircase, with Mr. Gunther and ICAA director Jan Gleysteen
