Quinn Evans Receives 2024 AIA Architecture Firm Award
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has announced that Quinn Evans is the recipient of the Architecture Firm Award for 2024. The annual award is the highest honor that the AIA bestows on an architectural practice.
In its announcement, the AIA states that Quinn Evans “was among the first firms to demonstrate that sustainable design can and must be incorporated into existing and historic buildings, and it continues to advance preservation as a method of social empowerment.”
Since its founding in 1984 by architects Michael Quinn, FAIA, and David Evans, FAIA, the firm has focused on building reuse as the key to a sustainable future. Today, under the leadership of Alyson Steele, FAIA, LEED AP, as president and CEO, Quinn Evans is now among the largest women-owned design practices in the nation. With a staff of over 200, the firm’s distinctive portfolio reflects breakthrough work in stewardship, sustainability, and inclusive design.
Quinn Evans has been honored with seven Richard H. Driehaus National Preservation Honor Awards from the National Trust for Historic Preservation. These awards were presented to the Accident Fund Insurance Company of America Headquarters in Lansing, Michigan (with HOK); American Brewery in Baltimore, Maryland; Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site in Topeka, Kansas; Eastern Market in Washington, DC; McGregor Memorial Conference Center Pool at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan; Michigan State Capitol in Lansing, Michigan; and Milwaukee City Hall in Milwaukee, Michigan.
The firm has completed several major projects on the National Mall in Washington, DC. These include the new National Native American Veterans Memorial at the National Museum of the American Indian; the Molina Family Latino Gallery at the National Museum of American History; and the National Mall entrance of the National Museum of Natural History. Current projects on the National Mall include a major renovation of the National Air and Space Museum, which is now partially open to the public; the design of an immersive museum beneath the Lincoln Memorial; and the renewal of the Hirshhorn Sculpture Garden. Also in Washington, Quinn Evans has renewed the four largest theaters in the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
In Baltimore, Quinn Evans is working to transform Penn Station into a mixed-use destination. The firm has completed several projects at the Baltimore Museum of Art, including the reimagining of the Joseph Education Center and the creation of the Ruth R. Marder Center for Matisse Studies. Other notable projects include the Clipper Mill mixed-use development; the renewal of Baltimore Center Stage; the creation of the Open Works maker space; and the transformation of the Lion Brothers embroidery factory into an office and coworking space.
Varina Library
In Richmond, the firm recently completed the restoration of Old City Hall, a National Historic Landmark. Work in the Richmond area includes the new Academic Learning Commons, College of Humanities and Sciences, and Institute for Contemporary Art at the Markel Center (with Steven Holl Architects) at Virginia Commonwealth University; the renovation and expansion of the Humanities Building at the University of Richmond; and the new Fairfield Library, Varina Library, and Libbie Mill Library for Henrico Public Library.
Michigan Central Station
In Detroit, Quinn Evans is leading the transformation of Michigan Central Station to serve as an innovation hub for the Ford Motor Company. Additional projects in Detroit include the renewal of the Metropolitan Building as the Element Detroit hotel; and the documentation of over 100 sites related to the Civil Rights movement. Other projects in the Midwest include the renovation of Arvonne Fraser Library in Minneapolis, Minnesota; the expansion of the Michigan State Capitol to create Heritage Hall; and several projects for The Henry Ford in Dearborn, Michigan.
The firm has nurtured the careers of many accomplished and highly regarded professionals, including 13 who have achieved the esteemed fellowship status in the AIA and the American Society of Landscape Architects. Carl Elefante, FAIA, FAPT, LEED AP, principal emeritus, served as the AIA’s 94th president from 2017-2018.
“Quinn Evans’ culture has always been one of curiosity combined with action,” says Steele. “We strive to deeply understand existing places and communities while working toward future-forward solutions. Nearly four decades of practice have been shaped by a few key questions: What does this community need from this place? How can stewardship embrace all aspects of place and how it serves a community? How can design thinking over the building life cycle lead to better outcomes? How can our practice empower diverse leaders to help shape a better built environment? By challenging ourselves to attempt to answer these questions, we drive our practice forward.”
Steele notes that we face the challenges of today with unprecedented resources: information, tools, and the ability to innovate together. “In this time of change, we can harness design thinking for compounding positive impacts on people, communities and the environment. We look for that potential in every project, with the benefit of inclusive processes and diverse perspectives. At Quinn Evans, every team member and collaborator is a vital part of shared success.”
About Quinn Evans
Quinn Evans provides services in architecture, interior design, planning, landscape architecture, urban revitalization, and historic preservation, including sustainable preservation and stewardship. The firm employs more than 200 professionals in six office locations in Washington, D.C.; Ann Arbor and Detroit, Michigan; Madison, Wisconsin; Baltimore, Maryland; and Richmond, Virginia. Established in 1984, Quinn Evans specializes in cultural, institutional, commercial, and educational projects, including museums, historic parks, theaters, mixed-use buildings, government buildings, schools and campus facilities, libraries, and major civic landmarks and infrastructure.
Of Note:
- 49% of Quinn Evans’ registered architects are women, compared to a national average of 24%
- 23% of Quinn Evans’ employees are BIPOC, compared to a national average of 17%
- Quinn Evans maintains a 94% employee retention rate, compared to a national average of 88%
For more information, visit www.quinnevans.com.
Quinn Evans
Contact: Jeanine Quaglia
Address: 2101 L Street NW, Suite 950, Washington DC 20037
Tel: 202.591.2550
