Ayers Saint Gross Projects Honored with AIA Baltimore Excellence in Design Awards

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) honored two Ayers Saint Gross projects with AIA Baltimore Excellence in Design Awards. Greensboro Hall at Ringling College of Art and Design and the Yahentamitsi Dining Hall at the University of Maryland were given honorable mentions in the higher education category.

Greensboro Hall (pictured above) is a vibrant new residence hall for underclass fine art students that fosters creativity and collaboration. Inspired by the surrounding environment of Florida’s gulf coast, the interiors display bright furniture, undulating ceilings, and an oceanic color scheme including deep navy blues, warm violets, and vivid corals. By incorporating bold design and practical artist spaces like a fine arts project room complete with a spray-painting booth, this project fulfills the College’s mission of preparing students to be discerning visual thinkers.

The Yahentamitsi Dining Hall honors indigenous voices and provides sustainable, holistic nutrition for up to 15,000 daily users. The facility’s series of colorful micro-restaurants emphasize food preparation and visibility for students to observe and appreciate the meal preparation process. The building is named in recognition of the Pistacatawy Tribe, upon whose land the university sits – “Yahentamitsi ” translates to “A Place to Go to Eat” in the native Algonquian language. The design team worked with Pistacaway elders to weave immersive environmental graphics into a comprehensive history of the tribe’s authentic voices and artwork. With its high sustainability standards and cultural significance, Yahentamitsi Dining Hall demonstrates award-winning excellence across multiple areas.