The American Institute of Architects named Marlene Imirzian & Associates Architects 2015 Arizona Architectural Firm of the Year after a review of firm’s body of work by an out-of-state jury.
The Architectural Firm of the Year Award recognizes the continuing collaboration among individuals in a firm who have produced distinguished architecture over a period of ten years, have made significant contributions to the AIA, the profession and their community and have transcended local boundaries in making these contributions.
“Our work balances the practical realities of producing architecture on a budget and our creative and professional approach to give each project the time, talent and consideration it deserves,” said Marlene Imirzian, founding principal and owner. “We are deeply grateful for this recognition in how it reflects the design excellence, project performance and integration of sustainable design practices for building that is our hallmark.”
AIA Arizona Design Awards recognize excellence in design, planning and construction projects located anywhere in the world designed by AIA Arizona registered- and-licensed architects.
Among the award-winning projects in Phoenix reviewed by the jury were the City of Phoenix Neighborhood Resource Center, Desert Urban House; Sunnyslope Sustainable Office, Paradise Valley Community College Life Science Building, Downtown Lincoln Family YMCA Renovation and Gold Spot Marketing Center Restoration.
Each year, the firm provides pro bono services for at least one nonprofit. Marlene Imirzian & Associates also has donated all services toward developing the Arizona School Design Primer to empower key decision makers for school design and construction in Arizona with fundamental information to make sound design decisions based on the most-current research and successfully built project case studies.
Marlene Imirzian & Associates Architects was established in Phoenix in 1997 and provides full design services from master planning and feasibility studies to building design for clients in industries including education, public, health care, historic preservation, commercial and residential.
The firm’s work has received many design awards, including state and regional design awards from the American Institute of Architects and four Crescordia Awards from Valley Forward for excellence in sustainability.
In addition, the firm’s projects have been featured at Project Kaleidoscope, a leading advocate in the U.S. for what works in building and sustaining strong undergraduate programs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics for innovative community college laboratory design.
Imirzian earned a Master of Architecture Degree from the University of Michigan and trained at Gunnar Birkerts & Associates and William Kessler & Associates in Detroit. She has been a faculty associate at The Design School, Arizona State University Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts and was awarded an AIA Fellowship in Design in 2013. She served as a Trustee of the AIA Trust for five years and as chair in 2012 as well as serving on the AIA Committee on Design for six years on the National Advisory Group, chairing it in 2013.
For more information about Marlene Imirzian & Associates Architects, visit www.imirzian-architects.com. For more information about AIA Arizona, visit www.aia-arizona.org.
