Central Delaware Master Plan wins national AIA urban planning award

The Master Plan for the Central Delaware Waterfront has won a national design award from the American Institute of Architects.

A 2012 Institutional Honor Award for Regional and Urban Design is shared by the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation and their team of designers, led by Cooper, Robertson & Partners and KieranTimberlake.

“It’s a big deal,” DRWC Planning Committee Chairwoman Marilyn Jordan Taylor – who is also dean of the Penn School of Design.   The award shows the recently completed master plan is a “21st Century Vision” that also is realistic enough to be brought to life, Taylor said.

More than 700 award applications were received in the award’s three categories, said AIA spokesman Matt Tinder.  Architecture and Interior Architecture are the other two categories. Tinder could not say how many applications were received in the Regional and Urban Design category, but the Master Plan was one of eight winners.

Penn Design Dean Taylor announces the award at the DRWC board meeting

“This is a very bold, long term vision,” said one comment from the jury. “The project demonstrates great connectivity back into the neighborhood fabric, integrating both existing buildings, developed open spaces, and the esplanade walk,” said another.  “A good range of density has been represented, particularly along the river, and this plan has transformed the city in a substantial way,” reads a third.

“DRWC is thrilled that the master plan won this prestigious award,” said Planning Director Sarah Thorp. She said the award speaks to the work done by not only by the master plan team, but community members who participated in the process. “We congratulate all members of the consulting team as well as the numerous stakeholders who were involved in the creation of the plan,” she said.

The award will be presented at AIA’s spring conference in Washington, DC. Read more from AIA here. Click on the blue Master Plan link on the first page to read jury highlights.

The Master Plan will be presented to the Planning Commission for approval at a special March 6. meeting.