Philadelphia-Based Firm Receives Accolade for Residence Located on Schuylkill River
The New Jersey Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA-NJ) has recognized Philadelphia-based Michael Ryan Architects with a Merit Award in the Built Residential category in recognition of its work designing the River Run Residence located in Norristown, Pennsylvania.
The River Run Residence was designed to be a weekend sanctuary for its Philadelphia-based owners. Situated on the land parcel of a former summer camp, the property is located directly on the banks of the Schuylkill River in an area that is prone to flooding up to two feet. Faced with these challenging land characteristics, the architect designed an elevated vacation home – perched on stilts – creating a modern and elegant atmosphere amidst the Schuylkill’s distinct outdoor scenery.
“We wanted to create a refuge for the homeowners to escape the city and a design that would accent the beautiful nature that surrounded them,” said Michael Ryan, principal of Michael Ryan Architects. “The surroundings of the project also created constraints for us to overcome, but these hurdles ultimately helped to create a house that is both resilient and unique.”
Michael Ryan Architects, which has offices in Philadelphia, PA and Loveladies, N.J.,drew inspiration from the property’s waterfront setting and decided to focus the layout of the residence to correspond with the river. The elevated house presents an expansive view of the surrounding landscape. The firm saw the three primary spaces – living room, kitchen/dining area, and main bedroom – as a composition of spaces that react to a bend in the river.
“Michael Ryan Architects is deserving of this honor for their striking design of this distinctive home,” said Justin Mihalik, AIA, president of AIA-NJ. “They did an excellent job of creating an amazing view of the river that creates a tranquil setting no matter where you are in the residence.”
About the AIA New Jersey Design Awards Program
The AIA-NJ Annual Design Awards program recognizes architectural projects that exhibit design excellence in one of four categories: open (meant for any building type), residential, historic preservation and interior architecture. Projects are further designated as either “built” or “un-built.” To be eligible, projects must be either located in New Jersey or designed by an AIA-NJ architect. Submitted projects are evaluated during the organization’s annual Design Conference by a group of distinguished architects from throughout the country.
About AIA and AIA New Jersey
Founded in 1857, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) is the professional organization that helps architects serve the public’s needs and builds awareness of the role of architects and architecture in American society. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., its 300 plus local chapters represent 87,000 licensed architects and allied professionals. The organization’s local chapter, AIA New Jersey, has served as the voice of the architecture profession in the Garden State since 1900. Based in Trenton, AIA New Jersey has 2,000 members in six local sections. For more information, please visit www.aia-nj.org.
