At a glance
2022 Alfred State graduate Alec Harrigan was recently honored as the recipient of the Student Project Award for the 2021-22 school year by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Buffalo/Western New York Chapter.
2022 Alfred State graduate Alec Harrigan was recently honored as the recipient of the Student Project Award for the 2021-22 school year by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Buffalo/Western New York Chapter.
The student project award is open to an unbuilt project designed by a student within the last two semesters. The project cannot be affiliated with an architecture firm. Projects must successfully demonstrate design solutions that exhibit innovation, skill, and sensitivity in the resolution of functional and technical requirements.
Harrigan won the award for his Fall 2021 Urban Design Project done in Professor Matthew DiRado’s studio. His project, the Chelsea Collaborative, is a mixed-use building in New York City that provides professionals, students, and community members with a state-of-the-art space to work, live and collaborate in the heart of the vibrant Chelsea District of New York City on the corner of 10th Avenue and 26th street.
In comments from the awards jury, Harrigan was praised for his design. “The jury commends the student designer for taking on this individual study in a dense New York City neighborhood which blends multi-use, residential and co-work programs. Designing a building that has no “rear elevation” is challenging, and the project proposal resolves all four faces of the building tactfully and meticulously. The use of mass timber framing speaks to the need for socially and ecologically responsible design that today’s students must consider as they enter today’s world of design and construction.”
Harrigan was honored to receive the award. “I would like to thank the architecture department at Alfred State for all their support. Having the opportunity to work on dynamic projects such as this in my studio coursework has greatly helped me to refine and develop my architectural skillset. It has been a pleasure to work alongside such talented faculty and students for the last four years.”
Architecture and Design Professor David Carli is proud of Alec’s work and this accomplishment. “Alec was a student with a consistent drive to excel in the execution of his projects and devoted the time and effort into researching and developing the best options to carry forward to professional-level solutions. His selection as the recipient of this prestigious award is a terrific accomplishment for Alec as he moves forward as a young professional and in the continuance of his education. It is also a wonderful reflection on our program at ASC considering our proximity to several of the top schools of architecture in North America. The recognition of his accomplishment is an asset to the reputation and status of our programs and will aid our effort to recruit high quality students seeking a comprehensive and practical education in architecture.”
Harrigan was honored at an awards ceremony held at the Admiral Room in Buffalo. Before graduation last spring, he was a recipient of the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence.
