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H&A Wins Two Commercial Real Estate Awards for Design Excellence & Master Planning
Virginia-based architecture/ engineering (A/E) firm, H&A Architects & Engineers (H&A), received two Excellence in Development Design awards from the Hampton Roads Association for Commercial Real Estate (HRACRE) at the 2011 awards ceremony in Norfolk.
The firm won the Award of Excellence in the category of “Best Office Building Under 50,000 SF” for the Virginia Arts Festival Headquarters in Norfolk, and the Award of Merit in the category of “Best Master Planned” for the Pembroke Strategic Growth (SGA) 4 Implementation Plan in Virginia Beach.
Virginia Arts Festival Headquarters
As a non-profit organization promoting cultural events in downtown Norfolk and throughout Hampton Roads, the Virginia Arts Festival organizes several annual events such as the Virginia Arts Festival each April and May, as well as the Virginia International Tatoo - an event which draws artists from all over the world.
The design team was challenged with blending different work spaces into a single building to house 21,900 SF of administrative office space, a box office, a 2,270 SF rehearsal studio, two dressing rooms and a boardroom.
The use of innovative solutions resulted in an effective workspace for numerous groups at the Virginia Arts Festival headquarters. The building is an open, collaborative work environment that utilizes flexible spaces with careful attention to acoustical detail.
Pembroke SGA 4 Implementation Plan
The goal of the Pembroke SGA plan is to reshape Virginia Beach into a sustainable city that includes walkable streets, pedestrian-friendly transit alternatives, and urban gathering places.
The City of Virginia Beach commissioned the plan to create an urban core for the city through the creation of districts incorporating mixed-use elements. One of the critical components of the plan is the implementation of “Form Based Code” zoning - a new zoning code pivotal in shaping and conceptualizing mixed-use development.
In 2009, the City Council of Virginia Beach adopted the plan and included it as part of the city’s Comprehensive Plan. Today, the area serves as a center for entertainment, town meetings and cultural arts activities.