The California Theatre in San Jose, left, received a 2006 USITT Architecture Award. Kurt Schindler, AIA, from ELS Architecture, will serve on the jury for the 2007 USITT Architecture Awards.

by Barbara E.R. Lucas
Sightlines Editor

As the USITT Architecture Awards program enters its 14th year, it remains the only awards program in the world devoted exclusively to recognizing excellence in the design of theatre projects. Acknowledging both new and renovated theatres, this awards program continues to draw interest from around the world.

USITT's Architecture Commission is seeking increased participation in the program. All entries are used as the basis for a special conference session to review the design standards of the submitted projects.

Architects and consultants are the people who most often submit entries for the competition, but building owners such as universities or non-profit organizations can either encourage their architects to submit projects or submit them directly to the awards program.

Architecture Commissioner John Prokos, FAIA; and Vice-Commissioner for Awards William Murray, AIA; have named Kurt Schindler, AIA, to lead the adjudication process for the 2007 awards. Mr. Schindler, a principal with ELS Architecture and Urban Design in Berkeley, California, has led the design for many significant theatre projects that have won both Honor and Merit awards in the program in the past, including an Honor award for the California Theatre in 2006.

The Architecture Awards are open to any new construction or renovation completed since January 1,1997. The USITT Architecture Awards jury will evaluate projects on creativity, contextual resonance, functional operation, exploration of new technologies, and community contribution.

November 3 is the deadline for entries. Submission information, requirements, and entry forms are available at www.usitt.org or by contacting Brian Petranchuk, USITT Accounting & Special Projects Clerk, at 800-938-7488 or brian@office.usitt.org.

Jurors are expected to meet in November, and all those submitting entries will be notified of results in December. Representatives of projects chosen to receive Honor or Merit awards will be invited guests of USITT at the Annual Conference & Stage Expo to be held March 14-17 in Phoenix, Arizona where the awards will be presented.

Projects may also be considered for inclusion in future exhibits of work, including the 2011 Prague Quadrennial.

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