January 18, 2006

Mithun Wins Prestigious AIA Honor Award for Lloyd Crossing

Seattle, WA — Leading sustainable design firm, Mithun, is a recipient of the 2006 American Institute of Architects (AIA) Institute Honor Award for Regional and Urban Design. Mithun won for its Lloyd Crossing Sustainable Urban Design Plan, a project located in Portland, Oregon. The project client is the Portland Development Commission, the urban renewal agency for the City of Portland. 

The Institute Honor Award for Regional and Urban Design recognizes distinguished achievements that involve the expanding role of the architect in urban design, city planning, and community development. It also recognizes projects that encourage public participation and contribute to the quality of the urban environment.

The Lloyd Crossing Sustainable Urban Design Plan is one of eight projects selected by a prestigious panel of peers and from approximately 65 entries worldwide.

Jurors call it “…a brilliant technical analysis of urban ecosystems. Ecological analysis provided unique perspective which we hope will be more broadly adopted in future urban design and planning. Density done in sustainable way needs to be taken in the context of Portland’s growth boundary.”

“This award not only brings attention to an important cutting edge project, it furthers awareness of what is possible with sustainable design at the city level,” said Bert Gregory, AIA, President and CEO of Mithun. “We are truly honored to receive this award.”

Led by an interdisciplinary team of urban placemaking experts, the Lloyd Crossing Sustainable Urban Design Plan transforms an inner-city neighborhood into a vibrant, highly desirable place to live and work. The plan’s onsite and offsite strategies contribute to the capability of its 35-block ecosystem, emulating the natural systems of a pristine forest—even as the area’s density increases fivefold.

“PDC is very pleased to be part of the talented team that collaborated on a future vision for the Lloyd District,” said PDC Chairman Eric Parsons. “We have an opportunity to design the district so that it is vibrant and attractive, while at the same time sensitive to our environment and resources. We look forward to being a partner in seeing these ideas realized,” Parsons added.

Two things make Lloyd Crossing revolutionary. First, it is a 50-year blueprint that shows how to change existing infrastructure into new space that will in turn, reintegrate natural habitat, leverage public transportation opportunities and live within natural water, solar and carbon budgets as density increases fivefold. Secondly, the plan outlines—not only the creation of an entity to manage the public-private financing partnerships necessary to realize the design strategies—but also how it will work.

The Lloyd Crossing Sustainable Urban Design Plan confirms how setting ambitious goals and creating a cohesive approach to planning and designing sustainable neighborhoods are achievable practical objectives.

The total project cost of $225,000 was shared by the PDC and the Lloyd District Business Improvement District (BID). Through tax increment funds from the Oregon Convention Center Urban Renewal Area, the PDC paid $195,000 while the Lloyd District BID covered the remainder.

Mithun, along with the fellow award recipients, will be honored at the AIA 2006 National Convention and Design Expo in Los Angeles, California next June.

Guided by the pursuit of excellence, Mithun is an award-winning 50+ year design firm providing architecture, urban planning, landscape architecture and interior design services. A national leader in sustainable design, its work is based on the integrated relationship between nature, technology and structures. www.mithun.com.

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