Virginia Tech Student Wins 2015 AIA Virginia Prize Competition

Tommy Kim, a 5th-year student in Virginia Tech’s B.Arch. program, has been named the winner of the 2015 AIA Virginia Prize.

During the weekend of Sept. 11-14, 2015, over 300 architecture students from Hampton University, the University of Virginia, and Virginia Tech (Blacksburg and Washington-Alexandria Architecture Center) participated in the 2015 AIA Virginia Prize competition. Students were asked to consider the design of the Rocky Forge Wind Farm, now being developed in Botetourt County, as a public work of land art.

Each school location selected ten finalists, and, from these, a four-person state-wide jury chose Tommy Kim’s entry as the overall competition winner. The jury also selected four best-of-school awards, and five honorable mentions. Receiving best-of-school awards were: Vaughn James, now in his last year at Hampton University; Lauren Scott, in her senior year at the University of Virginia; Forrest Bibeau, in his final year in the B.Arch. program at Virginia Tech, Blacksburg; and Matthew Duncan, a graduate student at Virginia Tech, Washington-Alexandria Architecture Center. Recognized with honorable mentions were: Matthew Young, Virginia Tech; James Wood, Virginia Tech; Zeph Ruggles, University of Virginia; Seema Samudre, Virginia Tech; and Min Hyoung Choe, Virginia Tech.

Sponsored by the Virginia Society of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the annual AIA Virginia Prize is awarded following a weekend competition held simultaneously at the four Virginia architecture school locations.