Design

For residents of Chicago’s northern suburbs, the Chicago Botanic Garden is much more than just a collection of colorful plants and flowers. Since it opened more than 40 years ago, the 385 acre grounds have served as an important center for community activity and education. The Garden is home to 26 separate gardens and four natural areas, as well as a conservation science education center and a library with one of the country’s largest collections of botanical books. The grounds are also host to numerous community events and educational courses throughout the year.

The Arlington Energy Masters program is a joint venture between three Washington, DC area nonprofit groups - Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment (ACE), Arlington Thrive, and the Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) – which aims to increase energy efficiency in Arlington’s low-income residences. Volunteers from the DC suburb are put through a 20 hour training course on what impacts a home’s water and energy usage and strategies to make homes more efficient. Once the training is completed, volunteers spend at least 60 hours in the community applying their knowledge to help lower energy and water usage in low-income apartments from throughout the county.

Investors in America Award

The Investors in America Award acknowledges groups and individuals who use enterprise, vision, and creative public/private partnerships to bring new civic assets to our nation’s cities.

David M. Schwarz is being honored for constructing some of our country’s most recognizable architectural endeavors with his company, David M. Schwarz Architects, Inc. Schwarz’s projects are always aesthetically-pleasing, suited to the clients’ needs, and above all, sustainable.

David M. Schwarz earned his Master of Architecture from Yale University and his B.A. from St. John’s College. Following work with various firms, he founded David M. Schwarz Architects, Inc. in Washington, D.C. in 1976. His portfolio consists of notable projects from across the U.S. that have been seen as major infrastructure investments in health, education, culture, and sports. His firm has been responsible for some of the country’s most prized architectural accomplishments, including the Ballpark at Arlington, the Cook Children’s Medical Center of Fort Worth, and the Schermerhorn Symphony Center of Nashville.

Schwarz has served on the boards of many prominent organizations and is a founder of the National Building Museum’s Vincent Scully Prize. As one of the country’s leading figures in architecture, he understands the importance of culture and environmental stewardship, and works to include elements of heritage and sustainability in all of his projects. Schwarz is a distinguished architect who understands the value of place-making and has designed projects investing in infrastructure of value to the American community.

Walkability is synonymous with less traffic, a higher quality of life, and more vibrant streetscapes. A new Brookings Institution study—Walk this Way: The Economic Promise of Walkable Places in Metropolitan Washington, D.C., by Christopher B. Lienberger and Mariela Alfonzo—highlights the economics behind walkabaility, and why walkable areas are worth more than previously thought.

Here is a section of sidewalk in Boston made from brick pavers. It’s clear that the lack of uniform sizes and heights could pose challenges for the disabled or elderly pedestrian. Photo credit Seldom Scene Photography.

Designers, planners, and members of the public have recently come into conflict over Boston’s historic use of molded brick in sidewalks and public spaces.  Some think the use of bricks represents the face of Boston, while others condemn them as obstacles to the disabled and elderly. The different viewpoints amount to an ownership debate on the city’s public space.

The City’s Commission for Persons with Disabilities maintains that traditional, molded bricks are unable to provide the smooth surfaces (meaning no height variations greater than a quarter of an inch) that the Americans with Disabilities Act requires. However, other professionals (landscape architects, historical preservationists, and the brick industry) affirm that the material itself is not to blame, but rather improper installation and maintenance.