Area Architects to Be Honored for Designs

A good architect designs a building that will stand the test of time, whether it be a cultural center that will be visited by millions or an ordinary public library.

At a special ceremony today, the San Fernando Valley chapter of the American Institute of Architects will honor some of those good architects who call the Valley home.

The designers of the awe-inspiring South Building of the Getty Center will be honored along with those responsible for the restoration of the 200-year-old San Fernando Mission and the Tujunga branch of the Los Angeles Public Library.

“All these projects are outstanding examples of good design,” said Simon Locke, a member of the chapter’s board of directors. “They are some extremely talented architects who are doing things at a very high level.”

Each year, the chapter reviews work around the globe done by Valley architectural firms and a jury of AIA members from chapters throughout California selects the 11 winners in four different categories: honor, lifetime achievement, merit and citation, with honor the highest award.

This year, the jury reviewed 39 designs, some built as far away as Japan and Malaysia.

This year’s winners in the honor category are Jeffrey Kalban and Associates for its design of the South Building of the Getty Center, which Locke calls “a sculptural creation which sets off beautifully against the center.”

The second winner in the category is Lee Burkhart Liu for the design of the Information Resource Management facility built for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in North Hills.

Local architect Joseph R. Railla won the lifetime achievement award for a building he designed in 1961.

Other architects won awards for projects in Santa Monica, Berkeley and San Fernando.

Although the winners have already received their awards, they will be congratulated by their peers at the 1997 Design Awards and Installation Banquet today at the Braemar Country Club in Tarzana.