Clark Nexsen Wins Two 2024 AIA Aspire Design Awards

Clark Nexsen was awarded two American Institute of Architects (AIA) Aspire Design Awards at the 2024 AIA Aspire Conference on September 15 in Asheville, North Carolina, for the Patton Building at Blue Ridge Community College and Edneyville Elementary School. An innovative regional design conference hosted by the AIA state chapters of Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, and South Carolina, Aspire gathers leaders from the southeast AEC community to connect, collaborate, and confront challenges in the industry.  

Citation Award – Patton Building at Blue Ridge Community College

Consolidating what was once three separate buildings, the Patton Building provides educational and skilled workforce development spaces featuring state-of-the-art, specialized science labs and infrastructure to support current and future technologies. The modern design resonates with the surrounding mountainous landscape and includes the new courtyard and campus lawn, which form seamless transitions to the main entrance and the lake behind the building. The Student Success Center’s prominent location represents the project’s objective of supporting Blue Ridge Community College students in realizing their goals. 

Merit Award – Edneyville Elementary School 

Edneyville Elementary’s design prioritizes students’ connection with the site and their community while celebrating the unique scenery that frames the school by ensuring all classrooms face west with views of the lake and mountains. Tasked with creating a 21st century learning environment that can also serve as a community center, Edneyville Elementary School responds to Henderson County Public Schools’ student and community needs with thoughtful and effective solutions, including interspersed collaborative spaces, an expansive atrium connecting grade levels, and a separate entrance in the gym to facilitate easy access for afterschool programs and community gatherings. 

About AIA Aspire Design Awards  

The AIA Aspire Design Awards program highlights the diverse range of projects by architects in Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. The program is carefully structured so that the selection and recognition of honorees elevate the general quality of architectural practice, establishes a standard of excellence against the general quality of architectural practice, establishes a standard of excellence against which all architects can measure performance, and informs the public of the importance of design.