Mid-America Science Museum in Hot Springs received the American Institute of Architecture’s People’s Choice and Member’s Choice Award last week during the AIA Arkansas Chapter’s annual awards ceremony.
This inaugural award was presented to Chad Young, principal architect with Wittenberg Delony & Davidson Architects, the Little Rock firm that designed the museum’s recent renovation.
“On behalf of WD&D, we are very honored to receive design recognition for the MASM project from not only the public, but also from among our fellow architects,” Young said. “It was an outstanding project team and we want to thank the museum’s board and Executive Director Diane LaFollette for the opportunity to be the architect. We also want to thank Nabholz Construction and Michael Parker for doing such a great job on the construction work.”
Winners were selected through an online voting process. There were 32 other projects in the running for this year’s People’s Choice Award.
The museum, which recently underwent a $7.8 million renovation, was also selected for a Member’s Choice Award, chosen by AIA Arkansas Chapter architects.
“We know that we have a unique facility, and it is very gratifying to be acknowledged for it not just by the public, but also by other professional architects from throughout the state,” said LaFollette.
The overall building project was a national and local effort with Arkansas-based contractors Nabholz Construction, with consultation from Jacque Pierini of HSA Engineering Consulting Services at the Exploratorium in San Francisco.
Funded through the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation and sponsored by Visit Hot Springs, the Bob Wheeler Science Skywalk is a focal point of the entire remodel. Among one of the many contemporary and engaging additions to the museum, its high elevation allows for guests to observe the museum’s natural wooded setting, located near beautiful Hot Springs National Park.
“WD&D Architects took the museum’s already picturesque landscape and made it even more compelling with their unique design,” said Jim Miller, the museum’s director of marketing.
Focusing on various principles of science, the museum hopes the new skywalk appeals to those who appreciate both natural science and fine architecture.
“Much like we hope that our new Oaklawn Foundation Digital Dome Theater encourages students to become astronauts or astrophysicists, we also hope that the Bob Wheeler Science Skywalk encourages young individuals to not just possibly become natural scientists, but also architects and builders,” said Shena Ball, director of education at the museum.
