Naval Facilities Engineering Command Honors Design Excellence

By Brie Lang, Naval Facilities Engineering Command

April 28, 2010 - WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) announced the winners of its 2009 Design Awards program April 27 to showcase the Navy's best design and construction projects.

Navy architects and civil engineers leave a 'design footprint' on Naval bases worldwide, providing Sailors and Marines with high-quality offices, gymnasiums, homes, operational facilities and more.

These buildings must be functional, safe, long lasting, environmentally friendly and aesthetically pleasing.

"The Navy's commitment to energy efficiency and environmental stewardship begins with the facilities' planning and design," said NAVFAC Chief Engineer Joseph Gott, P.E. "This year's winning entries exemplify this commitment with flying colors."

A panel of expert judges, composed of academia, private sector and government service design professionals, selected five projects for awards. Projects were evaluated with such criteria as global and regional planning; facility plans and studies; new facility design; family housing; building alteration and reuse; and interior design.

The Commander's Award for Design Excellence was presented to NAVFAC Washington for the Wesley A. Brown Field House at the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md.

The Wesley A. Brown Field House provides the Naval Academy with a world-class training facility, able to attract the finest athletes and officer candidates to military service. Within a single structure, a wide range of athletic programs are accommodated, including track and field, volleyball, and indoor practice for the basketball, football, and lacrosse teams. The design solution provides one of the most technologically unique indoor field houses in the country, distinctively integrated with its site on the Severn River and the historic structures of the Academy.

Honor Awards were given to NAVFAC Southwest for the Squadron Operations Facility, Coronado, Calif. and NAVFAC Washington for the King Hall Repair/Rehabilitation project at the U.S. Naval Academy and the Regionally Integrated Master Program for the Commander, Navy Region Washington.

A Merit Award was awarded to NAVFAC Southeast for a Hangar & Parking Apron project in Jacksonville, Fla.

The NAVFAC Design Awards program recognizes achievements by the design community and employees of NAVFAC, promotes design excellence in all aspects of the built and natural environment, demonstrates responsible stewardship of public resources, and motivates employees to create the best facilities and infrastructure for our Navy, Marine Corps and other clients. For pictures and descriptions of the winners, visit https://portal.navfac.navy.mil/go/2009designawards