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 George Mason University Founders Hall_01b George Mason University Founders Hall_02b

George Mason University Founders Hall_03b George Mason University Founders Hall_04b

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Award
- Honor


Project - George Mason University Founders Hall


Category - Institutional Architecture


Project Location - 3351 Fairfax Drive, Arlington, Virginia 22201


Architects - SmithGroup


Associated Architects -


Owner/Developer - George Mason University


Contractor - Manhattan Construction Company


Photographer(s) - Maxwell MacKenzie Architectural Photographer


Jury Comments - This project takes a large, complicated program and develops a project that’s extremely strong urbanistically while also creating a clear public face for the campus. Very well done. It had great site innovation and we were also impressed by the way the building broke down the scale. It’s not one monolithic building but it breaks down into several parts. Overall, it’s a very handsome building. The composition of the front façade of the building was very successful where it breaks down the scale into smaller elements that are proportionally more acceptable for the overwhelming mass and then the transparency at the base of the building. The façade that presents the Fairfax Drive takes a campus that lacks identity and gives it a major building that gives this part of Arlington, Virginia a campus identity along an important street.