PageSoutherlandPage, which focuses on urban building, civic participation and professional projects, has won the 2009 Architecture Firm Award from the Texas Society of Architects, which represents the AIA in Texas.

The firm will receive its award later this week in Houston at the 70th Annual Convention and Design Products & Ideas Expo.

The society’s selection of PSP, which has offices across the Lone Star State, was based on three areas of achievement: exemplary design, practice and personal development, and professional and community involvement. 

“PSP supports its employees in performing community service, and as a firm they are involved in the community,” says Jeannette Allison, governance manager for the society. “The company’s culture is well rounded, and they were just exceptional in all three areas.”

“The award is the highest honor the society bestows upon a firm. It recognizes one firm that “has consistently produced distinguished architecture in Texas for at least 10 years.”

Allison stresses her comments are made on behalf of the awards committee.

The firm opened its first office in Austin in 1898. Its Dallas office opened in 1975. In the North Texas region, PSP designed major facilities for the Baylor Health Care System and University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. In downtown Houston, PSP designed 10 adaptive-reuse projects, including the Rice Hotel renovation and the architecture at Discovery Green Park. 

Among PSP’s accomplishments is its contribution to the transformation of Austin's urban core with such projects as the Austin Convention Center and its expansion, the Computer Sciences Corporation complex and the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.

“There are many projects we’re excited about" Matt Kreisle, principal in PSP’s Austin office, tells Texas Construction. He says the convention center is one of many Austin projects the firm has been responsible for “in improving the environment of this city.

“Anything that helps set the direction of the city; that is where we want to be. We want to be a part of the heritage of this community. This firm is not just the buildings we leave behind, but the impact we make on our communities.”

PSP boasts more than 100 LEED-accredited professionals on staff and has designed more than 60 projects to meet LEED certification.

Kreisle says the award helps the firm attract the best people.

“Awards such as this help put us in a position to do our best work, attract the best clients and share the values we have and the type of work we’re trying to produce,” he adds. “These awards let our clients know what kind of firm we are as well as what our goals are and what we're trying to achieve.”  

Images of PSP's work can be viewed at www.pspaec.com/index.php/media/images.html.

For more info on the annual convention visit www.texasarchitect.org/convention.php