We are thrilled to be featured in this year’s edition of Interior Design Magazine’s Best in Design issue. The sleek, modern offices for Growth Capital Partners includes a rich palette of wood, polished stone, sleek lighting, and rich fabrics. The design capitalizes on dramatic floor-to-ceiling glass views of downtown Birmingham, Alabama and transparency throughout the space.
Nexus on Holmes set Groundbreaking Date
Nexus on Holmes, a 249-unit student housing development, is breaking ground soon in Huntsville, Ala. Located at 4315 Holmes Ave. NW and adjacent to the University of Alabama Huntsville Campus Recreation Center, the 239,000-square-foot property will be situated in an opportunity zone and will offer convenient walkable access to the campus, Cummings Research Park, Redstone Arsenal, MidCity Bridge Street and downtown Huntsville.
The groundbreaking ceremony is set for October 10. We are excited to see the progress!
Changing the Campus Skyline: WSCC Unveils Three New Building Plans
Wallace State Community College has unveiled three new facilities transforming the campus skyline with new state-of-the-art classrooms, creating a powerhouse of workforce and economic development. We are proud to be working on the STEM Gateway building, the Center for Advance Machining, and the Advanced Automotive Technology Facility. These new modern, efficient, and aspirational learning complexes create learning environments where students can collaborate and connect leading to greater student success.
Southern Research putting finishing touches on biotech incubator space
Southern Research’s new incubator setup includes 11 offices and 12 wet labs, along with shared lab equipment and entrepreneurial services to support startup businesses engaged in treating and diagnosing diseases, which is projected to open in January.
The Inaugural Anthony Miekeco Penny Scholarship
We were proud to help present the Anthony Miekeco Penny Scholarship at this year's Alabama Center for Architecture Scholarship Awards Luncheon which will be accepted by Abby Rotich. We have had the privilege of working with Abby throughout this past year and are thrilled that such a talented and exceptional student has received this well-deserved award.
This was the inaugural scholarship awarded, established by Williams Blackstock Architects in Anthony's memory. Anthony was a young, talented African American architect, affectionately nicknamed "Penny." He grew up in Gulf Port, Mississippi and received his Architectural degree from Mississippi State University in 2015 whereupon he moved to Birmingham, Alabama and worked for Williams Blackstock Architects until August 2022.
His work included many notable design projects throughout Alabama. Penny embodied a creative spirit, zealously exploring creative design solutions for the betterment of humanity. His quiet and calm demeanor masked his drive and tenacity to raise the bar on any design task he undertook. His character was of the highest integrity and he exhibited compassion for those around him, especially the underserved, where it was his fierce desire to achieve equity and social justice.
Penny was thoughtful and reflective in every interaction and embodied a collaborative spirit. This scholarship is intended to help young, aspiring students achieve their dreams and goals of becoming an architect and making the world a better place through design.
Enterprise Veterans Home Close to Completion
The Command Sgt. Maj. Bennie G. Adkins Veteran’s Home in Enterprise, Alabama is making headlines this week. The facility sits on 108 acres and will be 182,000 square feet, housing 174 residents. Once in full operation, it will provide jobs for more than 200 people in the area.
Fun at Top Golf!
Our summer social was a hit - literally! We got to spend last Friday afternoon trying to out-swing each other at Top Golf. The stunning views, great food, and laughter-filled moments made it a day to remember. For a group that loves to work hard, it was a nice break to get to play for an afternoon too. A huge shoutout to our amazing team for making this company trip an absolute hole-in-one!
2023 Building Birmingham Award Winners
We’re proud to announce that two of our projects were selected as winners in the 2023 Building Birmingham Awards by the Birmingham Business Journal. These awards recognize the projects that are changing the face of the Magic City and were chosen based on their impact, their degree of difficulty and unique aspects, among many other factors.
Nextec
The long-vacant Nextec building in a neglected area downtown was originally constructed in 1927 date and served as the Edward’s Motor Company for many years. The 50,000-square-foot building has been restored to create flexible work offices and collaboration zones for early-stage companies and non-profit organizations.
Located a block from Innovation Depot, an incubator and accelerator for tech & bio-focused businesses, the design brings new vitality to this area of downtown with a carefully renovated historic facade, which utilized tax credits, and a new innovative interior design of office spaces for tech companies.
Hoffman Media
This creative interior design solution which completely renovated the interior of the building creates a new home reflecting the company's brand and mission. As a special-interest publisher involved with print, online and interactive media, this renovation represents their generational opportunity to relocate from the suburbs and create a new home in the heart of Birmingham’s thriving downtown environment.
The new headquarters for Hoffman Media on Second Avenue North, dubbed “The Hoffice on Second”, includes a wide-reaching variety of spaces such as video production studios, photography studios, test kitchen, and related office space. Features throughout this new space, such as the test kitchen area, provide ample space for their creative endeavors and uniquely represents their inspiring brand and mission to enrich daily lives.
2023 AIA Birmingham Awards
Last night we had a wonderful time at the AIA Birmingham Awards Ceremony! We are proud to announce that the design for The Equal Justice Initiative Legacy Pavilion has won an AIA Birmingham Honor Award. And our front lobby and table design has won a Merit Award in the Design Detail category. We're incredibly proud of our team and humbled by these accolades.
Equal Justice Initiative Legacy Pavilion
Honor Award
We are proud to announce that the design for The Equal Justice Initiative Legacy Pavilion has won an AIA Birmingham Honor Award. The pavilion serves as a welcome center for the Legacy Museum and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, which are part of EJI’s work to advance truth and justice in America and to more honestly confront the legacy of slavery, lynching, and segregation.
The design featured light and transparency with a perforated steel screen façade serving as a dynamic, living sculpture connecting the park, porch, and lobby. As reflected light changed throughout the day and night, sunlight was filtered through the images and onto the visitors as they entered.
The perforated stainless steel front screen honored seven key civil rights figures, helping visitors understand the unique role Montgomery played in fueling a civil rights movement that continues to reverberate around the world.
Williams Blackstock Architects Front Lobby and Table
Merit Award - Design Detail
The reception lobby features a sleek and minimalistic table, with a skillful interplay of charcoal soapstone and a single piece of folded blackened steel. The cantilevered effect of the heavy material is intentionally created to provoke a sense of wonder and challenge the limits of what is possible. Dynamic veining in the natural stone creates a beautiful accent to the wood and steel backdrop.
The sleek high-tech design of the reception area creates a strong juxtaposition to the rustic brick, exposed board-formed concrete structure, and polished concrete floors. The design concept creates an impactful welcome area that respects and celebrates the historic warehouse, juxtaposed with modern innovation, technology, and design.
Source: https://www.wba-architects.com/
Auburn Alumni Spotlight: Brittany Foley
Brittany Foley was recently featured in The College of Architecture Design and Construction newsletter for all of her accomplishments. Brittany graduated from Auburn’s School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture (APLA) with a Bachelor of Architecture and a Bachelor of Interior Architecture in 2009. She is now a partner at Williams Blackstock and was recently named to Birmingham Business Journal’s Top 40 Under 40 list.
“Here in Alabama, we’ve had wonderful and meaningful projects that we’ve been able to work on and it’s been really amazing to see the adaptive reuse and historic preservation sector of our practice grow.”