Architecture institute to honor Furness renovation

The University will receive an honor award today from the American Institutes of Architects for the restoration of the historic Furness Library. The award will be announced at the Accent on Architecture gala held in Washington, D.C. and will be presented at the 1993 AIA National Convention from June 18 to 21 in Chicago. The project, which was directed by Venturi, Scott Brown Associates, Inc., was funded by the University, a $3 million donation from the Pew Trust and a gift of $500,000 from Arthur Ross, a recent honorary degree recipient. "It's a great honor for us to receive the award and it's a great honor for the University itself," said David Marohn, the associate in charge of the project. "The University was very supportive of this project, to their credit." The same project also won the nation's highest recognition for privately funded historic preservation, the President's Historic Preservation Award, which was awarded last month. Frank Furness designed the University's library in 1888. Today the building houses the Jerome and Anne Fisher Fine Arts Library and the University Architectural Archives. The restoration itself was accomplished in three phases. The first phase entailed exterior restoration in 1987. This was followed by renovation of the bookstack building and installation of technologically advanced environmental control, sprinkler, electrical, data and security systems. The final phase involved restoration of the interior components of the library, including a skylight and the removal of the 1922 mid-level floor. The architecture company recreated historical lighting and furnishings in time for the 100th anniversary of the completion of the building on February 7, 1991. The building was named a national historic landmark in 1985 and was the University's main liabrary until 1962. The AIA, the professional organization for architects, singles out several projects for recognition each year. The honor award is the architectural profession's most prestigious award. The winners this year were selected from over 600 entries.