Rockport — Rockport firm Bernhard & Priestley Architecture has won an Honor Award in the 2012 AIA (American Institute of Architects) Maine Design Awards program for a private residence in Rockport known as “Number 32 Residence.”

“The goal was to transform a former blacksmith workshop into a crisp, contemporary home that sits comfortably in a dense village setting overlooking Rockport Harbor,” said project architect John Priestley in a news release.

Juror David Dimond, principal and director of design for the Minneapolis office of Perkins + Will, found the house grand yet intimate. “The spare use of color combined with a limited material palette and thoughtful detailing makes a delightful transformation of a truly unique place,” he said. The jury also applauded the efficient plan for addressing sustainability obligations.

This year marks the 100th birthday of the Maine Chapter of the AIA founded by John Calvin Stevens in 1912. Presented every other year, the Design Awards are considered a barometer of the direction of architecture in Maine. This year 34 residential plus 30 commercial projects were considered with just three receiving Honor Awards.

“This is an exciting time,” said committee Chairman Scott Simons, a Portland architect. “The economy has forced us to become better architects, to learn to do more with less, and to find creative ways to design smaller projects that still have an impact on our communities.”

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