Masonry Magazine May 1977 Page. 9
Gold Medal Award Winner-Visitors & Administration Building,
Chicago Horticultural Society Botanic Gardens, Glencoe, III.-"A handsome building selected for its strength and geometry and the simplicity with which the masonry is used."
Silver Medal Award Winner-Oak Brook Village Hall, Oak Brook,
-"A very handsome building with excellent proportions...one that brings liveliness to the exterior."
Chicago Excellence in Masonry Awards
Culminating a six-month search for outstanding designs in masonry, the Metropolitan Chicago Masonry Council's third annual Excellence in Masonry '76 Awards dinner dance was held recently in the Hyatt Regency O'Hare Hotel. Nearly 400 guests gathered to see the presentations.
Capturing the coveted Gold Medal Award for outstanding design were Edward Larrabee Barnes, FAIA, architect, and mason contractors Coath & Goss, Inc., Elmhurst, III., for their execution of the design for the Visitors and Administration Building of the Chicago Horticultural Society Botanical Gardens in Glencoe. III. The jury called the building a "simple, straight-forward and uncontrived structure relating to the highly visible area.
The Silver Medal Award went to Holabird & Root, Chicago, Ill.. for their design of Oak Brook Village Hall. Oak Brook. III. The mason contractors for this project were Esche & Lee, Inc.. Arlington Heights. III. In selecting this building, the judges admired "the sense of repose that the building projects on the exterior and delicacy of the detailing and forthright use of the materials throughout."
Serving on the awards jury were three distinguished Fellows of the American Institute of Architects-John C. Haro, William H. Kessler and Glen Paulsen, all of Detroit.
The Metropolitan Chicago Masonry Council is a service organization that represents all facets of the masonry industry-management, labor, manufacturing and distribution. Its Excellence in Masonry program accords professional recognition to outstanding designs incorporating masonry.
Gold Medal winners and presentors (from left)-Presentor John A. Holabird, Jr., president, Chicago Chapter of AIA and partner in the firm of Holabird & Root, Chicago: Hugh MacDonald, executive director, Brick Institute of America/Region 5 and coordinator for the Excellence in Masonry '76 presentation: Dr. Louis Martin, Chicago Horticultural Society who accepted the award for the architect, and William E. Quirk, secretary, Coath & Goss, Inc., Elmhurst, Ill, with mason contractor's award.
Silver Medal winners and presentors (from left)-Coordinator Paul Schroeder, promotion director, Masonry Advancement Council of DuPage County, III.; presentor Charles F. Velardo, chairman, Board of Trustees & Advisors, International Masonry Institute, Washington, D.C.; Clare Esche, president, Esche & Lee, Inc., Arlington Heights, Ill, with mason contractor's award, and Eugene Cook, partner-in-charge, Holabird & Root, Chicago, with architect's award.