Meet the Architectural Portfolio 2024 Jury
In early September, the jury for the 2024 Architectural Portfolio began their evaluations of the educational facilities that submitted entries to the design competition. Over several days, the four jurors—architects and school administrators—examined an array of photographs, renderings, project descriptions and data to determine which facility designs they believed stood out from the rest. After completing their individual assessments, the jurors came together via videoconference to discuss their findings and seek common ground on which projects deserved to be recognized for their exceptional designs. The most impressive of those designs were awarded Citations.
As the jurors went back and forth on the relative merits of the entries, they identified some of the qualities they were looking for in the designs that would signal to them that a project was worthy of a Citation.
Some of those qualities:
- Future-forward design
- Catalyst projects with creative and inspirational themes that point the way to new design possibilities
- Designs with flexible furnishings to accommodate varied learning styles and active learning.
- Architecture that welcomes and enhances use by the community at large.
- Architecture that manifests a sense of place
- Designs that promote sustainability, health and wellbeing.
- Designs that are student-focused
- Projects that integrate natural light and views to the outdoors.
- Projects that strengthen connectedness to nature and enable hands-on learning
- Cohesive designs that bring together the interior and exterior
- Designs that support multimodal teaching and learning
Here are the jurors for the 2024 Architectural Portfolio:
Alberto Alvarez
Associate, Senior Design Lead
WRA Architects
Alberto Alvarez has been a key member of WRA since 2016, contributing his expertise in commercial and student housing architecture. Over the years, he has specialized in design and architectural visualizations, playing an essential role in developing innovative concepts for WRA’s most complex educational projects. Some of his notable work includes Van Alstyne Elementary, Vanguard High School in Mesquite, the Walnut Hill Career North Institute for Dallas ISD, Hillsboro Elementary, expansions to Melissa ISD High School, and the ongoing Grayson College Health Sciences Building. His designs aim to enhance the learning environment, offering both functional and inspiring spaces for students and teachers. Alberto holds both a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Architecture degree from Texas Tech University. As an Associate and Senior Design Lead at WRA, he has made a significant impact on the firm’s K-12 and higher education projects. His innovative design solutions and strong client relationships have been key to his success, helping him bring to life spaces that reflect the unique needs of each community. Known for his collaborative approach, Alberto works closely with clients to ensure that each project not only meets functional requirements but also reflects the vision and aspirations of the people it serves.
Valerie Sherry Caruolo
Founder and Principal
VSC Studios
Valerie Sherry Caruolo, BA Brown University, M.ARCH University of Maryland, CPHC, LEED AP, is a Design Principal, facilitator, researcher and former educator. As Founder and Principal of VSC Studios, and The 150 Minute Pledge, Valerie specializes in designing learning experiences and spaces that enhance student success and human flourishing. Valerie explores how environments affect the mental, physical health, wellbeing, and success of learners. A champion of radical collaboration, Valerie brings expertise in architecture, construction, design thinking, lean methods, ethnography, and education space design. As a nationally recognized practitioner and facilitator, Valerie investigates the conditions where innovation can occur, synthesizing evidence-based design findings, and translating, advocating, and advancing knowledge in architectural practice at the intersection of disciplines. Valerie is co-chair of the AIA National Committee on Architecture for Education Research Subcommittee.
Susan Moore
Director of Facilities
Henrico County Public Schools
Susan Moore is the Director of Facilities for Henrico County Public Schools (HCPS) in central Virginia. It is the sixth-largest school district in the state and educates about 49,000 students. The district has 73 school facilities encompassing over 7.6 million square feet of building space. The facilities department handles all maintenance, custodial, logistics and construction for the school system. Three years ago, HCPS completed the construction of two high school rebuilds along with an elementary school expansion; all three campuses are state of the art and achieved LEED gold certification. The district now is in the process of rebuilding two more elementary schools and a middle school; as well as building a new sustainable classroom building which will serve the school system’s environmental education specialty center. It is the mission of the HCPS Facilities Department to provide well designed schools with engaging, flexible learning environments. Susan received a BS in Architecture from the University of Virginia and has worked in the design industry for 38 years. She has served as HCPS Director of Facilities for eight years.
Dina Miris Sorensen
Founder
d.studio
Founder of d.studio and Co-chair of the AIA-CAE Research Subcommittee on Architecture for Education, Dina is an award-winning, nationally recognized education design leader, speaker, and author. Trained in fine arts and architecture, she works across disciplines to construct meaningful connections between people, place and pedagogy. Her innovative designs have opened the eyes of learners of all ages to the wonders of the natural world, and her collaborative research has made pioneering contributions to the field of school architecture and public health. Her passion for innovation resulted in the first Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Design Guidelines for School Architecture© as well as designs that have twice earned the U.S. Most Livable Building Award and AIA-COTE Awards. She co-founded and was editor of Dialogues: Emerging Research at the Intersection of Designs for Learning and now serves as designer in residence at the Center for Systems and Community Design at the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health, where she leverages design thinking and public health research.