By Joe Boomgaard | MiBiz
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WEST MICHIGAN — The nature of design work may be changing, but one constant for local architects is the annual American Institute of Architects Grand Valley Honor Awards.

The event, held for the second year in conjunction with ArtPrize, took place Sept. 24 at Kendall College Student Commons in Grand Rapids and highlighted seven Honor Award winners and 10 Honorable Mentions across 12 firms.

The chapter also gave two individual awards. Lorissa MacAllister of Enviah was honored as Young Architect of the year and Grand Rapids Mayor George Heartwell accepted this year’s David D. Smith Humanitarian Award.

The AIAGV also awarded two, $1,000 scholarships to West Michigan students Alissa Hahn and Ethan Sims. The national AIA organization contributed $500 to the scholarships – a first this year – while the local chapter raised the remaining $1,500.

Glenn Rahn, the 2010 president of the AIA Grand Valley chapter and owner of Retail Design Consultants LLC, said the landscape is changing for he and his colleagues in West Michigan. The flurry of activity around the Medical Mile is all but finished, and other major building projects have been slow to materialize.

“We had a spurt this summer and it looked like things were turning and people would start investing, but then people started getting scared again and jumped on the brakes,” Rahn told MiBiz. The new normal locally is geared toward mostly smaller projects and renovations. “There is no large-scale construction.”

The smaller projects and dollar amounts leaves the door open for flexible, smaller architecture firms, but larger firms could have a tough time in the economy, he said. Based on conversations he’s had in West Michigan, Rahn said most of the larger firms appear stable at best, although some seem to have budgets to hire specialized talent. Recent layoffs across the board have led many architects to start their own small businesses, and Rahn sees that continuing as the market shakes out.

“We have a desire to produce excellent space. We’re creative people by nature, and we tend to be hopeful,” he said.