North Carolina Central University News September 01, 2010 BRITE Design Recognized by American Institute of Architects The American Institute of Architects Committee on Architecture for Education has awarded its 2010 Educational Facility Design Award to the Biomanufacturing Research Institute and Technology Enterprise, BRITE, on the campus of North Carolina Central University. The committee awarded BRITE its highest honor, the Design Excellence Award. The Freelon Group served as design lead, laboratory planner and lead programmer for BRITE; O’Brien/Atkins Associates of Durham served as Architect of Record. Built in 2008, BRITE is part of the statewide public-private initiative to provide a hands-on learning experience for undergraduate and graduate students interested in careers in the growing biotechnology industry. The building’s design is metaphorically taken from an unraveled DNA strand and combines modern laboratories, classrooms and office space in a 56,000-square-foot, light-filled space. BRITE received the excellence award along with the Cathcart Site in Snohomish, Wash., and the Michael J. Homer Science & Student Life Center in Atherton, Calif. CAE presented nine educational and cultural facilities awards in three categories: citation, merit and excellence. The Educational Facility Design Awards are intended to recognize excellence in planning and design, identify trends and emerging ideas, and disseminate knowledge about best practices in educational and community facilities. The Freelon Group has received several awards for the BRITE Building. The firm also has completed major projects on multiple UNC campuses, including Elizabeth City State University and North Carolina A&T State University. Last year the Freelon Group was selected by the Smithsonian Institution to design the National Museum of African-American History and Culture in Washington. SANDRA M. PHOENIX Program Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org www.hbculibraries.org 404.592.4820 1438 West Peachtree Street NW Suite 200 Atlanta, GA 30309 Toll Free: 1.800.999.8558 (Lyrasis) Fax: 404.892.7879 www.lyrasis.org Honor the ancestors, honor the children. Register now http://www.hbculibraries.org/html/meeting-form.html for the October 24-26, 2010 HBCU Library Alliance 4th Membership Meeting and the "Conference on Advocacy" pre-conference in Montgomery, AL. The Pre-Conference and Membership meeting are open to directors and other librarians.