More than 75 people attended the Alabama Center for Architecture (ACFA) scholarship awards luncheon July 21, 2015 at The Club Inc. The ACFA Academic Scholarship Program has awarded more than $54,000 in scholarship dollars to collegiate architecture students since 2007. These funds are made possible through the annual ACFA golf tournament, a matching scholarship grant from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and generous donations of partners, such as bDot Architecture, the Birmingham chapter of the Construction Specifications Institute and KPS Group.

More than $9,000 was awarded to five architecture students hailing from the Birmingham area. The winners are:

• Kayla Bailey (Pelham); Auburn University; $1,250
• Ria Bennett (Hoover); Mississippi State University; $500
• Shirley Fung (Hoover); Auburn University; $3,500
• Matthew Giddens (Vestavia Hills); Auburn University; $2,500 (given by KPS Group in memory of Murray Kidd, AIA)
• Rob Warlick (Vestavia Hills); Mississippi State University; $1,500.

Chad Emerson, CEO of Downtown Huntsville, Inc., gave the keynote address, “Making Main Street Legal Again: The SmartCode Solution to Sprawl.” His presentation explored how zoning codes can prohibit the creation of a neighborhood with a traditional corner store or a classic American main street where the shopkeeper lived above her shop. The SmartCode is an ideal tool for municipalities like Birmingham to adopt in order to legalize the use of traditional planning techniques in the development industry.

About the Alabama Center for Architecture
Alabama Center for Architecture, a 501(c) 3 organization, serves as the nonprofit arm of the Birmingham Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. The ACFA conducts various charitable and educational activities to further the appreciation of architecture and design within the community. Through exhibitions, programs and special events, the ACFA aims to improve the quality and sustainability of the built environment, foster exchange between the design, construction, and real estate communities and encourage collaborations across the city and state. Visit www.alcfa.org to learn more.