The 2015 Portman Prize, established by John Portman & Associates (Portman), has been awarded to Joanna Bledsoe Bidani, a student in the Master of Architecture program at the Georgia Tech School of Architecture.

Ms. Bledsoe Bidani was awarded top honors for her design “Atlanta School of the Arts,” which focuses on addressing key student needs by providing an interesting and original diversity of spaces throughout the school. Ms. Bledsoe Bidani is from Roswell, Georgia, and obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Georgia State University prior to enrolling in Georgia Tech’s M. Arch program.

Portman established this award in the year 2000 with the intention of encouraging graduate students to develop a holistic design approach that ties the big idea to the small detail. This year, students were tasked with creating a high school design that integrates the architecture with site design, construction technology and the art of detail. 

As the first place winner, Ms. Bledsoe Bidani received a cash prize and a paid summer internship with Portman. The second place winner, Eric Goldstein, and third place winner, Heather Potts, were also awarded cash prices for their outstanding design work, as were seven honorable mentions.

“It was energizing to witness the enthusiasm of the students firsthand,” said Pierluca Maffey, vice president of design at Portman. “Ms. Bledsoe Bidani’s comprehensive approach made for a very compelling presentation.”

The Portman Prize is an annual competition within Georgia Tech’s School of Architecture that brings some of the most distinguished architects from across the country to serve as jurors. This year, architect Julie Snow, FAIA, of Snow Kreilich Architects served as the visiting critic, and from Portman, Mr. Maffey, sat on the jury.

“On behalf of the studio instructors and the students, I would like to thank John Portman & Associates for their generous and sustained support of the visiting critic and design competition program,” said the Portman Prize Studio Coordinator, Associate Professor Charles Rudolph from the School of Architecture at Georgia Tech. “It is indeed the high point of the second year of our Master of Architecture program, and the projects establish high standards of creativity, rigor and execution. Portman’s interest in advancing design quality converges with our own in the spirited context of the competition, which benefits the students, the profession and the community at large."

“The Portman Prize recognizes the creative talents of Georgia Tech’s architecture students. While there can only be one winner, our hope is that all the participating students are inspired by the exposure to professional opinions and encouraged to think and create on a higher level,” said Jack Portman, FAIA, vice chairman of John Portman & Associates and Portman Holdings. “We are proud that through our continued relationship with Georgia Tech, Portman is challenging future architects to think beyond their classroom and form their own visions for design.”

In March 2014, Georgia Tech created the John Portman Dean’s Chair – a move that recognizes one of the most prestigious levels of academic leadership and raises the profile of the College of Architecture. The John Portman Dean’s Chair greatly enhances the college’s ability to attract and retain the very best academic leaders and provides the resources to meet pressing needs within the college and take advantage of emerging opportunities.

For more than a decade, Georgia Tech and Portman have partnered to advance the values of vision, creativity and an entrepreneurial spirit, which are the fundamentals of Portman’s human-centered design philosophy, through the Portman Prize.

About John Portman & Associates

John Portman & Associates (Portman) is an internationally renowned architectural design firm with offices in Atlanta and Shanghai. Established in 1953, Portman has more than 60 years of experience in designing mixed-use urban developments, hotels, office buildings, multiunit residential complexes and exhibition centers. Portman projects can be seen in more than 60 cities worldwide. The firm’s architecture transcends national borders by striving for universal human appeal, enhancing the environment for users and providing a sound investment for owners and operators. For more information on John Portman & Associates, visit www.portmanusa.com and follow the company on Twitter via @JPortmanAssoc.

About the School of Architecture at Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech has a proud heritage in architectural education, closely linking applied technology and fine arts since 1908. Today, the School of Architecture is a leading producer of new knowledge in architectural design and houses advanced research, studio and lab facilities. Its 30 full-time faculty and approximately 450 graduate and undergraduate students exploit the creative tensions between research and design to drive innovation in the field of architecture. Visit www.arch.gatech.edu for more information.