Alumni Awards 2023

2023

BAC ALUMNI

AWARDS NOVEMBER 8, 2023

Congratulations to our esteemed 2023 Alumni Award honorees!

I am deeply honored, along with the entire BAC community, to celebrate the outstanding individuals showcased in this year’s BAC Alumni Awards ceremony.

Our honorees have distinguished themselves professionally in design while also showing an unwavering commitment to both the community and the BAC. Whether it’s creating inclusive housing, nurturing future design leaders, promoting sustainable building performance, renovating public lands for the benefit of people and wildlife, or advocating for accessible spaces, they each embody the BAC’s entrepreneurial spirit that contributes to the betterment of society.

Beyond their professional achievements, these remarkable individuals each generously give the wealth of their time and experience within the Boston community and well beyond. Their diverse stories reflect a shared dedication to a life-affirming approach to design. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Candice, Wesley, Jon, Luis, Edward, Arick, and Arto for their unwavering commitment and progressive vision in the pursuit of design excellence now and for generations to come!

The achievements of our honorees are a testament to the growing strength and vibrancy of our community. This same vibrancy is evident in our student body. This Fall, we welcomed over 200 new students, a landmark not seen in over a decade. Along with a return rate of 491 students, the highest in seven years, our institution continues to thrive. Notably, 60% of our new undergraduates are transfer students, showcasing the strength of our 38 articulation agreements. This places the BAC at the forefront nationally, setting a high standard for others. We’re also on track to achieve Hispanic Serving Institution status, reflecting our ongoing commitment to growth, diversity, and excellence.

Our global alumni community’s unwavering support has been pivotal to this success. Your dedication and collaboration have been instrumental in elevating the BAC, and for that, we are all profoundly grateful.

Lastly, to everyone who has nurtured and supported the growth of our distinguished alumni, whether you’re a student, alum, staff, faculty member, partner, or friend, you’ve been the vital roots supporting the expansive canopy of the BAC’s global banyan tree, ensuring its 133-year legacy stands strong and enduring.

Regards,

Dr. Mahesh Daas, DPACSA President, ACSA Distinguished Professor

Alumni Awards Ceremony Welcome and Opening Remarks Prasanna Lachagari, M.Arch’20 | BAC Alumni Advisory Council

Alumni Awards Council Recognition Janet Roche, MDS’17 | Chair, BAC Alumni Advisory Council

Student Testimonial Tracy Previlon B.Arch Student

Presidential Update Dr. Mahesh Daas, DPACSA | President, ACSA Distinguished Professor

Award Presentations Distinguished Alumni in Architecture | Candice Barter, B.Arch’02 Distinguished Alumni in Design Studies | Wesley Stanhope, MDS-SD’13, Cert’11 Distinguished Alumni in Interior Architecture & Design | Jon Andersen-Miller, Cert’90 Distinguished Alumni in Landscape Architecture | Luis Perez Demorizi, BLA’16 Distinguished Alumni in Service | Edward Ransom, B.Arch’84 Emerging Designer | Arick Dyrdal, B.Arch’18 Selfless Labor | Arto Kurkjian, B.Arch’82

Board of Trustees Congratulatory Remarks Judy Nitsch | Chair, BAC Board of Trustees

Closing Remarks Prasanna Lachagari, M.Arch’20 | BAC Alumni Advisory Council

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI IN ARCHITECTURE AWARD Candice Barter, B.Arch’02 Principal | E4H Environments for Health Architecture

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI IN ARCHITECTURE AWARD Given to a BAC alum who has made a significant impact in the architecture community while promoting and improving the design professions through their leadership.

Candidates have served in an architectural leadership role for a substantial period and have mentored younger members of the design community.

Candice Barter, B.Arch’02 Principal | E4H Environments for Health Architecture Candice Barter, AIA, NCARB, EDAC, LEED AP, has 20 years of experience in healthcare design and planning. She currently serves as Principal and Office Director of E4H Environments for Health Architecture’s Boston location.

Specializing in pediatric and behavioral health facility design, Candice has delivered transformative projects for four of the top ten leading pediatric hospitals in the U.S., including Boston Children’s Hospital, Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C., and UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. Candice leads with compassion and dedication, having devoted her career to improving the lives of patients, families, and medical staff.

As a principal and leader at E4H, she is passionate about mentoring staff and sharing her expertise to encourage and support the next generation of designers. She draws from her experience as a parent to design improved healthcare facilities and emphasizes a humancentric approach to design, using evidence-based research and best practices.

Candice is an active member of the Healthcare Associated Infections Organization, chairing a pivotal committee for their Healthcare Surge Solutions Taskforce. Additionally, she holds membership in the esteemed New England Healthcare Engineers Society (NEHES). Candice earned a Bachelor of Architecture degree in 2002 from the BAC.

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI IN DESIGN STUDIES AWARD Wesley Stanhope, MDS-SD’13, Cert’11 Founder & CEO | Building Evolution Corporation

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI IN DESIGN STUDIES AWARD Given to a BAC alum who has made a significant impact in the design community while promoting and improving the design professions through their leadership. Candidates have served in a leadership role for a substantial period and have mentored younger members of the design community.

Wesley Stanhope, MDS-SD’13, Cert’11 Founder & CEO | Building Evolution Corporation Wesley Stanhope has two decades of leadership experience in the built environment working on both sides of the Atlantic - in the USA, Ireland, and the UK - on commissioning, construction, electrification, Deep Energy Retrofit, facility conditions assessments, and energy management projects. Wes has successfully assessed, advised, and commissioned buildings representing both ends of the spectrum, including those with significant deficiencies and those with ambitious performance goals.

Wes managed and performed the assessment and commissioning of over 23 million square feet of US Federal Facilities. Wes also has extensive experience managing and implementing assessments and commissioning of large-scale private universities, educational facilities, commercial properties, state facilities, non-profits, and large multifamily developments.

He has broad experience in the sustainable design field and in 2017, he founded Building Evolution Cooperation, which has quickly grown into one of the leading sustainable building performance consulting firms in greater Boston and is routinely working on 50+ local projects.

Wes has also served as an Adjunct Faculty at both Mount Wachusett Community College and the BAC. When not in the office or commissioning a building, he is typically spending time with family and friends, coaching youth soccer, visiting family in Ireland, traveling, or taking a ride on his motorcycle.

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI IN INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN AWARD Jon Andersen-Miller, Cert’90 Principal | Jon Andersen Interiors

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI IN INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN AWARD Given to a BAC alum who has made a significant impact in the interior architecture and design community while promoting and improving the design professions through their leadership. Candidates have served in an interior architecture and design leadership role for a substantial period and have mentored younger members of the design community.

Jon Andersen-Miller, Cert’90 Principal | Jon Andersen Interiors Jon Andersen-Miller arrived in Boston in 1985 after earning an Art History degree at Vassar College and soon enrolled at the BAC, earning his Interior Design certificate in 1990. As a BAC student, Jon’s first design internship at VernerJohnson – Museum Architects & Planners would become a 9-year career, with the last five years spent as the firm’s sole interior designer. While there, he assisted with more than a dozen museum projects across the country.

Jon jumped to residential design, working for a few Boston decorating firms before starting his own South End design firm in 1996. For ten years on Tremont Street, his office worked with local homeowners during a wave of historic renovations in the neighborhood. He often employed BAC students in his 4-person office, where commissions ranged from historic townhouse restoration to LEED certified new construction.

In 2006, Jon moved to Los Angeles, where he and his architect husband, Matt, combined their separate practices into one. Their work there spanned from mission bungalows to urban lofts. In 2012, they moved to Brooklyn, New York where they expanded their design focus to include charter schools. They returned to Massachusetts in 2016 to restore a midcentury home for themselves in Concord.

In 2018, Jon volunteered to head the restoration of Arlington Street Church in addition to his continued residential work. Slated at 10 years and 20 million dollars, Jon saw this as a legacy project for Boston – to preserve the 1861 building as the first church to marry samesex couples in the United States on May 20, 2004 – an important point in LGBTQ+ history.

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI IN LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE AWARD Luis Perez Demorizi, BLA’16 Director of Parks & Open Space | Parks, Recreation & Culture Department, City of Newton

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI IN LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE AWARD Given to a BAC alum who has made a significant impact in the landscape architecture community while promoting and improving the design professions through their leadership. Candidates have served in a landscape architecture leadership role for a substantial period and have mentored younger members of the design community.

Luis Perez Demorizi, BLA’16 Director of Parks & Open Space | Parks, Recreation & Culture Department, City of Newton Luis was born in the Dominican Republic, but after much hardship, his family emigrated to the Bronx, New York, with tourist visas and the hopes to gain permanent residency. His family eventually overstayed their visas and were considered undocumented immigrants, a status that remained throughout his family’s entire experience in New York City. Luis shared a one-bedroom apartment in one of the city’s thousands of tenement buildings with four other family members. His experience in the Bronx was one of community, cross-culturalism, and high crime rates – a true melting pot. This experience instilled in him a heightened awareness of the urban environment and the impacts it has on people’s daily lives.

After unsuccessfully gaining legal permanent residence in the US, Luis and his family went back to the Dominican Republic. During the time that he spent as a young adult in the Dominican Republic, his awareness of the world and others grew deeper, as well as an invaluable perspective on how socio-economic injustice and inequality can breed unsafe places for people. Through these experiences and perspectives, he has developed a drive to advocate for spaces that are safe and accessible to people of all walks of life and abilities.

Luis remains a strong champion for renovating public lands and enhancing their benefits to people and wildlife. After holding a few design positions at reputable firms, Luis is currently working for the City of Newton Parks, Recreation & Culture Department to enhance public open space so that they may continue to forge memories and renewed experiences to upcoming generations.

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI IN SERVICE AWARD Edward Ransom, B.Arch’84 Deputy Director for Energy & Sustainability | Massachusetts Division of Capital Asset Management & Maintenance (DCAMM)

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI IN SERVICE AWARD Given to a BAC alum who serves their greater community by advocating for social, environmental, and/or policy change. Candidates should influence and empower others through design at the local, regional, or global scale. Candidates are alumni from any of the disciplines currently taught at the BAC.

Edward Ransom, B.Arch’84 Deputy Director for Energy & Sustainability | Massachusetts Division of Capital Asset Management & Maintenance (DCAMM) Edward “Tony” Ransom, AIA, NOMA, CCM, LEED AP, BOC Lvl. 1, has spent over 46 years providing architectural and construction services in the greater Boston area. He moved to Boston in 1976 to attend the BAC, where he received his bachelor’s degree in 1984. After working for several large and small firms in the Boston area, he opened his own company, The Ransom Design Studio, in 1989. There, he performed design and construction services for the renovation of approximately 950 units of housing, a community health care center, along with many other accessibility and interior design projects. In 2005, his inclinations toward Program and Project Management led him to alter his career path and focus on being an Owner’s Project Manager for PMA Consultants.

Today, Tony is the Deputy Director for Energy & Sustainability at the Massachusetts Division of Capital Asset Management & Maintenance (DCAMM). As the Deputy Director for the energy program, he is charged with coordinating the implementation of energy, water conservation, sustainability, resiliency and decarbonization measures within construction and renovation projects throughout the Commonwealth’s portfolio of 600+ facilities, and 4,300+ active buildings, comprising approximately 66 million square feet.

Tony is a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the Board of Directors of the Boston Society of Architects (BSA), the Board of Directors for YouthBuild Boston (YBB, for 16 years), and is the Northeast Regional Vice President for the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA, 8 chapters with 600 members).

EMERGING DESIGNER AWARD Arick Dyrdal, B.Arch’18 Registered Architect & Owner | Design Build Architects & Design Build Boston Construction

EMERGING DESIGNER AWARD Given to a recent graduate who demonstrates great promise and leadership within their field. They must be actively employed in the design field and be making an influential impact in their sphere of design. Candidates must be alumni who have graduated within the last five years from any of the disciplines currently taught at the BAC.

Arick Dyrdal, B.Arch’18 Registered Architect & Owner | Design Build Architects & Design Build Boston Construction Arick Dyrdal, a devoted husband to Nancy Villa and proud father of two teenagers, Kaden (13) and Rylee (14), and new addition to the family, Eva. Born to a Cuban immigrant father and a first-generation Cuban American mother, Arick’s heritage has deeply influenced his journey.

Arick’s dedication to serving his country led him to the United States Coast Guard, where he served with distinction for eight years. During this time, he honed his skills as an electronics technician 2nd class and a boatswain’s mate 3rd class, specializing in maritime law enforcement, communications repair, and search and rescue operations.

After leaving the military, Arick discovered his passion for craftsmanship as a carpenter.

His love for creating items with his own hands fueled his decision to pursue architecture.

He graduated from the BAC in 2018, where he was not only a diligent student but also an active participant in student government and the alumni council.

Arick’s entrepreneurial spirit led him to establish Design Build Boston Construction while still in school, all while gaining experience with established construction companies and architecture firms. Upon receiving his architecture license, he founded Design Build Architects. Despite the challenges of launching a business, Arick fearlessly charted his own path just three months before the onset of the global pandemic.

Arick Dyrdal’s inspiring journey, from military service to becoming a successful architect and business owner, reflects his resilience and adaptability in the face of adversity. His story serves as an inspiration to all, demonstrating that determination and dedication can overcome any obstacle, even during the most uncertain times.

SELFLESS LABOR AWARD Arto Kurkjian, B.Arch’82 Senior Project Manager, Construction Administrator | Elkus-Manfredi Architects (Retired)

SELFLESS LABOR AWARD Given to a volunteer in the BAC community who has worked tirelessly for an extended period to advance the College’s mission. This individual embodies the spirit and ideals of the institution and continues to selflessly dedicate their time to the BAC. This award is named after Dean Arcangelo Cascieri’s (1902–1997) “Selfless Labor” sculpture, which depicts worker bees working on behalf of the colony around a beehive. Candidates are individuals who have demonstrated exceptional volunteer leadership in support of the College.

Arto Kurkjian, B.Arch’82 Senior Project Manager, Construction Administrator | ElkusManfredi Architects (Retired) Arto Kurkjian has over 40 years of architectural experience, primarily in the Boston area, specializing in construction documents and construction administration of large-scale mixed-use commercial, residential, educational, healthcare, and science projects. A few of his completed and celebrated projects include – Liberty Mutual, Atlantic Wharf, Children’s Hospital, World Trade Center East Office Building, Fidelity Smithfield Campus, MIT Tang Center, Joslin Diabetes Center, 73 Tremont Street, Four Seasons Hotel and Condominium, the Children’s Hospital Pedestrian Bridge, and West End Garden Garage Residential Tower.

Over the course of his career, Arto held several positions within different Boston architectural firms, developing document management and construction administration workflows with different construction software. He was most recently a Senior Project Manager, Construction Administrator at Elkus-Manfredi Architects.

Arto has been a dedicated volunteer throughout Boston and beyond for years. Since 2004, he has been involved in the design of the Armenian Heritage Park, in addition to serving on the board. He also is the Founder of the Society of Istanbul Armenians of Boston, the National Archivist for the Knights of Vartan (a philanthropic Armenian organization), and the Building Committee President for the St. James Armenian Church in Watertown.

Arto also generously gave his time to the BAC, where he participated in AOP Alumni Reviews, and was a member of the Alumni Board, Alumni Council, and the Practice Faculty (2002-2010) for almost twenty years.

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