Bernardon Haber Holloway Designs Award-Winning Project
On: October 12, 2011 
Filed Under: Member News 
Tags: Bernardon Haber Holloway Architects
Bernardon Haber Holloway Designs Award-Winning Project
Amtrak Wilmington Station wins prestigious international design award
Kennett Square, PA — A comprehensive restoration and renovation of Amtrak’s Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Railroad Station in Wilmington, DE, has led to a prestigious international design award for the extensive project, designed by Bernardon Haber Holloway Architects PC with offices in Kennett Square, PA and Wilmington, DE. The “Brunel Awards,” recognize and promote the best in railway architecture amongst the world’s railways. While more than 150 entries were received worldwide, only nineteen projects received Brunel Awards—the very highest level of recognition.
“It is certainly an honor to have a project considered in any kind of award that takes into account projects from around the world,” notes Bill Holloway, AIA, Principal-InCharge of the project. “The fact that such a prestigious jury of designers and rail professionals were part of that selection process brings even more weight to the recognition.”
That jury was composed of international leaders from design and railway fields and was chaired by Professor Ronald Kemnitzer, FIDSA, of Virginia Polytechnic and State University in Blacksburg, Va. The Brunel Awards are sanctioned by the Watford Group of International Railway Designers and were started in 1963. This year’s award ceremony will be held October 14, 2011.
In 2005, Amtrak commissioned Bernardon Haber Holloway Architects to design a new comprehensive restoration and renovation of the Wilmington Station, originally designed in 1907 by renowned architect Frank Furness and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The completed project includes dramatic new façade lighting, improved accessibility for persons with disabilities, a redesign of the 1986 concourse layout, increased space for lease to private retail tenants, and the restoration of all the remaining historic portions of the station interior.
“The Bernardon Haber Holloway team was involved in every aspect in keeping the historic nature of the building and the new internal image correct for the building,” says Lewis Gran, Senior Engineer Design Stations, Amtrak. “The Bernardon Haber Holloway team worked very hard in keeping with Amtrak design scope of work, [working around] train operations, and keeping the building operational. They made the task in renovating the existing building an experience I will never forget. It was a job well done.”
