Orlando, FL, Tuesday, May 3rd 2005 - Coverings, the most comprehensive tile and stone marketplace in the Americas, and the preferred forum for hard surface education, exhibits and purchases, is pleased to announce Paul Lamb Architects as the $10,000 Grand Prize winner of the 2005 PRISM Stone in Architecture Awards for the “Maya House.” The PRISM Stone in Architecture Award honors outstanding examples of architectural achievement in the use of natural stone in residential, commercial and institutional design.

Led by Paul Lamb of Paul Lamb Architects, Continental Cut Stone and Escobedo Construction, the “Maya House” is an accurate replication of ancient Mayan architectural style and technique. To create an authentic Mayan look, the designers used hand-chiseled textures and a mortarless “zero” coursing technique, which is a modernized version of the Mayan “low-lift” construction. The team also developed a method for cantilevering stone treads from a concrete shaft wall to create a stone stairway with an open exterior. The variety of Texas limestone presented diversity and richness typical of Mayan architecture.

“This project utilized modern techniques to recapture ancient Mayan architecture. It’s a clear demonstration that stone has been a premier building material for thousands of years, both in terms of practicality and aesthetics,” says Tamara Christian, Coverings’ show director and president, National Trade Productions. “The PRISM award is a testament to the craftsmanship, sophistication and flair that natural stone can add to any building project.”

Award of Merit, Residential: “Shadow House – Tilted Stone Courtyard” by Antoine Predock Architect, PC. Designed by architect Antoine Predock and installed by Kenderdine Construction, the courtyard is paved in Antique Salmon Granite that once formed the alleys and roads of medieval villages in South China. Salvaged from the Three Rivers Gorge Dam project, the granite reflects centuries of history, traffic and vegetation, giving the entire property a rustic, lived-in look while simultaneously addressing the modern search for green building components.

Award of Merit, Commercial: “The Royal Bank of Scotland” by DMJM Rottet, led by Kelie Mayfield and Ellyn Wulfe. . The project team included architect Lauren Rotter, FAIA; designer Kelie Mayfield; contractor Basic Builders, Inc.; and installer, Architectural Floors. The project is characterized by the striking use of stone, emphasizing its sharp, linear properties while maintaining harmony with the rest of the interiors, creating an aesthetically appealing, integrated effect throughout the design.

First Prize, Institutional: “Texas Tech University” by Holzman Moss Architecture. Led by architect Malcolm Holzman and contractor Brazos Masonry, Inc. , this project used architect Terry Coradini; the Vratsinas over 42,000 square feet of 270 million-year-old fossilized Lueders limestone to create patterns, shade and shadow in the wall surfaces and two geometrically unique stone pavilions with large-glazed areas. The two types of stone selected feature a light-colored, fine-textured limestone composed of millions of seashell pieces compacted together. The stones also feature the “Turkey Track” pattern, which is believed to have been produced by trace fossils that preserve the evidence of past animal activity.

Award of Merit, Institutional: BRAMCO, W.L.L. for the “Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque.” Led by Kanika Dewan and a project team including Quad Design architects, designers BRAMCO, W.L.L. and Natural Quad Design architects, designers BRAMCO, W.L.L. and Natural Stone Depot, and contractor Bramco W.L.L., this project features a wide range of different techniques and striking color patterns, which together create an arresting, unified design.

“These winning designs represent the incredible diversity and versatility of natural stone, demonstrating that it has endless applications and possibilities for architects and designers,” says Gary Distelhorst, CAE, executive vice president, the Marble Institute of America (MIA). “With its stylish and distinctive look, stone is a perfect choice for any installation.”

The Marble Institute of America (MIA), the stone industry’s leading professional association, and Architectural Record magazine coordinated the competition. An independent panel of judges assembled by Architectural Record and MIA evaluated the entries based on creativity in design and excellence in implementation. They included: Ron Reed, Westlake Reed & Leskosky; Dick Fleischman, Richard Fleischman & Partners; Stephen J. Bucchieri, Bucchieri Architects; and Jack Alan Bialosky Jr., Bialosky & Partners Architects.

Sponsoring organizations of Coverings are ASCER (Spain’s Ceramic Tile Manufacturers Association), Assopiastrelle (Association of Italian Ceramic Tile and Refractories Manufacturers), CTDA (Ceramic Tile Distributors Association), NTCA (National Tile Contractors Association) and TCA (Tile Council of America).

The co-sponsors of Coverings include: the Marble Institute of America, American Institute of Architects (Orlando Chapter), the Associazione Italiana Marmomacchine, The American Society of Interior Designers (Florida South, Florida North and Florida West Coast), the Construction Specifications Institute (Greater Orlando Chapter), International Interior Design Association (Florida Chapter), the Terrazzo Tile and Marble Association of Canada, the Tile Contractors’ Association of America, and the Tile Heritage Foundation.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          page 1