At a glance
The honor began in 2012 and is named for Bob Pahl, a Boston-area architect, who graduated from Alfred State in 1981 with a degree in architectural engineering technology. Pahl donated the first- and second-place prizes, which were presented this year to Taquon Middleton, of Brooklyn, who received $800, and Kara Anderson, of Ontario, who received $200.
The Department of Architecture and Design at Alfred State has announced the winners of this year’s Bob Pahl Award, given annually to two students who kept the top sketch journals while studying abroad in Sorrento, Italy, as part of their urban sketching course.
The honor began in 2012 and is named for Bob Pahl, a Boston-area architect, who graduated from Alfred State in 1981 with a degree in architectural engineering technology. Pahl donated the first- and second-place prizes, which were presented this year to Taquon Middleton, of Brooklyn, who received $800, and Kara Anderson, of Ontario, who received $200.
Nicholas Cultrara, of Buffalo, was the recipient of a $100 third-place prize, which was donated by Professor Joy Carlson. All three students are architectural technology majors.
“We are extremely grateful to Bob for his generous donation each year,” said Jeffrey Johnston, assistant professor in the Architecture and Design Department and coordinator of the study abroad program in Sorrento. “The Bob Pahl Award provides a valuable incentive for Sorrento architecture students to carefully document, through drawings, their travel experiences and observations.”
Pahl said as a freshman, new to college but with a love of architecture, walking into Johnston’s introduction to architecture course was a dream come true.
“He inspired me, through his talk of travels and his incredible talent in sketching, to make architecture my passion and my life,” said Pahl. “I sketch daily in my profession, and love to give back to the place that had such an impression in my life. I also want to keep the ‘art alive in architecture,’ supporting hand sketching any way I can.”
Pictured, from left, are Jeffrey Johnston, assistant professor in the Architecture and Design Department; Dr. Kristin Poppo, vice president of academic affairs; architectural technology majors Taquon Middleton, of Brooklyn, Kara Anderson, of Ontario, and Nicholas Cultrara; and Dr. Cristiana Panicco, president of Sant’Anna Institute in Sorrento, Italy.