Integrated Architecture of Grand Rapids was honored with an American Institute of Architects (AIA) Honor Award for the design of the Grand Haven State Park restroom and shower facility. The award was one of only three presented at the AIA Grand Valley Chapter Awards celebration last March.

Winning the "sustainable" category, the facility is the first of the new environmentally friendly prototype designs Integrated Architecture created for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Parks and Recreation Division. The facility not only saves energy and water, it also creates a state-of-the-art environment for more than 90,000 annual campers at Grand Haven State Park. The facility illustrates that sustainable, efficient and beautiful architecture can be achieved in buildings designed for even the most necessary functions.

"We are pleased and proud that this facility won the Sustainable Honor Award," said Paul Dickinson, Integrated Architecture president. "When we began the design, our goal was to create a facility that would be a national, sustainable showcase for park restrooms and shower facilities."

"Parks and Recreation Division is striving to set the bar high for sustainable design at our public facilities," said Ron Olson, chief of the DNR Parks and Recreation Division. "This structure illustrates how beautiful facilities can be both functional and conserve Michigan's natural resources."

A three-person jury evaluated 28 entries in seven categories. Some of the judges' comments about the building included: "Simple and restrained ? Very nice precedent for future public restroom facilities ? Straight forward and respectful ? Distilled to its essence."

For more information about Integrated Architecture and the design of this facility, contact Trisha Spaulding at (616) 574-0220; www.intarch.com.

For information about the park or accessibility, contact Grand Haven State Park supervisor Patrick Whalen at (616) 847-1309 (TTY/TDD 711 Michigan Relay Center for the hearing impaired), or go to www.michigan.gov/grandhaven.