The Larry Enersen Urban Design Award was instituted in 1984 by the Urban Design Committee. Named in memory of the Committee's inaugural chairman, a prominent Lincoln landscape architect and urban planner, the awards are intended to "promote public education and appreciation of urban design: by recognizing outstanding public and private projects".
The Urban Design Committee's Enersen Awards program has operated under three general guidelines:
- One or two awards are given annually; if two, they generally recognizing contrasting projects - one public, one private; or one small-scale, one large-scale, etc.
- Projects are located within the Lincoln city limits.
- Projects should be completed in the year preceding the recognition, although some projects, such as those involving landscape design or other long-term efforts may require a few years to mature and be recognized as "completed".
In 2013, a jury including several alumni of the Committee was implemented to assist with the Enersen Award process. The jury screens and recommends projects to the Committee.
The Enersen Awards are presented as part of the Mayor's Arts Awards celebration, produced by the Lincoln Arts Council. Further information on the Mayor's Arts Awards can be found on the Lincoln Arts Council website.
The 2019 winners (awarded in 2020) of the Larry Enersen Urban Design Award were Block 52 (Lumberworks Block) and N Street Bikeway/BikeLNK.
Block 52 (Lumberworks Block)
The streetscape project addressed the Lincoln Electric System substation. Art panels were incorporated in a screen wall along N Street, in an entryway feature at the corner of 8th and N Streets, and in a canopy structure along 8th Street. These art panels incorporate Haymarket/South Haymarket buildings, a locomotive, a photograph of historic Haymarket workers, and product labels from items that were produced in the area. The N Street screen wall also incorporates 5 panels which provide a brief history of the area.
The block also includes the new Canopy Row building and the Schwarz building which has been renovated for commercial and residential uses. As part of the streetscape, this project added sections of historic canopy south of O Street, extending the Canopy into South Haymarket. Art panels were added to the public stairwell façade on Canopy Street, incorporating a spice can design from a Haymarket business.
N Street Bikeway/BikeLNK
The N Street Bikeway, along with the bike share stations, was the second award. With one terminus adjacent Block 52, the protected bikeway extends to Antelope Creek on the east. The bikeway opened in 2014 and sees about 100,000 riders per year. In addition, nineteen BikeLNK stations with 105 bikes are located in Lincoln. BikeLNK has just surpassed 70,000 rides since its inception in April 2018.
Past Winners
Honor Roll of Winners(PDF, 100KB)