Mason Ellis receives UA Alum Design Award

Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design's 2021 Alumni Design Awards were held on December 9th. We are thrilled to share that WER associate, Mason Ellis, received a Merit Award for his work as the Project Architect for the historic restoration of the Cane Hill Presbyterian Church.

From Professor Diaz Montemayor, the jury co-chair: “This is a full historic preservation and restoration of the church, which was built in 1891, breathing life into this special site. It is a prominent landmark and an example of the Gothic Revival Vernacular style constructed of native stone and locally sourced timber. Multiple modifications changed its appearance over time. Reparations, cleaning, and substitution of modern materials with original materials were performed outside and inside. The jury found this project to be “an excellent example of Historic Preservation.” To view the full project and see photos of the completed church, click here.

Mason brings over 15 years of design experience to the WER team – with a focus on renovation and restoration work. His passion for historic structures brought him to WER after graduating from the University of Arkansas Fay Jones School of Architecture. He has since become a vital member of our design team, using hands on preservation techniques and methods to transform and breathe new life into existing structures. Mason has had many opportunities to advance his level of experience with projects that involve careful interpretation and technical recreation of historic buildings throughout the state of Arkansas as well as the design of new buildings within a contextual vocabulary. Mason is a board member and past president of Preserve Arkansas, former president of Bicycle Advocacy of Central Arkansas and a member of the XXX Leadership Greater Little Rock class. He also received the 2017 Sustain the Rock Award in the Individual Category for his commitment to making the City of Little Rock a more sustainable place to work and live.

If you would like to watch the full awards ceremony, click here.