PHILADELPHIA, PA.- The inaugural competition winners of the Philadelphia Emerging Architecture Prize will be celebrated during December with a public exhibition. The exhibition will take place at AIA Philadelphia's Center for Architecture through January 12, 2009. The two winning firms this year, ISA (Interface Studio Architects LLC) and Qb3, were awarded the prize based on submitted portfolios of projects, followed by a public lecture about their work in November, hosted by the Philadelphia Art Alliance.

Inspired by New York City's New Practices series, the Prize was established to recognize young, emerging design practices based in the Philadelphia area. Philadelphia has been making headlines in design circles lately having just mounted what was touted as the nation's largest design week event in the middle of October. DesignPhiladelphia, the week-long experience, featured gallery openings, design office open houses, lectures and other events, as well as work by both ISA and Qb3. The City's design community has been growing steadily as the art and music scene continues to significantly expand in volume and quality.

The PEA Prize was established to recognize individuals or firms whose body of work exhibits a high level of architectural design and thinking, and celebrates architecture's part in this larger movement of emerging creative energy in Philadelphia. The exhibition features the work of both winning firms with models and drawings arranged along a 4' x 32' horizontal surface, complemented by a media loop projection. An exhibition catalog designed through collaboration by both studios is available during the show and serves as a supplement to the exhibition material.