Hunter Foy

Auburn University industrial design graduate Hunter Foy has made a name for himself in both the corporate world at IBM and as an independent consultant as president of OrchardDesign studio. While employed at IBM, Foy worked on the design of the Simon, the world’s first smartphone that went on sale in 1994 and featured a touchscreen, email capability and a handful of built-in apps including a calculator and sketch pad. The award-winning designer also created several tablets and notebook-style laptops, and worked on the design of kitchen appliances, outdoor lighting and medical devices. Foy was also lead designer on a diagnostic tool for General Motors.

Birmingham: YMCA Youth Center

Bold lines, geometric shapes and primary colors energize YMCA Youth Center in Birmingham. The former Phillips High School gym was renovated for after-school and summer care of children in the city center. Designed by CCR Architecture & Interiors in Birmingham, the project includes classrooms, exercise areas, locker rooms, a climbing totem, an exterior pool, playing fields and a garden. The YMCA Youth Center won the Honor Award from the Birmingham Chapter of the AIA, the Merit Award from the Alabama Council of the AIA, the Citation of Honor from the Gulf States Chapter of the AIA, and the Outstanding Project of the Year from the Construction Specifications Institute in 2007.

Photo credit: CCR Architecture & Interiors