Manchester, NH – The 2010 Clinton Sheerr Award for Excellence in New Hampshire Architecture was bestowed on John W. Merkle AIA, of Exeter at the 26th annual awards program of the New Hampshire Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIANH) , in January.
The award honors and promotes New Hampshire architects and their architecture that exemplifies excellence in design at the highest level. In naming the winner, Christopher P. Williams, the 2007 recipient of the award, noted that “Merkle is an architect with a solidly rooted interest in preservation who has been key to saving numerous historical structures and has given major amounts of time to the support of preservation and other architectural efforts throughout the state of New Hampshire.”
In 1984 Merkle co-founded TMS Architects and in the years since has carved out a niche in the field of historical preservation, committing himself and his firm to saving and restoring some of New England’s most significant historical landmarks. His work has included the restoration of The Wentworth By The Sea Hotel, New Castle; The Music Hall and the Portsmouth Discovery Center in Portsmouth; the American Independence Museum, Exeter; and the Bridges House, the New Hampshire Governor’s residence in Concord, to name a few.
