Following the American Institute of Architects’ (AIA) announcements of the 2018 AIA Gold Medal and Architecture Firm of the Year, three additional national awards have been revealed: the Topaz Medallion, for excellence in architectural education; the Whitney M. Young Jr. Award, honoring architects tackling social issues; and the Edward C. Kemper Award, for professional service.
The 2018 AIA/ACSA Topaz Medallion, honoring “an individual who has been intensely involved in architecture education for more than a decade and whose teaching has influenced a broad range of students,” has been awarded to Jorge Silvetti, Int'l Assoc. AIA. As founding partner of Boston-based practice Machado Silvetti and professor at Harvard University Graduate School of Design since 1975, Silvetti has made a profound impact on the architectural thinking of young students for decades, most strongly during his stint as chair of the architecture program at the GSD from 1995-2002.
“This is not a stylization of architecture that is visually and immediately identifiable, but a way of thinking about history, precedent, and the contextual complexities of architectural production that has inspired generations of architects and educators such as myself,” wrote Christian Dagg, AIA, head of the Auburn University School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture, in his nomination letter.
Honoring “architects and organizations that champion a range of social issues, including affordable housing, minority inclusion and access for persons with disabilities,” the 2018 Whitney M. Young Jr. Award has been awarded to Tamara Eagle Bull, FAIA. Over a 30-year career as leader of Encompass Architects, Eagle Bull has advocated for culturally relevant and responsible design, particularly through the lens of contemporary Native American architecture.
“As the first Native American woman in the U.S. to become a licensed architect, she uses her position and knowledge to improve the schools and communities in which she works,” says the AIA.
The final honor announced, the 2018 Edward C. Kemper Award -- given annually to an architect “who has contributed significantly to the profession through service to the AIA” -- has been awarded to Lenore M. Lucey, FAIA.
As former executive director of AIA New York, a leader of the AIA College of Fellows Executive Committee, and a National Council of Architectural Registration Boards executive, Lucey has advocated for architects by demonstrating their relevance and influence on society. Key accomplishments have included helping to develop the prototype for the first ATM in the 1970s, as well as driving the design sensibilities of the the American Broadcasting Companies (ABC), leading the company to construct two award-winning buildings by Kohn Pedersen Fox.
You can read more about this year’s recipients via the following links:
News via AIA.
