On December 11, the American Institute of Architects named the winners of its top prizes, including the organization’s highest honor, the Gold Medal, which it bestowed on Israeli-born Canadian-American Moshe Safdie. The 76-year-old architect—perhaps best known for his Habitat 67 modular housing in Montreal—joins a long and distinguished list of Gold Medal laureates, including 2013 winner Thom Mayne and Safdie’s mentor, 1971 winner Louis Kahn. In recent years, Safdie completed work on a daring, much-photographed design for the Marina Bay Sands complex in Singapore and the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas. Safdie Architects was recently appointed to design a major new addition to Singapore Changi Airport.
Architect Peter Eisenman was recognized with the AIA/ACSA Topaz Medallion for his work as an academic and educator, while Alabama-based Rural Studio (an educational program at Auburn University) nabbed an award for its well-regarded student-led design work in the state’s rural communities. The AIA’s final award was given to architect Edward Mazria for his efforts to address pressing climate-related issues with design initiatives, including Architecture 2030 and the 2030 Challenge, both of which aim to decrease the use of fossil fuels in new buildings in the next 15 years. Congratulations to all!
