by B.J. Novitski

The American Institute of Architects has just announced its 2001 awards, which it has bestowed on an architect, a firm, and an educator. These awards are decided on the basis of the recipients' depth and breadth of influence on the profession of architecture.

Michael Graves, FAIA, is the recipient of the 2001 AIA Gold Medal. Des Moines, Iowa firm Herbert Lewis Kruse Blunck Architecture has received the AIA Firm Award. And Seattle architect Lee G. Copeland, FAIA, has won the Topaz Medallion for excellence in architectural education.

The winners' contributions to the profession of architecture are said to "transcend specific areas of expertise" and to have "consistently been directed toward the future as well as respectful of the past."

This Year's Gold Medal Winner

Gold medallist Graves has been prominent in the architectural community for 35 years and has designed more than 200 buildings in the United States, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.

Some of his best-known projects include the Humana Building in Louisville, Kentucky; The Netherlands' Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport in The Hague; and the headquarters of the World Bank Group's International Finance Corporation, in Washington, D.C.

Said Henry S. Reeder, FAIA, chair of the AIA Committee on Design: "Mr. Graves has restored the image of the architect as a master of the art of building and design in its broadest sense." In recent years, Graves has also become known as a designer of consumer products, including furniture, jewelry, and kitchen items.

Castalia, The Netherlands Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, The Hague, Holland, by Michael Graves. Photo: AVEQ Fotografie Michael Graves, winner of the 2001 AIA Gold Medal. Photo: Bill Phelps   Click on thumbnail images to view full-size pictures.