The impact of being selected for the 2006 AIA Seattle Medal is quite overpowering!

I've always admired the past recipients of this award for their wonderful architectural spirit and care in design.

What I've realized over time is that it honestly takes the "collective intellect" of the many partners and clients I've worked with to accomplish the best in design, and - through my American Indian heritage – I've come to understand that I am connected to something larger than myself.

I think I now understand what my American Indian Grandmother and Mother were saying as I was growing up, and I've tried over the last 40 years to make sure that I put what they said into practice.

Actually, it's what we share across all our diversities.
It's not an American Indian vision or a philosophy.
It's not a sacred path of enlightenment.

It's something much more understandable:
It's a canoe here in the Northwest.
It was sent to us by the ancestors to guide us, and help us know that we are connected to something larger than ourselves!

There is a sculpture by Indian artist Bill Reid that expresses this belief located at the Canadian Embassy in Washington, DC. There is hardly any room in the canoe, it is full of animals, human, spirits, and nature. It is a canoe with a message, like most American Indian beliefs.

The oneness of the canoe's message is that we are all connected and we're in it together. This sculpture is centered around the "Four Worlds" of my American Indian heritage. My Indian Grandmother gave these four worlds to me.

Natural World/Seasons/Cycles/Cardinal directions:
o Various doors to our universe
o Equinox
o Solstice

Organic:
o Nature of life
o Plants
o Rocks
o Soil
o Water

Plants with power:
o Healing
o Blessing
o Cleansing

Sky:
o Earth connection (above or below)
o Clouds

Animal World/Connecting to family:
o Power Messengers
o Spirit lines Protection Healing power
o Ceremonial ties Connection to seasons and cycles

Non-structured places for animals/Sounds:
o Color
o Beauty Spirit World Creation
o Renewal

Continuum of time/Visioning:
o Dreaming Fire
o Smoke
o Healing
o Cleansing Ceremony
o Many Worlds

Symbolism at all levels/Songs:
o Ritual
o Renewal Birth
o Death

Human World/Language:
o Storytelling Teaching
o Transfer of knowledge Creativity
o Wellness Community
o Tribe
o Family
o Clan Female
o Male Naming
o Rituals Welcome
o Hospitality Humor
o Looking at self

Support:
o Helper

Celebrate:
o Unity

Connection to past:
o Many generations

Respectful:
o Honoring Beauty
o Color

Structured places:
o Round
o Square

It's the diversity of projects at Jones & Jones over the last 40 years that have allowed me to use these four worlds effectively in planning and design: Zoological projects; American Indian projects; and other Regional Architecture projects.

What I've come to realize most of all over the last 40 years is that I can use my own diversity, the ancient knowledge my ancestors have given me, to solve and "enrich" architectural planning and design problems.

What a privilege to receive this honor- Thank you!