AIA Seattle Honors 2006

AIA Seattle Honors, given annually, recognize outstanding achievements by architect and their allies that have advanced the profession in the mission areas of AIA Seattle.

AIA Seattle Medal 2006:
·Johnpaul Jones FAIA
AIA Seattle Honorary Members 2006:
�Benjamin Benschneider
·Frank Chopp
·Karen Gordon
·Matt Griffin
�Lawrence Kreisman
�Alan Merkle, Esq.
�Gary Swenson
Allied Organization Award 2006:
�Port of Seattle
Community Service Award 2006:
·Jerry Q. Lee AIA
·Rachel Minnery AIA

AIA Seattle Medal 2006:
Johnpaul Jones FAIA
The highest award that AIA Seattle can confer on one of its own Members, the AIA Seattle Medal recognizes distinguished lifetime achievement in architecture including design and professional practice and service to the profession, the community, education, and the arts, or any combination of these. AIA Seattle first gave the Medal in 1984 to Paul Hayden Kirk FAIA and Paul Thiry FAIA. Then and since, it recognizes architects who have had a substantial influence in shaping and advancing the architecture of the Northwest as it grows in national and international importance.

In a 30-year career recently highlighted by the 2004 opening of the long-awaited National Museum of the American Indian, Johnpaul Jones has created a special presence for the human spirit on the land, in both structures and the design professional culture. As Senator Dan Inouye recognized in his remarks at the Museum's grand opening, the design of the building in itself addresses dire social issues, laying the groundwork for healing long-standing injustices to the nation's first citizens. In his work and otherwise, Johnpaul takes his strength and guidance from the land –a design philosophy and a way of life which he attributes to his own roots in the Cherokee/Choctaw tradition. His designs as one of the founders of Seattle-based Jones and Jones for museums, cultural centers, and zoological facilities, including influential work at the highly-regarded San Diego Zoo and Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo, have won recognition for heightening human sensitivity to cultural and environmental issues.

In a front-page article in The Seattle Times 9/21/04 ("Architect helped create a place for Indians to share their stories"), staff reporter Sara Jean Green notes: "Jones doesn't just build buildings. He creates environments following holistic instincts, so his designs encompass both the practical and the spiritual." She goes on, "One of maybe 100 American Indians architects in the country, Jones helped lead a movement to diversify Seattle's architectural and design community [beginning] in the mid-1980s." His activism has attracted and encouraged many people of "different" backgrounds to consider and pursue design as a career, and to apply his example of design as a tool for healing and advancing community.

Nominators note that Johnpaul Jones's profound influence on the profession originates in his own humanity. His modest and gentle manner underlies enormous strength of character, while his profound idealism fires his passion to achieve an architecture embracing a rich cultural diversity. Quiet and unassuming yet with a uniquely commanding presence, he lets the power of design speak through him. Not only his AIA Seattle colleagues but also the millions who visit projects touched by his unique vision benefit by the work and the example of this remarkable architect, who upholds our profession's highest aspirations to design excellence and social relevance.

AIA Seattle Honorary Members 2006:
AIA Seattle Honorary Membership recognizes those who have contributed notably to achievement of the mission and goals of AIA Seattle.

Benjamin Benschneider
Through his passion for design and his expertise in architectural photography, Benjamin Benschneider conveys architecture's best to a wide audience of professional and public observers. Over the course of an extensive career with The Seattle Times, Ben Benschneider's photographs illustrating articles in Pacific Northwest magazine have brought the experience of residential design to thousands of readers, while in private assignments for dozens of design firms he has photographed virtually every significant building in the greater Seattle region.

Frank Chopp
As a driving force behind the 30+year history of the Fremont Public Association (Executive Director 1983-2000, President 2000-present), Frank Chopp has created a lasting legacy of community commitment. From his student days at UW, Frank Chopp and others have steadily drawn activists and resources together to advance the work of the Association to include a range of community services, and to become one of the largest multi-service agencies in King County. FPA programs provide shelter, nutrition, and other services for our communities' neediest citizens; and the Low Income Housing Institute, originating within FPA with Frank Chopp as a founding member, has developed more than 1500 low-income housing units – including the Denice Hunt Townhomes in Seattle's Greenwood neighborhood, named in memory of AIA Seattle's 1995-96 President. Similar idealism and commitment infuse Frank Chopp's community-serving leadership over 5 terms as a member of the Washington Legislature, and as Speaker of the House.

Karen Gordon
For more than two decades, Karen Gordon has taken an active role in preservation and preservation education activities, advancing both public and professional understanding of historic preservation practice. As Seattle's Historic Preservation Officer, Karen coordinates the City's official activities in the management and preservation of historic resources, including oversight of neighborhood historic preservation boards and replying to inquiries about historic properties. Architects have appreciated her wisdom, and the opportunity to work with her on a variety of projects related to the City's role in historic preservation. She served on the Board of Advisors of the National Trust for Historic Preservation 1989-1997.

Matt Griffin
His AIA Seattle colleagues commend this creative developer, who in a number of recent and imminent downtown Seattle projects has taken and continues to take the risk for urban excellence. From Pacific Place to the Seaboard Building and the renovation of the downtown Seattle YMCA to the WaMu-SAM project, he has guided Pine Street Group's wise investments to help craft a lively and economically successful downtown – a gift to the city and the region, an attraction to visitors from near and far.

Lawrence Kreisman
Over the course of three decades of a wide-ranging career, Lawrence Kreisman has consistently worked to bring public attention to the Northwest's architectural heritage and its preservation. Accomplishments include his authorship of important publications including Art Deco Seattle, Apartments by Anhalt, Bloedel Reserve: Gardens in the Forest, Historic Preservation in Seattle, The Stimson Legacy: Architecture in the Urban West, and Made to Last: Historic Preservation in Seattle and King County; his work in developing and directing the Viewpoints Tours program of the Seattle Architecture Foundation; his research and curatorial contribution to AIA Seattle's 1994 development of the Blueprints: 100 Years of Seattle Architecture exhibit at MOHAI that became the basis of the Seattle Architecture Foundation's permanent exhibit; his writings on design for The Seattle Times Pacific Northwest; his service on the Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board; and his work as Program Director at Historic Seattle.

Alan Merkle, Esq.
As an attorney with the Seattle-based Stoel Rives, as three-term Mayor of Mercer Island, and as an Advisory Member of the AIA Seattle Board of Directors, Alan Merkle has proven a valuable ally of architects and design professionals. His knowledge and experience, with one basis in his education as an engineer, have helped guide design and building professionals of all generations to achieve success in their work, while his advocacy for design excellence and its power to serve community goals have energized his public service, and contributed to the achievement of notable built projects in Mercer Island and beyond that enhance civic life.

Gary Swenson
A valued consultant on projects and an ally in civic action, structural engineer Gary Swenson has labored alongside architects both on a wide range of projects and in public service, including Mayoral appointments to the Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board and the Seattle Design Commission. As a Principal of Swenson Say Fag�t, Gary has dedicated much of his practice to the preservation and restoration of historic buildings, and has provided pro bono services to community organizations including the Northwest Harvest Food Bank, Interbay P-Patch, and Northwest School. His AIA Seattle colleagues admire his exceptional character and exemplary citizenship, commending his role as a model for employees, family, friends and fellow professionals.

Allied Organization Award 2006:
Port of Seattle
The Allied Organization Award, first given in 1993, recognizes "... an organization which has notably contributed to the goals of AIA Seattle."
As a keeper of entryways and waterfronts connecting Seattle-area communities with each other and with the world, the Port of Seattle makes critical and far-reaching public investments affecting the area's security, economic vitality, and quality of life. The Port's portfolio of successful projects over the years, in locations throughout the urban region - Fishermen's Terminal, renovations to Seattle City Airport, major changes to Interbay facilities, and Seattle central waterfront projects including the Port's own headquarters – have consistently succeeded in terms of design quality and service to public goals. AIA Seattle commends the Port of Seattle, Port Commissioners past and present, and a far-seeing staff in their ongoing work along our waterways and byways.

Community Service Award 2006:
Jerry Q. Lee AIA
First given in 2001, this award recognizes "an individual or group, including an AIA or Assoc. AIA Member of AIA Seattle, for the achievement of significant community service objectives and for exemplifying the application of architectural skills, values, and dedication to the advancement of community goals."

The broad portfolio of Jerry Lee's community service ranges from health awareness to design diversity in education and cultural institutions. As chief executive of MulvannyG2 Architecture (a position from which he stepped down early in 2005) Jerry Lee helped direct substantial resources to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation: in February 2005, the Foundation honored Jerry and Charlene Lee as the guests of honor at a "pink-tie ball" that raised more than $600,000 to advance the Foundation's work. Lee has brought leadership and support to numerous nonprofit organizations serving the community, including Homestead Capital, the Washington Education Foundation, Communities in Schools, and Children's Circle of Care. In October 2004, the Japanese Cultural and Community Center, a long-held dream of Seattle's Japanese American community, got a significant boost when Jerry Lee joined Uwajimaya CEO (and AIA Seattle Honorary Member) Tomio Moriguchi and others in a shared promise to match community donations up to $100,000 to build the Center. With others at MulvannyG2, he sponsored events of the AIA Seattle Diversity Roundtable and the Association for Women in Architecture - and in 2005, established the MulvannyG2 Fund for Diversity at UW CAUP, as part of the firm's commitment to architecture that embraces and serves world cultures.

During Gary Locke's gubernatorial term, Jerry Lee joined the Governor in numerous community projects, and accompanied Governor Locke on his last trade mission to China in 2003, playing an instrumental role in raising the reputation of Washington State's architectural services in China. Jerry Lee accepted the Governor's appointment to a 6-year term on the Washington Board of Registration for Architects. His AIA Seattle colleagues commend Jerry Lee AIA for the energetic pursuit of community ideals.

Rachel Minnery AIA
As CoChair of the AIA Seattle Disaster Preparedness & Response Committee, Rachel Minnery has acted on her personal commitment to preparing communities for natural and human-caused disaster. Her effort has advanced the Committee's charge to equip design professionals for effective community service through training in disaster preparedness and response techniques.

Most notably, in the days when we all first knew of the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina, Rachel took the lead in establishing AIA Seattle's Mississippi Mission, which beginning in September 2005 deployed three trained teams of design and building professionals to perform damage assessment, assisting and supporting local officials' public safety measures. She made advance contact with local architects and officials in Mississippi, convened special training sessions for Seattle-area design professionals, and coordinated arrangements for and took part in the first deployment (September 10-20), performing damage assessment in state-owned facilities in cities along the Gulf Coast – reporting regularly on the team's experiences and observations via the Mississippi Mission Journal. In Mississippi, she met with AIA Mississippi and AIA national officers, to help assure a coordinated response. Her commitment and experience have found expression at the national level, with her appointment to the AIA Disaster Assistance Committee. From her AIA service, others will continue to benefit from her example of professional commitment, learning from her first-hand experience of disaster assistance training and work in the field, and finding inspiration to join her in this and other such critical community involvement.

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AIA Seattle recognizes with gratitude the achievements of many who have helped advance the community and the profession, and welcomes all to join in congratulations and in celebration of these honors.