PAST ACADIA AWARDS RECIPIENTS
2009 Award for Emerging Digital Practice: Gramazio-Kohler, Architecture and Digital Fabrication, Zurich, Switzerland
ACADIA recognizes Fabio Gramazio and Matthias Kohler for their innovative work on "digital materiality," the interconnection of data and material and the resulting implications on architectural design. Their award-winning Zurich practice, which combines the expertise of architects, craftsmen, physicists and computer programmers, pushes the boundaries of digital fabrication.
2009 Award for Innovative Research: Paul Coates, School of Architecture and the Visual Arts, University of East London, London, UK
The selection of Paul Coates for this award recognizes his influence on the field of Computation in Architecture since the 1970s. Coates's early interests lay within the combination of cybernetics and the structure and growth of unplanned settlements. In the late 1970 Coates developed the first Space Syntax applications with Bill Hillier and John Peponis at the University College London. Coates is particularly well known for his forays into Genetic Programming, L-systems and 3D Cellular Automata. In 2004 Coates set up the Centre for Evolutionary Computing in Architecture with Christian Derix at the University of East London, where research also includes implementation of research into live projects with large UK based architectural companies.
2009 Award for Teaching Excellence: Mark D. Gross, School of Architecture, Carnegie Mellon University
Mark Gross's commitment to teaching as mentoring is evidenced by his long and substantial record of papers co-authored with students. Together with longtime collaborator and research partner Ellen Yi-Luen Do, Gross has co-authored papers with students and assisted these students in bringing their work to the attention of national and international audiences. Gross's recent work on Modular Robotics is pioneering a potentially profound new direction in the application of architectural computation
2009 ACADIA Society Award: Tom Seebohm, School of Architecture, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
This award recognizes Thomas Seebohm posthumously for his positive spirit of collaborative inquiry. Thomas brought an openness to others as he saw "collaboration as a wellspring for creative design". He inspired his peers through his appreciation of historical, cultural and aesthetic aspects as well as the technical innovations behind new architectural representations. He wanted us to incorporate the human spirit in our digital dreams. His spirit lives on in those who knew him.
2008 Award for Emerging Digital Practice: Fabian Scheurer, Design to Production
Fabian Scheurer is a computer scientist with Design to Production, an interdisciplinary consultancy for the digital production of complex architectural designs based in Zurich.
2008 Award for Innovative Research: Robert Woodbury, Simon Fraser University
Dr. Woodbury was the founding Chair of the Graduate Program in the School of Interactive Arts and Technology at SFU and a founding member of the Master of Digital Media program jointly offered by four Vancouver institutions.
2008 Award for Innovative Academic Program: Michael Weinstock, Architectural Association
Professor Weinstock is the Academic Head of the Architectural Association, London, and co-director of AA's Emergent Technologies program.
2008 Society Award: Tom Maver, Mackintosh School of Architecture
Professor Maver is currently Research Professor in the Mackintosh School of Architecture at the Glasgow School of Architecture and is an Emeritus Professor of the University of Strathclyde.
2007 Award for Emerging Digital Practice: Achim Menges
The Awards Committee recognizes professor Menges, for his innovative design and pioneering research into evolutionary computing and parametric design. In particular the Awards committee has noted that in his emerging practice professor Menges has been able to synthesize his theoretical and academic endeavors, developing a series of small but critical projects and installations. His work has become an important reference in the design and computing community.
2007 Award for Innovative Research: Branko Kolarevic,
This distinction testifies to the lasting contributions professor Kolarevic has made to the substance of contemporary architecture and to his outstanding ability to synthesize and clearly delineate various architectural research programs.
2006 Award for Emerging Digital Practice: Evan Douglis
This award is conferred to creative design work that advances the discipline of architecture through the development and use of digital media. Evan Douglis has been widely recognized for his innovative design and pioneering research into self-generative techniques and fabrication methods. In particular the Award committee has noted that Evan in his emerging practice has been able to synthesize his theoretical and academic endeavors developing a series of small but critical projects and installations. The Awards Committee has found Evan Douglis projects, made under the pragmatics of practice, provide an exemplary route for an emerging generation of designers that are engaged in the implementation self-generative techniques and fabrication processes in design. His work has become an important reference in the design and computing community. Douglis work has been widely published in periodicals such as: Frame, Architectural Design, NY Magazine, Domus, Metropolis, Dialogue, A+U, Space, and 32. He has received numerous awards and recognitions for his design work including the FEIDAD merit award in 2006, Architectural Record Design Vanguard 2005, Emerging Voices of the Architectural League 1999. He is currently the chair of Undergraduate Studies at Pratt Institute and a frequent lecturer, visiting professor and guest juror at many institutions including Sci-Arc, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, Columbia University, Huebi Institute of Fine arts, Tulane University, and others.
2006 Award for Innovative Research: Mark Burry, RMIT
This award recognizes innovative research that contributes to the field of digital design in architecture. It is presented to Mark Burry in recognition for his years of research into the area of spatial information architecture as Professor of Innovation at RMIT. In particular the Committee would like to distinguish Mr. Burrys outstanding ability to integrate collaborations between education, practice and industry in the realm of architectural research. Mr. Burry has provided a model for how architectural research can advance through dedicated and persistent explorations. The Awards Committee is pleased to present this award on behalf of ACADIA, as well as the entire field of Architecture, for the outstanding inspiration Mr. Burry has provided.
2006 Award for Teaching Excellence: Julio Bermudez, University of Utah
This award recognizes distinguished contributions to pedagogy related to the digital practice of architecture. Julio Bermudez, who is currently Associate Professor of Architecture at the University of Utah, has had a long productive teaching career characterized by his passion, dedication, and sensibility to investigate with his students a timeless architecture. Bermudez has written extensively on the design studio, foundational education in architecture, has promoted the idea of interdisciplinary data representation practices, interdisciplinary approaches to design, interface between the digital and the physical, and hybrid representation media: analog and digital. In collaboration with colleagues has presented the Analog-Digital workshop at schools of architecture in the United Sates, Chile and Argentina. Bermudez has conducted interdisciplinary work on medicine, finance, and computer science among others; his work has been exhibited widely, he has been actively involved with organizations dealing with computing internationally, has lectured at many universities, and presented his work at conferences hosted by organizations in many disciplines other than architecture. The Awards Committee considers Bermudezs trajectory and contributions are of tremendous significance to a mature architectural digital pedagogy.
2006 Society Award: Robert Aish, Bentley Microsystems
This award recognizes extraordinary contributions and service to the ACADIA community. Robert Aish is a founding member of the SmartGeometry group an "Educational Charity" which examines the geometric relationships in architecture and places Computer Aided Design as the central agent for examining those relationships. The Awards Committee considers Aishs workshops at ACADIA and academic institutions have served spark the field of generative systems, and has proven influential in the current discourse of computing in architecture. The groundbreaking research of SmartGeometry Group has contributed to ushering in a new era of architectural production, an era that is central to the aims and ideas of ACADIA. Most significantly is Robert's genuine interest in our society and the network of individuals that comprise our organization. His meritorious career and genuine commitment to furthering the cause of Computer Aided Design in Architecture is worthy of one of our most highly distinctive awards: the ACADIA Society Award. Robert Aish is the Director of Research and Senior Scientist at Bentley Systems. He has been leading the development of GenerativeComponents parametric extension to Microstation. In that capacity he has formed key relationship with a number of professional, research, and academic institutions including ACADIA, MIT, The Architectural Association, Foster and Partners, Greg Lynn Form, Morphosis, Arup, Buro Happlod, KPF, NBBJ, SOM and Grimshaw.
2002 Award of Excellence in Teaching: James A. Turner, University of Michigan
James A. Turner, Professor of Architecture at the University of Michigan, had been selected to receive the Award of Excellence in Teaching. The award was presented to Prof. Turner on behalf of ACADIA by Dr. Ted Hall (Chinese University of Hong Kong), Prof. Wassim Jabi (New Jersey Institute of Technology), Prof. Filiz Ozel (Arizona State University), and Prof. Carmina Sanchez-del-Valle (Hampton University) The package submitted in support of Prof. Turner's nomination included an unexpectedly large number of enthusiastic letters of recommendation, praising his knowledge of the subject matter, geniality, accessibility, helpfulness, and ability to tie together research and education. Letters came from current students and from long-time colleagues, as well as from former students, many of whom had themselves gone on to become professors, directors of laboratories, or in one case, a department chair. The volume of letters received and the care devoted to each one indicated that his students and colleagues hold Prof. Turner in special regard. One student credited him with giving the student's career a new direction. Another wrote, "Of all the professors I have studied with, no one was able to communicate the subject matter to me with such skill, succinctness, lucidity, efficiency and humor." Still another wrote, "My life and work has been truly blessed by knowing and working with Jim Turner." One colleague wrote that "In many ways, Jim has been the 'unsung hero' of the graduate program at his school." Clearly, his supporters feel that while a school may have many valued instructors, Prof. Turner is truly exceptional.
2002 Award of Excellence in Service: John Tector, North Carolina State University
John Tector was a founding member of ACADIA more than 20 years ago. He has tirelessly served ACADIA as an elected Steering Committee member for several terms and has served as the host of the 1987 ACADIA Conference. The award was presented to Prof. Tector by Prof. Ganapathy Mahalingam, the President of ACADIA.
2002 Award of Excellence in Research: Brian R. Johnson, University of Washington
The award was presented to Professor Johnson on behalf of ACADIA by Prof. Loukas Kalisperis of Penn State University. Professor Johnson's recent research has focused on web-based collaboration environments. In addition to participation in two virtual design studios, he has developed a number of innovative applications, including the web-based discussion system (ConferWeb) which is used by ACADIA's steering committee for its internal communications. He also developed the review and evaluation system (EVAL) used for ACADIA's first on-line competitions, ACADIA's online voting system and protocols, and the Compadres collaboration (groupware) system. Prof. Johnson was the site chair of the 1995 ACADIA conference. He has been elected to the ACADIA Steering Committee several times, and served as ACADIA's President from 1999 to 2000.
2001 Award of Excellence in Teaching: William J Mitchell, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Dean Mitchell started his education with a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia, worked for a couple of years as an Architect with Yuncken-Freeman Architects, Melbourne, Australia, and then came to the United States to earn a Master of Environmental Design degree at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut.
His teaching career began at UCLA, and he soon headed the Architecture and Urban Design Program of that school. During his time at UCLA he started a program of computing in architecture which became internationally known because of the achievements by individuals that passed through it. In those early years of his academic career, while writing the fundamental work Computer Aided Architectural Design, the book that put the double-A in CAAD, Dean Mitchell managed to round out his education with a Master of Arts degree from the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom, where he also lectured for a few years. He stayed connected with practice as President of The Urban Innovations Group in Los Angeles, and later as Founding Partner of The Computer-Aided Design Group in Marina Del Rey, California.
In the mid-eighties Dean Mitchell moved from the West to the East to become the Director of the Master in Design Studies Program at Harvard's Graduate School of Design in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In the early nineties he moved within the neighborhood and added another university of high renown to his curriculum vitae. He joined the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as Professor of Architecture and Media Arts and Sciences and Dean of the School of Architecture and Planning, positions he still holds at present.
During all these years Dean Mitchell found time for numerous commitments as a visiting critic or visiting professor allowing even more students to benefit from his teaching at institutions like Yale, Carnegie-Mellon, and in Australia and Hong Kong.
His list of publications is too long to mention more than his fundamental work "Computer Aided Architectural Design" from 1977, and his popular "City of Bits" from 1995.
The awards program at ACADIA is new, therefore, ACADIA at this time seems to be last in line to bestow yet another honor onto Dean Mitchell, after his fellowships at the Royal Australian Institute of Architects and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, his honorary doctorates from the University of Melbourne and the New Jersey Institute of Technology, and his winning of the Appreciation Prize of the Architectural Institute of Japan for his "achievements in the development of architectural design theory in the information age as well as worldwide promotion of CAD education."
ACADIA wants to sincerely thank Dean Mitchell for his achievements in teaching computer aided design in architecture.
2001 Award of Excellence in Research: Charles M. Eastman, Georgia Institute of Technology
Professor Eastman started his education at the University of California, Berkeley, where he earned both a Bachelor of Architecture and a Master of Architecture in the mid-1960's. Chuck Eastman began his pioneering career as a teaching assistant for Christopher Alexander. This experience piqued Chuck's interest in design decision making which was the subject of his Master's thesis. His work continued at the University of Wisconsin with research on protocol analysis. In 1967 he joined the faculty at CMU where he remained for 15 years greatly affecting the future of design computing. Eastman's students from this period have defined the state of the art in Computer-Aided Design. During his years at CMU Chuck Eastman was the mentor for a number of the most prominent researchers in the area of computer applications in architecture. At Carnegie Melon he directed several laboratories, including the Center for Building Sciences and CAD-Graphics Lab.
In 1987 he joined the faculty at the Graduate School of Architecture and Urban Planning at UCLA where he served as the Director of the Center for Design and Computation. In 1995 he joined the faculty of Architecture and Computer Sciences at the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he heads the Ph.D. program in Design Computing.
Professor Eastman is the author of over 90 papers and five books in the areas of CAD, engineering and geometric modeling. His research in design data management is shaping the future of design computing. In 1999 he published an authoritative volume on building product models. He currently holds editorial positions on five journals in the area of design computing and is the representative in the International Alliance for Interoperability and ISO-Step.
Professor Eastman was one of the founders and the first President of ACADIA.
ACADIA at this time wants to recognize and thank Professor Eastman for his achievements and contributions to the field of computer aided design in architecture.
2001 Award of Excellence in Service: BJ Novitski
B.J. Novitski had been selected to receive the 2001 ACADIA Award of Excellence in Service. The award was presented to BJ Novitski by Prof. Brian Johnson (University of Washington) and Prof. Anton Harfmann (University of Cincinnatti). Ms. Novitski's contributions to the early years of ACADIA, during which she served as Membership Coordinator, Newsletter Editor, Annual Conference Technical Chair, and member of the Steering Committee represented one set of contributions, but the Awards Committee also recognized her contributions as an author (for her book "Rendering Real and Imagined Buildings") as a journalist (the Progressive Architecture "Technology" series), and an editor (for the Architecture-Week eZine).
2000 Award of Excellence in Service: Karen M. Kensek
The second award ever given by ACADIA in the 20 year history of the organization was given to University of Southern California School of Architecture Adjunct Associate Professor Prof. Karen M. Kensek. Kensek has placed a great emphasis on service throughout her career, supporting ACADIA in a number of roles: she served as Editor of the ACADIA Quarterly, Vice-President and President, and active Steering Committee member, serving several terms. She also served as the Technical Chair of the 1992 ACADIA conference held in Charleston, South Carolina and has been a frequent reviewer for ACADIA, as well as organizations and journals outside of ACADIA. In addition to her ACADIA service, Karen has served in leadership positions with the Los Angeles AIA Computer committee and was a co-founder of the East Bay Computer Committee. She has taught hundreds of architects. She has also taught architectural computing to high school and elementary school students, Girl Scouts, and dozens of faculty members. At USC, she helped to establish the CLIPPER Lab, and has created several new courses, and served on the USC Architecture computer committee.
1998 Award of Excellence in Research: Chris Yessios
The career and contributions of Dr. Chris Yessios have inspired many, including those who voted to create this series of awards in 1998. As an educator in the Department of Architecture at Ohio State University, he led much significant research into modeling and representation of the built environment. Later, as the founder of auto-de-sys, Inc., the developers of the form-Z software package, Dr. Yessios and auto-des-sys adopted policies that helped schools gain and maintain access to their software at prices that slim budgets could handle. Throughout his career, Dr. Yessios has been a strong supporter of ACADIA (of which he is a founding member).
