2013 Accent on Architecture Gala Highlights
The American Architectural Foundation is grateful to our sponsors for their enthusiastic support of this year’s Accent on Architecture Gala. We hope to see you next year at the 25th annual Accent on Architecture Gala.
On Friday, March 22, 2013, 530 national leaders in design, government, education, and the media gathered in Washington, D.C., for the 24th annual Accent on Architecture Gala. Presented by the American Architectural Foundation, the Gala celebrates excellence in design leadership and this year featured three honorees:
The Joseph P. Riley Jr. Award for Leadership in Urban Design
The Honorable Mick Cornett, Mayor of Oklahoma City
Presented by the American Architectural Foundation
in association with The United States Conference of Mayors
The Riley Award recognizes a sitting mayor whose commitment to excellence in urban design reflects the outstanding example set by the award’s namesake. Mayor Cornett was honored for his contributions to Oklahoma City’s Metropolitan Area Projects (MAPS), which have helped transform Oklahoma City over the past 20 years into a nationally recognized model for urbanism.
“With commitment and vision, Mayor Cornett has brought innovative design strategies to bear in responding to the challenges and opportunities facing his city,” said Ronald E. Bogle, Hon. AIA, president and chief executive officer of the American Architectural Foundation. “He has continued the tradition of design leadership that has been a hallmark of the Oklahoma City Mayor’s Office since the 1993 launch of MAPS, and his efforts are helping to further elevate Oklahoma City as an exemplar for excellence in city design.”
According to Tom Cochran, chief executive officer and executive director of The United States Conference of Mayors, “The beauty of the Oklahoma City story is that Mayor Cornett, and Mayors Norick and Humphreys before him, have raised taxes to make Oklahoma City into a vibrant metro city when very few cities could muster the political support to do it. It’s about mayoral vision, leadership, and communication with the people of his city. In this regard, Mick Cornett is one of the best of the best mayors in the U.S. and the world.”
The Architectural Record Good Design is Good Business Lifetime Achievement Awards
Patron Award: Hines, accepted by Gerald D. Hines
Architecture Award: Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, accepted by Peter Q. Bohlin, FAIA
Presented by Architectural Record,
a publication of the McGraw-Hill Companies,
in association with the American Architectural Foundation
The Architectural Record Good Design is Good Business Lifetime Achievement Awards honor the winning firms’ commitment to design excellence as a motivator for successful business enterprise.
According to Architectural Record Editor-in-Chief Cathleen McGuigan, “The design leadership exhibited by our winners has been exceptional—both by Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, as architects for such iconic clients as Apple, Uniqlo, and Pixar, and by Hines, as real estate developers who have commissioned significant buildings from Johnson and Burgee’s Pennzoil in Houston to Foster + Partners’ City Place in Washington, D.C. We honor them for developing solutions that will make their companies more relevant and successful in a global culture that increasingly demands environmental stewardship and social responsibility. They truly do prioritize quality of life and sustainability—a positive leap toward an improved business ethic that benefits everyone.”
The Gala featured an interview with Mr. Bohlin and speeches from Mayor Cornett and Mr. Hines, as well as videos, on the revitalization of Oklahoma City through MAPS and Hines’ collaborations with several of the world’s most renowned architects.
The 25th annual Accent on Architecture Gala will take place in Washington, D.C., in spring 2014.
2013 Accent on Architecture Gala Video Highlights
For more on Mayor Cornett’s award and video highlights of Oklahoma City’s MAPS project go here.
For more on Bohlin Cywinski Jackson’s award and video highlights go here.
For more on Hine’s significance as real state developer go here.
Thank You to Our 2013 Gala Sponsors
ABOUT THE AMERICAN ARCHITECTURAL FOUNDATION
Established in 1943, the American Architectural Foundation (AAF), is a national 501(c)(3) organization headquartered in Washington, D.C. AAF is dedicated to the vibrant social, economic, and environmental future of cities. In the past decade, AAF has provided design leadership training and technical assistance to hundreds of mayors, public-private partnerships, education leaders, business leaders, and other local decision makers in the design process. During this time, AAF has worked directly with leaders in every major metropolitan region in the United States. www.arch-foundation.net
Featured photo courtesy of David Hathcox. To purchase prints of many of the photos from the Gala, including table shots, go here.
