(CHICAGO) September 7, 2016 — The Society of Architectural Historians will host the 7th annual SAH Awards Gala on Friday, November 4 at the Racquet Club of Chicago (1365 N Dearborn Pkwy). SAH is proud to present the Award for Architectural Excellence in Architectural Stewardship to philanthropist
Richard H. Driehaus, the Public Engagement with the Built Environment award to Graham Foundation director and Chicago Architecture Biennial co-artistic director
Sarah Herda and the Design, Planning and Sustainability award to architect
Peter Landon, FAIA, founder and principal of Landon Bone Baker Architects.
This year’s gala co-chairs are
John M. Syvertsen, FAIA, American Architectural Foundation;
Cynthia Winter, AIA, Cynthia Winter Architects LLC; and
Nicholas Weingarten, FAIA. The event begins at 6 p.m. with a cocktail reception and silent auction followed by the award presentation at 7 p.m. The gala is open to the public. Tickets are priced at $175 and are on sale at
sah.org/gala.
The
Awards for Architectural Excellence began in 2010 and represent a unique coming together of architectural practice and academic study, honoring the contributions of individuals to our built environment. Proceeds from the Awards Gala benefit the Society’s educational mission and the ongoing restoration of its headquarters, the Landmark Charnley-Persky House (1891–1892), located in Chicago’s Gold Coast neighborhood. Charnley-Persky House is one of the few extant residences designed by Louis Sullivan and Frank Lloyd Wright and celebrates its 125th anniversary this year.
About the Honorees
Richard H. Driehaus founded Driehaus Capital Management LLC in 1982 and has a personal interest and commitment to design excellence and historic preservation as indicated by his involvement in a wide variety of projects, through his personal gifts, The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, and the Richard H. Driehaus Charitable Lead Trust. Driehaus’ historic preservation efforts in Chicago have included the restoration of the Ransom Cable House and the historic Nickerson Mansion, and the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation has made major contributions for the restoration of Old St. Patrick’s Church and St. Ignatius College Preparatory School. He has been involved in the preservation and restoration of historic homes in the Bronzeville and Prairie Avenue districts of Chicago, and with a variety of religious-oriented restoration projects. In addition, the Foundation has funded several landscape and greening-oriented efforts, including a design competition for the garden at Chicago’s Millennium Park, the restoration of the Caldwell Lily Pool in Chicago’s Lincoln Park, and the restoration and programs of the Garfield Park Conservatory. Driehaus is also a supporter of the Society of Architectural Historians’ U.S. and international programs, and of projects in the U.S. Virgin Islands that preserve history, cultural heritage and historic structures as well as economic and educational initiatives.
Sarah Herda is director of the Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts, the largest foundation in the U.S. committed to awarding project-based grants to individuals and institutions working at the forefront of architecture. It also produces public programs to foster the development and exchange of diverse and challenging ideas about architecture and its role in the arts, culture, and society. Herda is credited with transforming the foundation’s headquarters, the historic Madlener House, into a world-class public venue for architecture exhibitions and building one of Chicago’s most celebrated venues for public programs. Alongside co-artistic director Joseph Grima, Herda organized the inaugural Chicago Architecture Biennial in 2015, the largest international exhibition of contemporary architecture ever to have taken place in North America. The global event—a platform for groundbreaking architectural projects that demonstrated how creativity and innovation can radically transform our lived experience—featured 120 participating architecture and design offices contributing 93 projects from more than 30 countries.
Peter Landon is founder and principal of Landon Bone Baker Architects, known for community-based inner city planning, development, and design work. Landon is a champion of “social consciousness” and diversity in design, and supports neighborhood revitalization efforts across Chicago. He and the firm encourage participation in community and urban policy initiatives and believe that with diligent and responsible effort, good and environmentally-responsible planning and design is possible. Notable works include affordable housing project Rosa Parks Apartments in East Garfield Park, the historic preservation and sustainable rehab of Harvest Commons Apartments, the adaptive re-use of Dorchester Art + Housing Collaborative into a cultural hub for the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood, and Parkside of Old Town, a phased development that replaces Cabrini Green’s high-rise development with mixed-income, lower-density housing.
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Founded in 1940, the Society of Architectural Historians is a nonprofit membership organization that promotes the study, interpretation and conservation of architecture, design, landscapes and urbanism worldwide. SAH serves a network of local, national and international institutions and individuals who, by profession or interest, focus on the built environment and its role in shaping contemporary life. SAH promotes meaningful public engagement with the history of the built environment through advocacy efforts, print and online publications, and local, national and international programs. Learn more at
sah.org.