The Texas Society of Architects announced its 2024 Honor Awards on July 17. These awards recognize exceptional members, firms, individuals, and organizations for outstanding achievements in support of the profession of architecture, the built environment, and quality of life in Texas. Recipients will be recognized at the Society’s 85th Annual Conference & Design Expo in Houston.
Medal for Lifetime Achievement in Honor of Llewellyn W. Pitts, FAIA
Jim Susman, FAIA
Austin
A giant among the profession’s leaders in Texas, Jim Susman, FAIA, has dedicated his career to strengthening the interwoven elements of architecture, creating a vision for improving the world around him, and tackling the details with a calm can-do spirit that turns ideas into reality. Susman is a senior principal of STG Design, which he has led from a six-person startup to an award-winning 90-person firm with offices in three states. STG has been a key driver of some of Austin’s most transformational projects, including Block 185 (Google Tower), the Thinkery children’s museum, and the Seaholm Power Plant redevelopment. Over the past four decades, numerous community organizations in Austin have benefited from Susman’s influence and leadership, as has the AIA: he has served as AIA Austin president, on numerous local and state committees, and as interim executive vice president of the Texas Society of Architects during the pandemic, providing a steady hand in an uncertain time.
Architecture Firm Award
Perkins&Will Dallas
Dallas
A local presence with a global impact, Perkins&Will Dallas leads numerous studios out of their office, including Healthcare, Civic, Higher Education, K–12, Interiors, and Transportation. The firm, whose credo is steeped in sustainability and putting community at the center, has led the industry toward exceptional environmental performance for decades, showing that high design, healthy work environments, and carbon-neutral operations can be integrated into a singular vision. Recent award-winning projects in Dallas are the Baylor Scott & White Health Administrative Center, Richards Group Headquarters, Pittman Hotel, and Singing Hills Recreation Center. Other projects across the state include Lubbock City Hall, the Princeton Municipal Complex, and El Paso’s Eastside Regional Recreation Center. Perkins&Will Dallas demonstrates a deep commitment to social purpose, with a dedication to placemaking, numerous pro-bono projects completed over the past decade, and a staff invested in the betterment of the industry and their community.
O’Neil Ford Medal for Design Achievement
Sinclair Black, FAIA
Austin
Visionary architect, urban designer, planner, educator, and author Sinclair Black, FAIA, is principal of Black + Motal, formerly Black + Vernooy, and professor emeritus at the University of Texas at Austin School of Architecture. For more than 50 years, Black has contributed significantly to the breadth of the built environment in Central Texas through a body of work that collectively blurs the boundaries between architecture and urban design. Among his many notable projects are: the Great Streets Master Plan, Cedar Street Courtyard, State Theatre renovation, Texas Commission for the Blind, and Nature Center in Austin; work on San Antonio’s River North Master Plan; and his founding and leadership of Reconnect Austin. Black has been a relentless advocate for the public good throughout his career, always working to educate residents, developers, and city councils about the bigger picture. As a collaborator with other architects on the urban scale, he has promoted the “big ideas” that ultimately provide a framework for placemaking: buildings, outdoor spaces, and connections for people celebrating and preserving the particulars of the region.
Cornerstone Award
George B. Hernández Jr.
San Antonio
George B. Hernández Jr. recently retired as president and chief executive officer of University Health, the public hospital district for Bexar County. For more than 40 years, Hernández demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to shaping an equitable and sustainable healthcare future for San Antonio. He worked tirelessly to make University Health a nationally recognized healthcare organization, always keeping a clear focus on the needs of underserved areas of the city. Through projects such as the Robert B. Green Hospital expansion, completed in collaboration with Overland Partners, and the Women & Children’s Hospital by Marmon Mok|ZGF, Hernández’s leadership resulted in beautiful, efficient spaces that celebrate the communities they serve. The projects are not only LEED-certified but integrate art as a healing component in the built environment, bringing dignity and joy to those struggling to regain their health.
Award for Community Service in Honor of James D. Pfluger, FAIA
Steve Fitzpatrick, AIA
Founder and President, Fitzpatrick Architects
Tyler
Award for Equitable Practice in Architecture in Honor of John S. Chase Jr., FAIA
Nicki Marrone, AIA
Principal, Alamo Architects
San Antonio
Award for Outstanding Educational Contributions in Honor of Edward J. Romieniec, FAIA
Rafael Longoria, AIA
ASCA Distinguished Professor of Architecture, University of Houston
Houston
Award for Early Career Professional Achievement in Honor of William W. Caudill, FAIA
Aline Yoldi, AIA
Senior Associate and Central Texas Higher Education Market Leader, Stantec
San Antonio
Associate Members of the Year
Kate Sector, Assoc. AIA
Design Performance Manager, Lake|Flato Architects
San Antonio
Leslie Tijerina, Assoc. AIA
Associate, BRW Architects
Brazos
Mentorship Award
AIA Austin Women in Architecture
Austin
Award for Excellence in the Promotion of Architecture through the Media in Honor of John G. Flowers, Honorary AIA
David Preziosi
President and CEO, Texas Historical Foundation
Dallas
Artisan Award
Casci Ornamental Plaster
Dallas
Citation of Honor
Centro San Antonio
San Antonio
Honorary Membership
Katie O’Brien
Founder and Partner, Trinity Public Affairs
Dallas
Honorary Membership
Maggie Parker
Managing Partner and Founder, Innovan Neighborhoods
Dallas