College of Design-Architecture

Architecture courses, faculty earn top honors

Two Iowa State University architecture faculty were honored by the Iowa chapter of the American Institute of Architects at its annual convention in Des Moines in October. Cal Lewis, professor and chair of the ISU department of architecture, received the 2009 Medal of Honor for distinguished service to the architecture profession. Kate Schwennsen, professor of architecture and associate dean for academic programs in the ISU College of Design, received the AIA Iowa Educator Award for her contributions to architectural education in Iowa.

In September, the US Green Building Council honored two Iowa State architecture courses for advancing green building education. The Bridge Studio, which focuses on the design of affordable, sustainable housing, won a 2009 Excellence in Green Building Education Recognition Award in the higher education category. The course was developed and taught by Nadia Anderson, ISU assistant professor of architecture. "SCI-TECH: A Technology Sequence for Generation Green" received an honorable mention in the same category. Taught by ISU architecture associate professors Jason Alread and Thomas Leslie and lecturer Rob Whitehead, it is a sequence of graduate-level architecture technology courses that incorporates sustainable design principles.

The Bridge Studio also received the 2009 Grand Prize for Creative Integration of Practice and Education in the Academy from the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards in April.

Assistant professor of architecture Ulrike Passe received the Faculty Award for Extraordinary Performance at the College of Design's annual Awards Day ceremony, April 15.