Washington, D.C. – December 8, 2017 – The Board of Directors and the Strategic Council of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) bestowed Lenore M. Lucey, FAIA, with the 2018 Edward C. Kemper Award. Named in honor of the AIA’s first executive director, the award is given annually to an architect who has contributed significantly to the profession through service to the AIA. An advocate for architects and a leader in demonstrating their relevance and influence on society, Lucey, has built a legacy of continuous service to the built environment.  Lucey will be honored at the AIA Conference on Architecture 2018 in New York City.

In her roles of design professional, former executive director of AIA New York, a leader of the AIA College of Fellows Executive Committee, and a National Council of Architectural Registration Boards executive, Lucey has dedicated her prestigious career to advancing the profession. The effect Lucey has had on the design profession was felt early in her career when she served on the Citibank B-77 Task Force, which in the 1970s reshaped the personal banking experience by developing the prototype for the first ATM. She also elevated the design sensibility of the American Broadcasting Companies (ABC), which resulted in two award-winning Kohn Pedersen Fox buildings, the restoration of an iconic factory building for ABC Radio, and a slew of other projects designed by some of the nation’s most-recognized firms.

Lucey’s leadership has had a transformative effect on the College of Fellows, where she has sought to strategically deploy the AIA’s Latrobe Prize to research efforts that would immediately impact practitioners. In 2017 the prize was awarded to three faculty members from the Northeastern University School of Architecture for their study, “Future-Use Architecture.” Based on current teaching methodologies, the prize promises to document the attributes that facilitate long-term use and change of buildings, leading architects to design more resilient buildings from their inception.

As the leader of AIA New York and of the New York Foundation for Architecture, a position she held from 1986 to 1994, she raised public awareness of the chapter that generated a 46 percent increase in its membership and a major relocation of its offices. Her strong convictions helped position the chapter as a sought-after voice among countless city agencies, boards, and commissions. Her written pieces for Oculus, the chapter’s magazine, have been reprinted by components across the country and in nationally recognized publications.

About The American Institute of Architects

Founded in 1857, The American Institute of Architects consistently works to create more valuable, healthy, secure, and sustainable buildings, neighborhoods, and communities. Through nearly 300 state and local chapters, AIA advocates for public policies that promote economic vitality and public wellbeing. Members adhere to a code of ethics and conduct to ensure the highest professional standards. AIA provides members with tools and resources to assist them in their careers and business as well as engaging civic and government leaders and the public to find solutions to pressing issues facing our communities, institutions, nation and world.