AIA Gold Medal Goes to the Dynamic Duo of Venturi and Scott Brown

The 2016 Gold Medal is considered a rebuttal to the Pritzker Prize, which neglected to acknowledge Denise Scott Brown when it awarded Robert Venturi in 1991.

1 minute read

December 4, 2015, 2:00 PM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Blair Kamin writes:

"The American Institute of Architects has named Denise Scott Brown and Robert Venturi the recipients of its 2016 Gold Medal, an honor that makes a statement about the role of women in design and takes a subtle shot at the field's highest award, the Pritzker Architecture Prize."

The AIA credited the Philadelphia-based architects with a "challenge to orthodox modernism" and inspiring a generation of architects. The pair, according to Kamin, are the first duo to receive the award, after the organization changed its bylaws in 2013.

According to Kamin, "[t]he award caps a controversy that began in 2013. In a speech, Scott Brown asked the Pritzker jury to retroactively recognize her for work that the jury honored in 1991 when it awarded the prize solely to Venturi, her design partner and husband."

The article includes a lot more information about the career of Scott Brown and Venturi, as well as more of the backstory on the groundswell of support for Denise Scott Brown to receive recognition for her accomplishments.

Thursday, December 3, 2015 in Chicago Tribune

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Concrete Brutalism building with slanted walls and light visible through an atrium.

What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities

How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.

February 28, 2025 - Justin Hollander

Complete Street

‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge

Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.

February 27, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Green electric Volkswagen van against a beach backdrop.

The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan

Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.

March 3, 2025 - ABC 7 Eyewitness News

View of mountains with large shrubs in foreground in Altadena, California.

Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire

In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.

March 9 - Pasadena NOw

Aerial view of single-family homes with swimming pools in San Diego, California.

San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule

The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.

March 9 - Axios

Close-up of row of electric cars plugged into chargers at outdoor station.

Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives

A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.

March 9 - UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation