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The 2024 winners of the AIA Gold Medal, awarded by the American Institute of Architects, are David Lake and Ted Flato, founders of the Texas-based firm Lake|Flato Architects. David Lake and Ted Flato’s architectural approach is known for combining local techniques with new technologies to create durable buildings that are well adapted to local conditions. The jury recognized this uncompromising yet unpretentious vision as a way to achieve healthier, more sustainable and inclusive buildings, citing the Dixon Water Foundation Josey Pavilion, the first Living Building Challenge certified project in Texas and the ninth in the world. Confluence Park in San Antonio reflects a similar emphasis on environmental stewardship, serving as both a pavilion and an educational center to inform visitors about the importance of water.
Austin native David Lake founded Lake | Flato with Ted Flato in 1984. Outspoken advocates for urban development, Lake and Flato have established themselves as local architects with countless plans and designs in cities across Texas and beyond. Since earning his Bachelor of Architecture degree from Stanford University, Flato has built a highly acclaimed career for his lean designs that take advantage of each unique site and connect people to the natural environment. Flato’s collaborations and environmental advocacy with Lake have protected 35,000 acres of critical habitat from West Virginia to the Florida Everglades, while helping to preserve and protect access to 50,000 acres in Texas, where less than 4 percent of land is open to the public. Past recipients include influential architects such as Carol Ross Barney, recognized for her transformative and socially engaged projects in 2023; Edward Mazria, recognized for his efforts to address the climate crisis and mobilize the architectural community in 2021; Marlon Blackwell, honored for his lasting impact on architectural theory and practice in 2020; and Richard Rogers, celebrated for his constructive impact on the built environment in 2019.
For More Information: aia.org
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