"What is architecture, if it's not about creating place?" AIA John D. Anderson, FAIA, asked the standing-room-only audience of 2,400 architects as he introduced the theme session, "Environment and Place." Anderson acknowledged that architects are the thinkers and dreamers who create the vision of place, but "the real genius is to make the dreams flesh and blood." As an example of just such a genius, a man "who delivers the goods," Anderson introduced Denver Mayor Wellington Webb, and presented his hometown mayor with a presidential citation.

Webb in turn thanked the architects for choosing Denver as their convention place, and said he was proud to share the city with those who help create it. "The heart of our cities is their downtowns," he said, "and there is growing importance in how we revitalize."

The mayor spoke of how Denver has revitalized its downtown during his 10 years in office, and how one of the best things he did upon taking office was "hire an architect." He was referring to Director of the Denver Department of Community Development Jennifer Moulton, FAIA, who in turn introduced keynote speaker Daniel Libeskind, with whom she is working to create an addition to the Denver Art Museum.

Graves on the Gold Medal
"I just wanted to say something about what we do," Graves told the audience. "I, like all of you, am so fortunate to be an architect—to get to make things . . . and to make a contribution to society."

Graves described his Princeton practice of 90 people and 6 partners. "We have a grand time, he said. "We are fortunate to have such a wonderful depth of practice-from designing the Denver Library, to set design for the Joffrey Ballet to a spatula for Target." He explained that designing appliances and utensils for Target is a breakthrough experience, because "until then, the commercial world didn't think we architects could crack the nut of designing for the masses."

In speaking about the Gold Medal, Graves said, "I am so pleased at this award-above all others—because it is an award from my peers." He thanked Helene Dreiling, FAIA, and Eugene Hopkins, FAIA, for nominating him for the Gold Medal, and joked, "The medal is really hard to sleep with—the ribbon has taken quite a beating."

In conclusion, Graves announced that after 39 years of teaching architecture at Princeton full time, he was going to cut back his pedagogical activities to part time. But he will continue—"It's important to always give back," he said.

Also on the agenda . . .
• The American Architectural Foundation Board Chairman Harold Adams, FAIA, RIBA, JIA, outlined "Block-by-Block: Reclaiming Neighborhoods by Design," the newly released documentary, which will be broadcast all over Denver on KAMA at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, May 19. Particularly timely for the AIA convention, the program covers Denver as one of three cities reinventing itself (the other two are Atlanta and Hartford). Featured in the Denver portion of the program is the Lower Downtown (LoDo) rehabilitation of abandoned warehouses that is bringing the arts-as well as residents—to a neglected part of town.
• AIA College of Fellows Chancellor Harold Roth, FAIA, introduced James Timberlake, FAIA, winner of the inaugural Latrobe Fellowship, a $50,000 grant to support original research. Timberlake said he and his partner Steven Kieran, FAIA, partners in KieranTimberlake Associates LLP, Philadelphia, plan to study "rethinking of the design process." "We are honored," Timberlake said. "You will not be disappointed." (See future issues of AIArchitect for more on the project.)

Copyright 2001 The American Institute of Architects. All rights reserved.