This year's AIA national convention in Charlotte promises a special treat for the Saturday, May 10 plenary sessions: a panel of AIA Gold Medalists, courtesy of the McGraw-Hill Construction Information Group and the AIA College of Fellows. This is a special gift to the profession from the College of Fellows to celebrate their 50th, or "gold," anniversary.

Jerry Hirshberg, founding director, former president, and current global strategic director of Nissan Design International Inc., will serve as moderator for the panel. Along with its automotive work, the studio has created everything from yachts and children's furniture to medical instruments and the redesign of the LA Times. Hirshberg's book on the role of creativity in organizations, The Creative Priority, is now in its third edition. Hirshberg, who studied mechanical engineering at Ohio State University and graduated with honors in design from the Cleveland Institute of Art, is a painter and classical clarinetist.

The esteemed panelists who will share their ideas and visions of the profession—and who need no introduction to architects—are:
• 2002 AIA Gold Medalist Tadao Ando, Hon. FAIA
• 2001 Gold Medalist Michael Graves, FAIA
• 1997 Gold Medalist Richard Meier, FAIA
• 1986 Gold Medalist Arthur Erickson, Hon. FAIA
• 1982 Gold Medalist Romaldo Giurgola, FAIA.

Design, Design seminars
Working with the convention's theme of "Design, Design," discover outstanding works of architecture and how their architects created them in the following seminars:
• 2002 Institute Honor Awards for Regional and Urban Design (TH 17, Thursday, May 9, 2–3:30 p.m.)
• 2002 Institute Honor Awards for Architecture (TH 18, Thursday, May 9, 2–3:30 p.m.)
• Reinterpreting the Sacred in Contemporary Religious Architecture (TH30, Thursday, May 9, 4–5:30 p.m.)
• 2001 Housing PIA Award Winners (TH33, Thursday, May 9, 4–5:30 p.m.)
• AIA Twenty–five Year Award (TH 34, Thursday, May 9, 4–5:30 p.m.)
• Gold Medalist Forum (FR01, Friday, May 10, 8–9:30 a.m.)
• 2002 Institute Honor Awards for Interior Architecture (FR02, Friday, May 10, 8–9:30 a.m.)
• 2002 AIA Architecture Firm Award (FR52, Friday, May 10, 4–5:30 p.m.)
• AIA Honorary Fellows Forum (SA14, Saturday, May 11, 2–3:30 a.m.)
• Awakening the Sleeping Giant: Creativity (SA26, Saturday, May 11 4–5:30 p.m.).

Register now
Register before April 12 and save $100 on the onsite registration fee (and increase your chances of getting your first choice of workshops, tours, special events, programs, hotel accommodations, and airfare).

For the most up-to-date convention information, and to register online, visit www.aia.org. For information on conference registration or to book exhibit space, call M|C Communications, LLC, 617-859-4475.

This article was prepared by M|C Communications, LLC, the AIA's convention consultant.

Copyright 2002 The American Institute of Architects. All rights reserved.