Architect and educator, Marvin J. Malecha, FAIA, dean of the College of Design at NC State University, Raleigh, was named the 2003 recipient of the Topaz Medallion for Excellence in Architectural Education by the AIA and the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA). The Topaz Medallion honors an individual who has made outstanding contributions to architecture education for at least 10 years, and whose teaching has influenced a broad range of students and shaped the minds of those who will shape our environment.

In selecting Malecha for the award, Jury Chair David Watkins, FAIA, and jury members A. James Gersich, AIA (representing the AIA); Lawrence J. Fabbroni (representing the American Institute of Architecture Students); and James Chaffers, AIA, and Melvin Mitchell, FAIA (representing ACSA), commented, “Marvin Malecha has gained significant peer recognition, and his efforts are supported by architecture school deans. He pioneered the practice of using drawing as a method of instruction, and his case-studies approach has bridged academia with practice. Marvin manages to keep all areas of education in perspective, and his global bridging is noteworthy. He understands the intrinsic value of international studies and has displayed vision in that regard.”

“Dean’s Dean”
In supporting Malecha for the Topaz Award, Frances Bronet, professor of architecture, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, writes, “Marvin Malecha has a presence that is, in many ways, heroic. Among deans, faculty, and ACSA Board members, he is described as a ‘Dean’s Dean.’ This refers to his mentoring of junior and senior faculty, his leadership in administration, and his insatiable desire to help and be at the forefront of national leadership in architecture education. His presidency of ASCA, his 25 National Architectural Accrediting Board visits, and his chairing of NAAB are just beads in the chain that make him a true leader in architecture education.”

For 12 years prior to his tenure at NC State, Malecha served as dean of the College of Environmental Design at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. During that stage in his career, he wrote a series of published essays entitled Interchange, which defined the role and rights of students and faculty as they relate to personal and professional development. His students and colleagues consistently speak of Malecha as someone who strives to establish an environment of free inquiry and acceptance. An example of his commitment lies in his authorship of The Right of Inquiry. Originally developed from a debate at a student-faculty meeting at Cal Poly, the document has since been adapted by the American Institute of Architecture Students as policy and forms the basis from which NC State is developing a handbook of expected ethical practices. Malecha is also well-known for a passionate belief in the absolute right of access to an education for every individual. And despite his duties as dean, he continues to teach classes every semester and expects the same of his entire administrative team.

Malecha has served as president of the ACSA and the California Council of Architectural Education, as well as vice chair of the AIA/ACSA Council on Architectural Research. This year, Malecha was recognized as a distinguished professor by ACSA, a national distinction that recognizes creative achievement in the advancement of architecture education through teaching, design scholarship, research, or service. As a Fellow of the AIA, he was instrumental in establishing the Woman’s Initiative Task Force and the African American Task Force for Diversity.

Bridging education and practice
In his work with the Institute, Malecha has led the effort to promote development of the Case Studies in Architecture program, as a teaching tool to present fundamental tenets of practice. As cochair of the AIA Case Study Workgroup, Malecha is working to facilitate growth of the profession’s body of knowledge and increase collaboration between academic institutions and professional offices.

He also has served as a visiting speaker and advisor for the European Association for Architectural Education (EAAE). He is the only American educator to have been recognized as an honorary member of the EAAE, and it is through his efforts that the EAAE began holding a yearly conference that seeks to bridge the gap between educational developments in Europe and the U.S. He has also served as a member of the National Institute for Architectural Education Teaching Office Task Force, and National Architectural Accrediting Board, and as chair of the AIA Architects in Education PIA.

As a practicing architect, Malecha worked for many years for Hugh Stubbins and Associates. In his nomination statement, his peers report that the notion of education and practice lying along the same continuum is at the heart of his philosophy, and he has encouraged others to find the connections between the two. Malecha continues to maintain a design consulting practice that informs and influences his work in the academy. “The search for knowledge forms the basis of a life in the academy,” he has said. “This search is reflected through teaching, research, and practice. It is a lifelong search.”

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