by Heather Livingston

Dramatically backdropped against the neon bling of Las Vegas, 67 members of the AIA and 5 architects from other nations were elevated to Fellows and Honorary Fellows of the Institute in the midst of Las Vegas’s beautiful, serene high desert on Friday, May 20. Visually and physically apart from the “glitz and glamour” of Las Vegas, the Investiture ceremony was set in the City of Henderson’s Pavilion at Liberty Point amphitheatre, designed by Denver architect Anderson/Mason/Dale. The natural quiet and beauty of the desert lent a solemnity to the event as each new fellow walked the processional that marked their induction into the College of Fellows.

Lawrence Speck, FAIA, chair of the 2005 Jury of Fellows opened the ceremony with a welcome to the new fellows, former AIA presidents and chancellors of the College of Fellows, members of the Fellows jury, friends, family, and honored guests. He then introduced the officers of the College and thanked the other eight “hardworking members of the 2005 Jury of Fellows.”

Chancellor of the College of Fellows, Lawrence J. Leis, FAIA, observed, “You who are about to be honored have been selected by a jury of your peers. That honor is enhanced by the presence of your family, friends, and colleagues who are here to congratulate and applaud your outstanding achievements. Today’s ceremony confirms your contribution to the profession and celebrates your receipt of the American Institute of Architects’ highest membership honor from the Institute’s president. It will be my privilege to receive you into the College of Fellows.”

Ever-expanding role
Prior to bestowing medals on each new fellow, 2005 AIA President Douglas L Steidl, FAIA, welcomed the gathering and spoke about the expanding role of architects in creating more humane and livable spaces. “Today, we invest those members of the Institute who have been advanced this year to the College of Fellows,” he said. “They will follow in the footsteps of Kahn, Mies, Saarinen, and the 2,500 active members of the College who have bestowed their creative gifts in ever-expanding ways.

“I believe that architects use their imagination to stretch the boundaries of the possible while evoking the wonder of delight. At a time when the public is searching for higher values and hungers for places that strengthen and reflect noble domestic and civil ideals, and yes, delight, we have a great opportunity. Architects have the training and creative gifts to engage the public in the pursuit of more livable communities. As we unleash the power of research to develop a body of verifiable evidence that shows precisely how design matters, and as the public begins to understand—truly understand—the power of design to elevate and enrich the human experience, the public will become one of our profession’s most powerful allies in working toward a better world.”

Tying his remarks back into the theme of the convention, Steidl continued: “We must continue to challenge ourselves to imagine our architectural legacy, to create environments that serve the needs of our communities, so we can transform the world through the power of architecture. [Today, we] acknowledge 5 distinguished architects from other countries as honorary fellows and 67 AIA members as Fellows of the Institute. We honor them for their talent, innovation, vision, and leadership. We celebrate the expertise they bring to our profession as together we dedicate ourselves to work to improve the quality of life for all the peoples of the world.”

Role models and mentors
Speck then called forth in turn each new fellow. In a demonstration of the distinguished fellowship into which they entered, each member of the 2005 Class of Fellows was accompanied to the stage by a former president of the AIA and escorted back to their seats by a former chancellor of the College of Fellows. The audience, asked to hold their applause until all fellows were invested, roared their approval upon conclusion of the ceremony.

Leis then gave this year’s class their charge: “Fellowship within the American Institute of Architects is one of the most important honors an architect can receive. This achievement should not be viewed as an end, but rather just the beginning of the contributions you will continue to make to the College of Fellows, to your firm, to your profession, and to your community . . . It is inherent in the work of the architect that success is shared with the greater society. As leaders of the profession, you are each uniquely charged to ensure that design excellence and environmental sensibility are passed on to succeeding generations. As you go forward today as exemplary role models and as mentors within our profession, you represent what it means to take responsibility for excellence and distinction in the architectural profession; to create as well as to preserve that which is meaningful to our profession.”

Leis concluded the ceremony, asking the newly inducted to stand and receive heartfelt congratulations from colleagues, friends, and loved ones. Congratulations to the College of Fellows class of 2005!

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