The American Institute of Architects has announced James Stewart Polshek as the recipient of its highest accolade, to be awarded next year.
Polshek ? co-founder of Ennead Architects ? counts the six-storey-high glass Rose Center for Earth and Space at New York's American Museum of Natural History, and the Clinton Presidential Center in Arkansas, among his portfolio of work.
The American architect is known for his socially conscious works ? his restoration and renovation of New York's Carnegie Hall in 1987 was "coupled with a heavy dose of advocacy" to protect landmark buildings.
He also designed the glass and terracotta National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia and the headquarters of Freedom Forum, an institution dedicated to free speech, in Washington DC. The 2018 gold medal winner's most well-known projects include the glass Rose Center for Earth and Space at New York's American Museum of Natural History
"Polshek has fostered an environment wherein design excellence, effective collaboration and rigorous research work in concert to create enduring architecture," said a statement from the American Institute of Architects (AIA).
"Polshek's sensitivity as an architect and his willingness to give credit to others ? whether they be his clients, staff or collaborators ? have helped restore the promise that architecture can be an uplifting force in the world.
"Everywhere that he has worked, and throughout his eloquent writings, he ...