Dallas, TX, Oct. 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Dallas Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA Dallas) and its Architecture and Design Foundation (the Foundation) raised funds to directly impact the next generation of community leaders at the second annual Impact Dallas Gala at The Thompson Hotel on October 6, 2022.
More than 375 guests attended the gala to celebrate the role design plays in connecting communities and improving peoples’ lives. Attendees included philanthropists, designers, artists, architects, developers, and the community.
Serving as co-chairs for Impact Dallas Gala were Macey Davis, Hon. AIA Dallas, a community activist and former public affairs professional, and architect Dan Noble, FAIA, president and CEO of HKS, Inc.
The AD EX Community Cornerstone Award was presented live at the event. The award was established in 2021 to recognize a non-architect entity for their outstanding contributions to shaping environments and building community.
Parks for Downtown Dallas was selected by the Gala Steering Committee for exemplifying architecture’s highest calling as a service to the public, weaving the urban fabric through design for the benefit of all in the city.
“Parks for Downtown Dallas was selected because they have lived up to their mission, to promote a more live-able, resilient city center through advocacy for parks and green space. I don’t think there is another city in the country that has added so many acres of public park to their downtown so quickly,” said Foundation president, Mattia Flabiano, AIA.
Each of the three finalists—Bonton Farms, Parks for Downtown Dallas, and Texas Trees Foundation—were awarded $1,500 in prize money from the Foundation’s Endowment Fund, to help advance their missions. Brad Oldham Studio was commissioned to design the unique award bestowed at the gala.
Betsy del Monte, FAIA, sustainability consultant, was honored with AIA Dallas’ Lifetime Achievement award, the highest honor given to an architect by the organization, the nation’s 6th largest AIA chapter.
Ben Crawford, AIA, president of AIA Dallas, conferred the award and shared remarks, citing del Monte’s accomplishments in sustainability, resiliency, and climate impact, and summarizing that the design community cherishes leaders like her who embody the concept of “Citizen Architect.”
“Betsy has been at the forefront of the sustainability movement for decades,” Crawford said. “She helped create the Dallas Green Code, advocated for sustainable policy at the State of Texas, served as AIA’s representative to the Global Climate Action Summit, and established the Graduate Program in Sustainability at SMU.”
The funds raised through the silent auction and gala sponsorships will support the Foundation’s year-round public programs and exhibitions promoting the value of architecture to residents and visitors; scholarships and fellowships for the next generation of architects in North Texas; and projects exemplifying how design can positively impact everyday life. In the past year, the Foundation has almost quadrupled the amount of scholarships and fellowships awarded to students and the next generation of architects practicing in Dallas. The Greg Brown Memorial Discover Your City Endowment Fund was fully endowed as a result of the 2021 Gala funds, supporting an annual series of programs that honor the late Program Director of the AD EX.
“Dallas holds an enviable position within the architecture and design community in our country,” said Co-Chair Dan Noble, FAIA. "We have a public that supports the arts and thoughtful design, we are fortunate to be the home to some of the top design firms in the nation, and we have long-standing private/public partnerships that get things done. The Impact Dallas Gala is a celebration of those relationships which add a richness of ideas and thought leadership to our community, pushing us to all achieve higher."
Impact Dallas Gala was made possible by the generous support of its chairs, its host committee, and event sponsors including PRESENTING SPONSOR: Page; CORNERSTONE SPONSORS: HKS and Perkins+Will; CORE CONTRIBUTING SPONSORS: Boka Powell, HOK, Merriman Anderson Architects, McCarthy Building Companies, Omniplan, Schmidt & Stacy, and Macey Davis, Hon. AIA Dallas & Steve Davis; HALF TABLE SPONSORS: Beck, Callison RTKL, Corgan, The Crow Museum of Asian Art, Datum Engineers, Downtown Dallas, Inc., Gensler, Kirksey Architecture/th+a, Longhorn Ballroom, Origin Bank, Project Control, Rudick Construction Group, Katherine D. Seale, Hon. TXA & John Henry Seale, SHM Architects, Susan Kedron, Scott and Meredith Wallace, Nicole & Justin Small, Cherie & Neal Small, and Deedie Rose, Hon. AIA; SUPPORTING SPONSORS: 5G Studio Collaborative, Bernbaum / Magadini Architects, Campos Engineering, Hocker, Hossley Lighting and Power Solutions, JE Dunn, JQ Engineering, KAI Enterprises, Malone Maxwell Dennehy Architects, Overland Partner, and OJB; MEDIA PARTNER: PaperCity Dallas.
Attachments
- AIA Dallas' 2022 Lifetime Achievement award winner Betsy Del Monte, FAIA (center) and her family (credit Menary Studio)
- Architecture and Design Foundation president Mattia Flabiano, AIA (right) bestowed the Community Cornerstone Award to Robert Decherd, Hon. TxA who accepted the award on behalf of Parks for Downtown Dallas (credit Menary Studio) 1.9MB
