Photo courtesy David Leatherbarrow
David Leatherbarrow is the 2020 recipient of the Topaz Medallion for Excellence in Architectural Education by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA).
The award honors an individual who has been intensely involved in architecture education for more than a decade and whose teaching has influenced a broad range of students.
For nearly four decades, professor David Leatherbarrow has trained reflective practitioners through his graduate and undergraduate courses exploring the interdependence of design and theory. One of the world’s leading experts in the history and theory of architecture, he has supervised 30 dissertations and advised an additional 30 that included prominent leaders from around the world, AIA said.
“Professor Leatherbarrow’s work moves effortlessly between architectural history, cultural theory, and environmental ethics, making his teaching particularly relevant in today’s world,” wrote Professor Mari Hvattum of the Oslo School of Architecture and Design in a letter supporting Leatherbarrow’s nomination. “Students intuit this relevance immediately, and I have rarely sensed such a poignant concentration as during his lectures or seminars.”
