AIA Seattle Announces 2017 Fellows
The 2017 Jury of Fellows from the American Institute of Architects elevated four AIA Seattle members to its prestigious College of Fellows, an honor awarded to members who have made significant national contributions to the profession.
Richard Franko FAIA is a design partner and leads sustainability initiatives at Mithun, an integrated design firm with offices in Seattle and San Francisco. Through the integrated design of highly sustainable, experientially layered projects, Rich advances cultural heritage, environmental learning and sustainable design. His diverse body of work includes a new museum for the Wanapum band, the new Nordic Heritage Museum in Seattle, IslandWood environmental education campus and Louisiana Children’s Museum in New Orleans City Park, and has been honored with national AIA and ASLA awards. Each of Rich’s designs define immersive environments that animate stories of diverse cultures, engage children and manifest natural systems. He has lectured and taught from Oslo to Adelaide, and serves on the board of Bioregional North America.
Lisa K. Johnson FAIA, LEED AP, leads DLR Group’s Northwest Education Practice, overseeing three offices covering five states – Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Alaska, and Hawaii. With projects ranging from early learning kindergarten centers to higher education and beyond, her portfolio spans nearly 10 million square feet of learning environments, representing $1 billion in construction over the last 20 years. Projects she has led have won 36 design awards; and she has made more than 20 presentations at national conferences, becoming a sought-after expert for best practices in school design. Lisa drives innovation in architecture for education through design practice leadership, advocacy, and mentoring. Her efforts have led to enhanced learning environments for more than 150,000 students, more sustainable schools, and increased youth engagement. Lisa has been involved at the national level of both SCUP (the Society of College and University Planning) and within the national AIA Committee for Architecture in Education (CAE). Lisa currently serves as the national chair of the subcommittee on K-12 education, contributing to conferences and conversations across the nation. Lisa received her Bachelor of Architecture from Carnegie Mellon University in 1994 before she made Seattle her home in 1997.
Alissa Rupp FAIA, LEED BD+C is a leader in the design of places for informal education and lifelong learning. She has focused her work on the creation of spaces where art, nature, culture and play intersect. As President and CEO of The Portico Group she led an international practice whose projects benefit people of all ages and origins and cultural institutions of all scales. Dedicated to architecture as a force to improve and sustain public life, she has led the design of museums, gardens and visitor centers, including the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center in Honolulu. Alissa is also a nationally recognized advocate for excellence in the design of children’s museums, which she recognizes as vibrant places that promote human health, development and welfare. As a member of the Board of Directors for AIA Seattle, Alissa is a strong voice for programs that enhance the public’s appreciation of architects and architecture. Most recently, she led the effort to merge The Portico Group with MIG – a multidisciplinary firm based in Berkeley – to further expand the combined firm’s reach in architecture, landscape architecture and exhibit design on the west coast. She will serve as a Principal and Practice Leader in the new MIG | Portico, leading the firm’s work in creating innovative places for learning and discovery.
Bruce Williams FAIA, LEED AP, is a partner at Mithun. As the firm’s chief operating officer for 15 years, he was instrumental in establishing Mithun’s national leadership in sustainable design and creating a collection of groundbreaking projects with continuing impact on integrated design practice nationally. Under Bruce’s leadership, the firm has been honored with more than 200 awards for excellence in planning and design, including five AIA Committee on the Environment (COTE) Top Ten Green Project awards. An active member of the AIA Documents Committee, Bruce advances architectural practice throughout the nation through expert contributions to AIA documents supporting risk management in multifamily residential and mixed use projects, sustainability and design collaboration.
The work of these Fellows demonstrates the power of architecture to address some of the world’s most pressing challenges, such as energy and water conservation, community transformation, and innovation in educational environments.
The 2017 Fellows will be honored at an investiture ceremony at the 2017 AIA Conference on Architecture in Orlando, April 27-29, 2017; and celebrated at an evening reception hosted by AIA Seattle on Saturday, June 3.
The Fellowship program was developed to elevate those architects who have made a significant contribution to architecture and society and who have achieved a standard of excellence in the profession. Election to fellowship not only recognizes the achievements of architects as individuals, but also their significant contribution to architecture and society on a national level.
Out of a total AIA membership of over 90,000, there are approximately 3,000 distinguished with the honor of fellowship and honorary fellowship.
Nominate a colleague for the College of Fellows
To nominate an individual for Fellowship please download the Nomination Form and return to Missy Garvin by February 15.
