AIA announces Harvard GSD Dean Sarah M. Whiting as 2026 Topaz Medallion winner

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has announced the recipients of the 2026 AIA/ACSA Topaz Medallion, Edward C. Kemper Award, and Whitney M. Young Jr. Award.

This year’s Topaz Medallion for Excellence in Architectural Education has gone to Sarah M. Whiting. Whiting currently serves as the Dean and Josep Luis Sert Professor of Architecture at the Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD). She previously worked as the Dean of Rice University’s School of Architecture and is a design principal and co-founder of WW Architecture.

In addition, Whiting has taught at Princeton University, the University of Kentucky, the Illinois Institute of Technology, and the University of Florida.

“Whiting’s career is distinguished by her dual role as a leading educator and a practicing architect with her firm, WW Architecture,” said the AIA in a statement. “This unique position has allowed her to bridge the gap between academic theory and real-world practice, enriching both. Her leadership, first as dean at the Rice School of Architecture and now at the Harvard GSD, has been marked by a steadfast commitment to rethinking how architects are trained and how they can positively affect the world.”

As the first female dean at Harvard GSD, Whiting is noted for fostering a healthier studio culture, broadening perspectives, and cultivating a more inclusive and collaborative atmosphere. She has pushed to connect architecture with other disciplines, including landscapes, city planning, and real estate. Her work as an educator challenges conventional architectural studies, encouraging students to view architecture as a public good.

Whiting is joined by Vivian Lee, who was honored with the AIA’s highest service honor, the Edward C. Kemper Award. Lee, a design principal at Gensler and the co-chair of the AIA New York Women in Architecture (WiA) Committee, is being recognized for her advocacy for better equity, diversity, and inclusion in architecture. Throughout her career, Lee has addressed the systemic challenges faced by underrepresented groups in architecture.

With the AIA New York WiA Committee, Lee developed programming, which resulted in over 100 events that provided support and networking opportunities for women and underrepresented professionals. This work earned the committee the AIA New York Vice President Citation for Professional Development in 2019.

This year’s Whitney M. Young Jr. Award was received by Michael Ford, also known as “The Hip Hop Architect”. Ford is acknowledged for merging hip hop culture with architecture to connect with communities historically excluded from the design profession. At the heart of his mission is The Hip Hop Architecture Camp, which he founded in 2016. Held in 41 cities across the United States, Canada, and Kenya, the camp uses the core elements of hip hop as a way to introduce young people to architecture, urban planning, and design.

Ford has raised and awarded more than $100,000 in scholarships to help camp alumni pursue degrees in architecture and design. He is the founding principal of BrandNu Design Studio, where he leads culturally significant projects that celebrate and preserve community identity. Ford is also the president of Wisconsin NOMA. Here, he launched a media partnership to highlight every Black architect in the state, increasing visibility and fostering connection.