AIA Awards Latrobe Fellowships

Washington, D.C., August 8--The American Institute of Architects (AIA) College of Fellows has awarded its 2005 Latrobe Fellowship of $100,000 to Chong Partners Architecture, Kaiser Permanente, and the University of California at Berkeley for a research study on "Multi-cultural Influences on the Design of a Healthcare Setting." The research will incorporate techniques from psychology, sociology and neuroscience, building on the 2003 Latrobe Fellowship to the Academy of Neuroscience for Architecture that studied how the human brain perceives architecture at the biomedical level. The grant, named for architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe, is awarded biennially by the AIA College of Fellows for research leading to significant advances in the architectural profession. The 2005 research will involve an unusual collaboration of architect, client, and university to determine specific knowledge of how hospital design affects the recovery and healing for people of different cultures. It will combine traditional research with new applications to develop a model that architects and designers can apply to address cultural diversity in the design of any public building. The selection jury for the 2005 Latrobe Fellowship included Jury Chair and 2003 AIA Topaz Medallion Recipient Marvin J. Malecha, FAIA, as well as 2002 AIA Gold Medalist Michael Graves, FAIA, John Hartray, FAIA, John Zeisel, PhD, and Lawrence J. Leis, FAIA. "Kaiser Foundation Health Plans and Hospitals are in the midst of one of the largest building programs in the history of American health care. With this program, we have a one time opportunity to profoundly impact the care experience for our diverse membership in these new facilities. The Latrobe Fellowship is one of the many efforts we have underway to think through every design element, color, material, and piece of equipment to make sure they work together to create an environment of reassurance and care," says Christine Malcolm, Senior Vice President of Hospital Strategy and National Facilities Services for Kaiser Permanente.

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