Edward S. Frey Award

In addition to the Religious Art and Architecture Awards, the Interfaith Design knowledge community sponsors the Elbert M. Conover Memorial Award and the Edward S. Frey Award. The Conover and Frey awards are bestowed upon individuals rather than projects.

The Edward S. Frey Memorial Award was established in 1981 by IFRAA, Inc., which later became a part of the AIA.  This award is given to an architect to recognize his or her contributions to religious architecture and support of the allied arts.

Rev. Dr. Frey dedicated his life to his work as the Executive Director of the Commission on Church Architecture for the Lutheran Church of America. In that role he inspired architects to foster spiritual values in design. 

Dr. Frey was instrumental in fostering the three organizations that eventually melded together to form Interfaith Design, originally called the Interfaith Forum on Religion, Art and Architecture (IFRAA). He worked tirelessly for a half century writing, lecturing, and mentoring. 
  
 

Eligibility

Eligible nominees for the Edward S. Frey Award must match the following criteria:

  • Be an architect member of the AIA
  • Demonstrate a passion for and dedication to quality worship and sacred spaces;
  • Foster spiritual values;
  • Promote a cross-denominational community focused on religious arts and architecture

Submission, deadline & entry fee

Nominations will be accepted from IFRAA members from February 14, 2018 to March 16, 2018. A single letter of recommendation is required.

There is no entry fee.

To submit a nomination, please e-mail a single letter of recommendation to ifraa@aia.org.

Jury

Recipients are selected by a panel of their peers and IFRAA members, including:

  • Two (2) previous Frey award recipients;
  • Three (3) subject matter experts (architects) identified by IFRAA;
  • Two (2) AIA architect members of IFRAA.

Members of the 2018 Jury:

Michael L. Janaskie, AIA, Principal and Certified Church Consultant, Novus Architects
Thomas L. Kerns, FAIA, Principal of Kerns Group Architects, P.C.
Stephen C. Pickard, AIA, NCARB, Principal, GFF Architects
James E. Theimer, AIA, LEED AP BD + C, Principle Architect, Trilogy
James F. Williamson, FAIA, Professor of Architecture, The University of Memphis.

Recognition

Award winners will be celebrated at a reception for the Religious Art and Architecture Awards at the AIA Conference on Architecture 2018.

Past recipients

1981 Dr. Edward Anders Sövik, FAIA
1984 Robert Durham, FAIA
1988 Nils Schweizer, FAIA
1993 Harold H. Fisher, AIA
1996 Edward Larrabee Barnes, FAIA
2000 Edward A. Wave, AIA
2002 Maurice N. Finegold, FAIA
2010 Dr. Michael J. Crosbie, FAIA
2012 George Rafferty, FAIA
2014 James F. Williamson, FAIA
2016 Thomas L. Kerns, FAIA
2018 Joan M. Soranno, FAIA

Contact

Questions? Send an email to ifraa@aia.org.