Elbert M. Conover Award

In addition to the Religious Art and Architecture Awards, the AIA Interfaith Design knowledge community (ID) sponsors the Elbert M. Conover Memorial Award and the Edward S. Frey Award. Unlike the Religious Art and Architecture Awards, this award is bestowed upon individuals rather than projects.

The Elbert M. Conover Memorial Award was established in 1953 by the Church Architecture Guild of America. It was later administered by the Guild for Religious Architecture, IFRAA Inc., and then by the AIA ID Knowledge Community. This award is given to non-architects in recognition of their contributions to religious architecture in order to: 

  • Perpetuate in the hearts and minds of those interested in religious architecture memories of our deceased leader;
  • Encourage leaders, outside the architecture profession, to crusade for better religious architecture;
  • Recognize outstanding individuals who merit citation for their excellence in fostering spiritual values.

Dr. Conover spent 11 years in the ministry and was appointed director of the Bureau of Architecture of the Methodist Church in 1924. He became the first director of the Interdenominational Bureau of Architecture, later titled the Bureau of Church Building and Architecture, National Council of the Churches of Christ of the United States of America.

The 2019 Conover Awards cycle is open - details about the 2019 award cycle are available on the Conover awards page on aia.org >