In addition to the Religious Art and Architecture Awards, the AIA Interfaith Forum on Religion, Art, and Architecture (IFRAA) 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.
History
The Edward S. Frey Memorial Award was established in 1981 by IFRAA after IFRAA 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 the Interfaith Forum on Religion, Art and Architecture. He worked tirelessly for half century writing, lecturing, and mentoring.
Nominations
Nominations for 2012 are accepted from IFRAA members from June 1, 2011 to November 30, 2011.
All nominees are held to the same criteria:
- Be an architect and 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.
Recipients are selected by a panel of their peers and IFRAA members:
- Two previous Frey award recipients
- Three subject matter experts (architects) identified by IFRAA
- Two AIA architect members of IFRAA
Past Award 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
Queries
For information on the nomination process, please e-mail ifraa@aia.org.