Interfaith Design

 View Only

Park Plaza Synagogue
Church of Luoyan

Quick Links

Who we are

The AIA Interfaith Design (ID) Knowledge Community encourages and supports excellence in the design of worship spaces and their accoutrements. Interfaith Design is an association of professionals whose primary interest is religious facilities in a broad array of traditions. We value an interfaith forum for the exchange of ideas relating to religion, art, and architecture. Join us!

Elbert M. Conover Memorial Award

By Brian D. McLaren AIA posted 12-31-2017 12:00 AM

  
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 Interfaith Design (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.


Eligibility


The Elbert M. Conover Award is open to all non-architects who have demonstrated a passion for and dedication to quality worship and sacred spaces, fostered spiritual values, and promoted a cross-denominational community focused on religious arts and architecture. Recipients must have worked with architects during the design and construction of religious projects—for example, helping to secure funding and support for sacred spaces.

Submission details

Nominations should consist of one letter of nomination from the submitter detailing how the nominee meets each of the three following award criteria:

  • 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.

Optional supporting materials may also be provided. These materials might include a resume, testimonials, imagery, a bibliography, etc. The supporting materials are limited to five letter-sized PDF pages.


Submitter may optionally request letters of support from up to five other people.

Eligible nominees for the Conover Award must be non-architect who has worked with architects during the design and construction of religious projects.

Please address letters of nomination to the Conover Award Jury.

The Conover Award is open during the early months of each odd-numbered year. There is no entry fee.

Past Recipients

 

2019 A. Robert Jaeger

2017 Rabbi David Stern

2015 Wilson Yates, PhD

2013 Dr. Marchita B. Mauck

2011 Lawrence J. Madden, S.J.

2010 Rev. W. Joseph Mann

2007 D. Patrick Russell, PhD

2002 E. Crosby Willet

2000 Al Fisher

1996 Betty Meyer

1990 Richard Vosko

1988 Hal Watkins

1984 Donald J. Bruggink

1979 Robert E. Rambusch

1977 Rolland Sheafor

1976 Rev. Godfrey Diekman

1975 Joseph Sittler

1974 Beverly R. Tucker

1973 Rev. James Doom

1972 Rev. Glenn Gothard

1971 Harry Downie

1970 William S. Clark

1969
J. Irwin Miller

1967
Rev. J. Gordon Davies

1966
Rev. H. A. Reinhold

1965
G. E. Kidder-Smith

1963
Henry Lee Willet

1956
Edward Frey

1956
Dr. William Kincaid Newman

1953
Elbert M. Conover

0 comments
32 views