The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada is pleased to announce that Bruce Kuwabara, FRAIC is the recipient of the 2006 RAIC Gold Medal. As part of this recognition, Kuwabara will be speaking at the RAIC 2006 Festival being held jointly with the Architectural Institute of British Columbia conference June 14-17, 2006 in Vancouver.
In bestowing the award, the Gold Medal Selection Committee noted:
“The medal recognizes Bruce Kuwabara’s contribution to the professional craft of architecture, and he and his firm’s focus and contribution to public life. His engagement in the schools is exemplary as well as fundraising and educating young people. The culture of his practice involves generations and shows wisdom and maturity in their work.”
Bruce Kuwabara is a founding partner of Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg Architects (KPMB). He received his Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Toronto in 1972 and subsequently worked for George Baird, an architect, theorist, and current Dean of the Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design at the University of Toronto. In 1976, Kuwabara joined the studio of Barton Myers Associates where he was an associate until founding KPMB in 1987. KPMB is the recipient of nine Governor General’s Awards for Architecture.
His early projects include Kitchener City Hall and the Reisman-Jenkinson Residence. Both projects garnered critical acclaim, demonstrating architectural excellence at a range of scales. His body of work includes award-winning designs for the Ravine House, the James Stewart Centre for Mathematics at McMaster University, Le Quartier Concordia for Concordia University in Montreal (a joint venture with Fichten Soiferman et Associs Architectes) and Canada’s National Ballet School (a joint venture with Goldsmith Borgal & Company Architects) and the Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art. Current work includes the Manitoba Hydro Corporate Headquarters in Winnipeg and the future home for the Toronto International Film Festival Group.
The RAIC Gold Medal is awarded in recognition of significant contribution to Canadian architecture, and is the highest honour the profession of architecture in Canada can bestow. It recognizes an individual whose personal work has demonstrated exceptional excellence in the design and practice of architecture; and/or whose work related to architecture, has demonstrated exceptional excellence in research or education.
Kuwabara will be speaking Saturday, June 17 at the RAIC Festival. There is still time to register at early bird savings for the RAIC Festival. For more details, please visit www.festivalofarchitecture2006.com.