Alan Greenberger, FAIA, former Philadelphia Deputy Mayor and Chairman of the City Planning Commission, has been selected to receive the 2017 Thomas Jefferson Award. The Thomas Jefferson Award recognizes excellence in architectural advocacy and achievement. Greenberger will be honored at the AIA Conference on Architecture 2017 in Orlando.
Lured from his role as a principal at Philadelphia’s MGA Partners by former Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, Greenberger quickly assumed a dual role as deputy mayor and chairman of the City Planning Commission. Responsible for the Department of Commerce as well as oversight of planning and 10 additional agencies, Greenberger spearheaded an audacious initiative to rewrite the city’s antiquated and convoluted zoning code and create Philadelphia2035, a comprehensive plan for the city’s renaissance. During his tenure, he also completed and approved plans for all 37 miles of the city’s waterfront and led Philadelphia to its greatest redevelopment and population influx since the mid-20th century.
When the Nutter administration reached its two-term limit, Greenberger left full-time public office. He now shares his knowledge and wealth of experience with the next generation of design professionals as the Distinguished Teaching Professor and Lind Fellow in the Department of Architecture and Interiors at Drexel University. Later this year, he will assume the role of department head. Greenberger remains active with the city he helped become a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2015, serving as chairman of the Philadelphia Art Commission. An independent body, it is tasked with design oversight of all public facilities, signage, and artwork.
Related Stories
| Nov 18, 2014
5 big trends changing the world of academic medicine
Things are changing in healthcare. Within academic medicine alone, there is a global shortage of healthcare professionals, a changing policy landscape within the U..S., and new view and techniques in both pedagogy and practice, writes Perkins+Will’s Pat Bosch.
| Nov 18, 2014
Grimshaw releases newest designs for world’s largest airport
The airport is expected to serve 90 million passengers a year on the opening of the first phase, and more than 150 million annually after project completion in 2018.
| Nov 17, 2014
Nearly two years after Sandy Hook, the bloodshed continues
It’s been almost two years since 20 first-graders were shot and killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., but these incidents, both planned and random, keep occurring, writes BD+C's Robert Cassidy.
| Nov 17, 2014
Hospitality at the workplace: 5 ways hotels are transforming the office
During the past five years, the worlds of hospitality and corporate real estate have undergone an incredible transformation. The traditional approach toward real estate asset management has shifted to a focus on offerings that accommodate mobility, changing demographics, and technology, writes HOK's Eva Garza.
| Nov 17, 2014
Developments in 3D printing can assist architecture in the smallest details
Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) have developed a way for 3D printed metals to be produced with an unprecedented degree of precision.
| Nov 17, 2014
A new BSL-3 public-safety lab debuts in Vermont
The laboratory will be used to perform a wide range of analyses to detect biological, toxicological, chemical, and radiological threats to the health of the population, from testing for rabies, West Nile, pertussis and salmonella to water and food contaminants.
| Nov 17, 2014
'Folded facade' proposal wins cultural arts center competition in South Korea
The winning scheme by Seoul-based Designcamp Moonpark features a dramatic folded facade that takes visual cues from the landscape.
| Nov 17, 2014
Workplace pilot programs: A new tool for creating workspaces employees love
In a recent article for Fast Company, CannonDesign's Meg Osman details how insurance giant Zurich used a workplace pilot program to empower its employees in the creation of its new North American headquarters.
| Nov 17, 2014
Mastering natural ventilation: 5 crucial lessons from design experts
By harnessing natural ventilation, Building Teams can achieve a tremendous reduction in energy use and increase in occupant comfort. Engineers from SOM offer lessons from the firm’s recent work.
