Hans Butzer, AIA, is being recognized with the 2016 AIA Thomas Jefferson Award for his work advancing the caliber of public building in Oklahoma City. The Thomas Jefferson Award recognizes excellence in architectural advocacy and achievement. Butzer will be honored at the 2016 AIA National Convention in Philadelphia.
The phenomenal transformation that has occurred in Oklahoma City in the early 21st century is a direct result of Butzer’s work. He has imbedded himself in public boards and commissions and on committees that have charted a vision for the metropolis. His track record of award winning designs of the highest caliber crafted through participatory design processes is no small feat. Leading an engaged community design processes requires patience, stellar listening skills, and the maturity of an experienced diplomat to negotiate community politics, which Butzer has masterfully demonstrated.
Butzer’s impact on Oklahoma City is profound, having designed the Oklahoma City National Memorial, and other landmark projects in his city like the Oklahoma City Skydance Bridge. Butzer is a gifted and accomplished architect who has built his career in Oklahoma City by dedicating himself to improving the built landscape and enriching the fundamental civic dignity of the city. He is a true citizen architect: a practitioner and educator that demonstrates throughout his work that architecture can enhance communities and cities.
The jury for the 2016 AIA Thomas Jefferson Award includes: Drew White, FAIA (Chair), Axis Architecture & Interiors; Ric Bell, FAIA, City of New York, Department of Design and Construction; Sarah Dirsa, AIA, KG&D Architects; Daniel Feil, FAIA, Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission and Jennifer Penner, Assoc. AIA, Studio Southwest Architects Inc.
