The American Institute of Architects (AIA) recently announced the winners of three awards for 2008.

Twenty-Five Year Award

The Atheneum of New Harmony, Ind., designed by Richard Meier, was selected for the 2008 AIA Twenty-Five Year Award, given to architectural designs that have stood the test of time for 25 to 35 years. The building and its architect will be honored at the American Architectural Foundation's Accent on Architecture gala, to be held Feb. 22 in Washington, D.C. The Atheneum, located on the banks of the Wabash River at the edge of New Harmony, opened in October 1979. It serves as a visitors center and starting point for tours of the historic town, as well as a place for cultural and community events. Previously it received the Progressive Architecture Award in 1979 and an AIA Honor Award in 1982. Visit www.richardmeier.com/PROJECTS/Atheneum.html for images and a full project description.

Whitney M. Young Jr. Award

Norma Merrick Sklarek is the 2008 recipient of the Whitney M. Young Jr. Award, presented to an architect or architecturally oriented organization exemplifying the profession's responsibility toward current social issues. The award honors the noted civil rights leader and former head of the Urban League, who died in 1971. The 37th recipient of the award, Sklarek has had a life and career of many firsts. In 1950, she was the first African-American woman to graduate from Columbia University with a B.Arch in 1950, and the first African-American woman registered as an architect in the entire nation, according to the AIA; she became the first African-American fellow of the AIA in 1980. And in 1985, she was the first African-American woman to form and run an architecture firm. The award will be presented to Sklarek this May at the AIA convention in Boston.

Edward C. Kemper Award

Thomas L. McKittrick is the 2008 Edward C. Kemper Award winner, which recognizes individuals who contribute significantly to the profession of architecture through service to the institute. A practitioner, educator, and leader in emerging professional concerns, McKittrick has been dedicated to the AIA and his profession for more than 40 years. He served as president of the Houston chapter of the AIA in 1981 and as president of the Texas Society of Architects in 1984; he was also a national board member from 1989 to 1991 and vice president of the AIA national component in 1991. Currently he is professor emeritus at Texas A&M University.