Lifetime Achievement Award to Lawrence Scarpa

John Hill
24. February 2015
Green Dot High School, Los Angeles, CA, 2013

In the words of the AIACC, the Award is given "for not only advancement of the profession but his lasting impact on society as a whole." Scarpa's work is commended particularly for its environmental awareness; one juror noted, "He is a strong candidate who has embraced sustainability and moved the profession forward showing that exceptional and sustainable design do not need to be different."

The embrace of sustainability is evident in a trio of Brooks + Scarpa projects that incorporate solar energy strategies: the Green Dot High School, whose long south elevation is covered in photovoltaic panels, and the Solar Umbrella home built for Scarpa and partner Angela Brooks, which uses PV panels to provide 100% of the home's energy needs, and the earlier Colorado Court apartments, the first building of its type in the country to be 100% energy neutral.

The AIACC Lifetime Achievement Award follows, among numerous other awards, the Cooper Hewitt's 2014 National Design Award in the Architecture Design category and the 2010 National AIA Firm Award (for Pugh + Scarpa).

Solar Umbrella, Venice, CA, 2007
Colorado Court, Santa Monica, CA, 2002
Lawrence Scarpa, FAIA

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