Thom Mayne, FAIA, Morphosis

Thom Mayne founded Morphosis as an interdisciplinary and collective practice involved in experimental design and research. As Lead Designer and thought leader of Morphosis, Mayne provides overall vision, project leadership, and direction to the firm. With permanent offices in Los Angeles and New York City, the firm currently employs over 50 architects and designers.

Mayne's distinguished honors include the Pritzker Prize (2005) and the AIA Gold Medal (2013). He was appointed to the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities in 2009 and was honored with the American Institute of Architects Los Angeles Gold Medal in 2000. With Morphosis, Thom Mayne has been the recipient of 25 Progressive Architecture Awards, over 100 American Institute of Architecture Awards, and numerous other design recognitions. Under Mayne's direction, the firm has been the subject of various group and solo exhibitions throughout the world, including a large solo exhibition at the Centre Pompidou in Paris in 2006, the Contemporary Art Center in Cincinnati, the Walker Arts Institute in Minneapolis, and a major retrospective at the Netherlands Architectural Institute in 1999. Morphosis buildings and projects have been published extensively; the firm has been the subject of 23 monographs, including five by Rizzoli, two by Korean Architect, two by El Croquis (Spain), one by G.A. Japan, one by Phaidon, and one by Equal Books (Korea).

Throughout his career, Mayne has remained active in the academic world. In 1972, he helped to found the Southern California Institute of Architecture. Since then, he has held teaching positions at Columbia, Yale (the Eliel Saarinen Chair in 1991), the Harvard Graduate School of Design (Eliot Noyes Chair in 1998), the Berlage Institute in the Netherlands, the Bartlett School of Architecture in London, and many other institutions around the world. His commitment to the education of young designers has not wavered. There has always been a symbiotic relationship between Mayne's teaching and practice, evidenced in his commitment to the recent sustainable, affordable housing project for the Make It Right Foundation in New Orleans, which he developed with UCLA students. Currently, he holds a tenured faculty position at UCLA Architecture and Urban Design.

HONORS AND DISTINCTIONS:

AIA Gold Medal / 2013

Richard J. Neutra Award for Professional Excellence, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona / 2011

Centennial Medal, American Academy in Rome / 2009

Edward MacDowell Medal / 2008

Member, American Academy of Arts and Sciences / 2008

California College of the Art, Honorary Doctorate of Fine Art / 2008

New Jersey Institute of Technology , Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters / 2008

AIA Los Angeles Presidential Award / 2007

AIA California Council, The Maybeck Award / 2007

National Design Award, Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum / 2006

Alumni Merit Award, University of Southern California / 2006

Pritzker Architecture Prize / 2005

Fellow, American Institute of Architects (FAIA) / 2004

Chrysler Design Award of Excellence / 2001

Gold Medal, Los Angeles American Institute of Architects / 2000

Alumni of the Year, USC / 1995

Brunner Prize/ Award in Architecture, American Academy of Arts and Letters / 1992

Member Elect, American Academy of Design / 1992

Rome Prize Fellowship, American Academy in Rome, Italy / 1987

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS:

President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities / Member

American Academy of Arts and Letters / Member

American Academy in Rome / Trustee

A+D Architecture and Design Museum Los Angeles / Advisory Board

American Institute of Architects (FAIA)

Global Green USA / Board

Architecture League of New York / Board

Institute of Urban Design / Board

American Academy of Arts and Sciences / Member

National Academy of Design / Member

Southern California Institute of Architecture / Board of Trustees