POSTPONED: Weitzman School Awards 2023

The 2023 Weitzman School Awards has been postponed. Registered guests will be notified by email.
 

KoningEizenberg Architecture has been selected for the 2023 Kanter Tritsch Medal in Architecture. The Kanter Tritsch Medal in Architecture was established in 2017 through a gift from Weitzman alumna Lori Kanter Tritsch (MArch’85), a member of the Board of Advisors at Weitzman, and her partner and fellow Penn alumnus William P. Lauder, who holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the Wharton School and is a Penn trustee. The Medal honors an architect or firm that has changed the course of design history, with a particular focus on the areas of energy conservation, environmental quality, and/or diversity. KoningEizenberg is an architecture firm interested in the power of social interaction to elevate the quality of life in buildings of daily use. Their work combines environmental strategies to create places of meaning and connection and the firm has been published worldwide and recognized with over 200 awards for design, preservation, and sustainability. Established in 1981 by Hank Koning and Julie Eizenberg, the Santa Monica-based practice started with embracing then-overlooked affordable housing and community projects. A rethinking of these marginalized typologies highlighted the untapped potential of architecture to serve the public good. Principals Brian Lane and Nathan Bishop joined the effort expanding the firm’s ambition for environmentally and socially sustainable design.

The Reimagine Middle Branch Plan has been selected for the 2023 Witte-Sakamoto Family Medal in City and Regional Planning. The Witte-Sakamoto Family Medal in City and Regional Planning was established by William Witte (C’73, MCP’75), an alumnus of the Weitzman School, and his wife, Keiko Sakamoto, to recognize a firm, team, or professional for an exemplary plan that advances the field of plan making in at least four of the following areas: social equity, environmental quality, design, public health, mobility, housing affordability, and economic development. Reimagine Middle Branch is a community-driven initiative to reconnect South Baltimore with a system of world-class parks, trails, programs, and economic development plans along 11 miles of the Middle Branch shoreline on the Patapsco River. While the Plan outlines a visionary physical transformation of the Middle Branch, it is also meant to catalyze the intangible transformation of place for one that is equitable and inclusive. To that end, the Plan recommends a series of capital improvements along with public programs, partnerships, policies, job opportunities, and equitable economic development initiatives. As a result, this Plan is fundamentally about environmental and social justice, resilience, and health. Founded by professor emeritus and past chair of landscape architecture James Corner (MLA’86), Field Operations is the Plan’s design lead and responsible for landscape architecture, urban design, master planning, and public engagement.

Khang Ngoc Truing, Master of Architecture, Class of 2024, is the winner of the 2023 Kanter Tritsch Prize in Energy and Architectural Innovation. Khang is a first-generation interdisciplinary creative from DeBary, Florida with a deep interest in the relationship between space and human perception. He explores unexpected spatial conditions at the intersection of architecture and graphic design through sketching, drawing, and fabrication. Truong holds a Bachelor of Design in Architecture from the University of Florida and is pursuing a Master of Architecture at the Weitzman School of Design.

Nissim Lebovits, Master of City Planning, Class of 2024 is the winner of the 2023 Witte-Sakamoto Family Prize in City and Regional Planning. He focuses on environmental planning and spatial analysis. Currently, he works as a research assistant for Allison Lassiter, assistant professor of City and Regional Planning, analyzing the potential impacts of sea level rise on vulnerable coastal water suppliers. He is also a Perry World House Graduate Associate. 

In addition, Danny Thomas Jarabek (MArch’24) has received the Kanter Tritsch Second Prize in Architecture and a $10,000 scholarship for the 2023 - 2024 Academic Year, and Jonathan Zisk (MCP’24) has received the Witte-Sakamoto Second Place Prize in City and Regional Planning and a $10,000 scholarship for the 2023 - 2024 Academic Year.

Hors d’oeuvres and refreshments will be served. This event is free to attend, but registration is required by Monday, October 16, 2023, to secure your spot. 
 

If you require any accessibility accommodation, such as live captioning, audio description, or a sign language interpreter, please email news@design.upenn.edu. Please note, we require at least five (5) business days’ notice.