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The Award
Recognizes an individual with at least a decade of experience in architectural education who made significant impact on the profession.
Presented by Jack Davis, FAIA
Dean Emeritus, College of Architecture and Urban Studies at Virginia Tech
Erik Sommerfeld, AIA
Architect and Associate Professor, Director of ColoradoBuildingWorkshop, Director of Graduate Studies at University of Colorado Denver
It is a great honor, on behalf of the AIA Colorado Awards Committee, to present a very special recognition, our inaugural Educator of the Year Award.
This year, the decision was unanimous. The committee is proud to recognize Rick Sommerfeld, Director of the Colorado Building Workshop and Chair of the Graduate Program at the University of Colorado Denver, for his extraordinary contributions to architectural education and practice. Whether or not one has worked with him directly as an educator, his influence is widely felt. Rick has profoundly shaped the education and careers of countless architects—both in the studio and through the Colorado Building Workshop, CU Denver’s renowned design-build program.
Under his leadership, Colorado Building Workshop has become a nationally and internationally recognized program, with projects spanning from Denver to Antarctica. Nearly everyone in our community can point to a project designed and built by his students. As one nomination so
eloquently stated: “Rick Sommerfeld is an educator whose impact radiates far beyond the
classroom. His teaching doesn’t just prepare students for architecture; it
ignites within them the capacity to shape the field itself.”
Rick is admired by all who know him—as a mentor, a connector within the profession, a visionary in architectural discourse, and a lifelong teacher of design and of seeing the world through design. He embodies what it means to be an architect: thoughtful in design, grounded in community, and committed to pushing boundaries of what is possible.
For inspiring students, for believing in them, and for shaping the future of our profession, we extend our deepest gratitude. On behalf of the Awards Committee, it is a privilege to present Rick Sommerfeld with the Educator of the Year Award. Congratulations!