State Architect Group Recognizes Derek Parker, FAIA, With Distinguished Practice Award
AIA California Council Honors Distinguished Work of San Francisco
Architect
SACRAMENTO, Calif.--(Business Wire)--
The American Institute of Architects, California Council (AIACC)
announces Derek Parker, FAIA, as the 2008 recipient of the
Distinguished Practice Award. This award recognizes an individual
architect's work, his or her responses to the challenges of an
individual building type, innovations within the design and
construction process, design excellence and a demonstrated
collaborative spirit. The award is given in recognition of a career
that exemplifies dedication and commitment to the built environment.
Through his building designs and emergence as a leader on an
international scale, Parker is among a group of architects who have
inspired an industry to innovate, elevate and revolutionize. As such,
he has significantly impacted healthcare design. His accomplishments
include the creation of breakthrough innovations in healthcare
projects, the cultivation of a practice to grow from the local level
to an international entity, and the leadership to spur healthcare
designers to respond to changes in the healthcare industry.
In 1964, when Bob Anshen died unexpectedly, Parker stepped into a
leadership role, expanding and elevating the size, scale and breadth
of Anshen+Allen's work and placing it on the international stage.
Parker's strong conviction that health and education are the
foundation of civilization led the firm to focus on healthcare and
academic design.
Parker approaches each project as an opportunity not only to
further the goals of a healthcare organization, but also to advance
the state of healthcare design. Known for introducing unconventional
healthcare design elements that are now commonplace and replicated by
others, he is a strong advocate of evidence-based design, a field of
research documenting the ability of design to improve patients'
healing, reduce medical errors, enhance efficiency, and increase the
satisfaction of patients, staff, and physicians. Parker co-founded the
Center for Health Design, one of the leading organizations dedicated
to improving healthcare practices through evidence-based design
research and implementation. He also co-created the 'Fable Hospital'
(an ideal facility that integrates evidence-based design) which is
commonly used as a model for estimating design cost impacts against
operating healthcare benefits.
One of Parker's greatest contributions is his ability to instill a
passion in his colleagues to pursue new directions in healthcare
design, cultivate deeper relationships with clients, bridge the gap
between healthcare providers and healthcare designers and build
organizations to elevate and transform the healing and treatment
environment. Over his 45 year career, Derek has given hundreds of
presentations, written more than 18 transformative works, and founded,
been a member of, or advised more than 25 organizations dedicated to
improving healthcare, including: The Institute for Healthcare
Improvement (IHI); The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF); The
Board on Infrastructure and the Constructed Environment (BICE),
National Academies; and the Institute of Medicine of the National
Academies. Believing in architects' unique training as
problem-solvers, he encourages a culture that nurtures architects'
creativity to help clients meet the challenges of the future.
The AIACC recognizes Derek Parker, FAIA, and his career
characterized by professionalism, leadership and innovation.
The AIACC represents the interests of more than 10,000 architects
and allied professionals in California. Founded in 1944, AIACC's
mission supports architects in their endeavor to improve the quality
of life for all Californians by creating more livable communities,
sustainable designs and quality work environments. Today the AIACC is
the largest component of the national AIA organization. For more
information, visit www.aiacc.org.
AIA California Council
The American Institute of Architects
Lori Reed, Director, Marketing and Communications
916-448-9082
lreed@aiacc.org
Copyright Business Wire 2008
