The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has announced Paul Revere Williams, FAIA as the posthumous winner of the 2017 AIA Gold Medal. With a portfolio of nearly 3,000 buildings over five decades, Williams? career was notable for breaking boundaries within the profession as the first black member of the AIA.

LAX Theme Building, 1961. Image © Flickr user thomashawk. Licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has announced Paul Revere Williams, FAIA as the posthumous winner of the 2017 AIA Gold Medal. With a portfolio of nearly 3,000 buildings over five decades, Williams? career was notable for breaking boundaries within the profession as the first black member of the AIA.

Paul Revere Williams. Image Courtesy of AIA
?This is a moment in our Institute?s history that is so important to recognize and acknowledge the work of a champion,? said Phil Freelon, FAIA, Managing and Design Director at Perkins + Will, who presented to the AIA Board of Directors on behalf of Williams. ?It?s been many decades but Paul Williams is finally being recognized for the brilliant work he did over many years.?

La Concha Motel, Las Vegas, 1961 (now Neon Museum). Image Courtesy of AIA

A native of Los Angeles, Williams was known for his many schools, public buildings, and churches in a variety of styles, notably the Palm Springs Tennis Center (1946) and the space-age LAX Theme Building (1961). Eight of his buildings have been name...