Public Service Awards

For many years, AIA Connecticut has recognized individuals and organizations who have given outstanding service to the Connecticut architectural community as a whole, including service to the profession, public service, and education.

Individuals, groups, associations, and members of the Connecticut community at large are eligible for this award. Past honorees have included architects, municipal and State leaders, educators, authors, and organizations of various types.

Eligibility

Any of the following may be eligible for the Public Service Award:

Individuals, or public or private organizations, outside the architecture profession, who have made significant contributions to the improvement of Connecticut’s built environment. Contributions may include, but are not limited to, advancement or development of laws, regulations, policies, or initiatives that promote excellence in architecture; education of the public and activities that raise the public’s consciousness of the importance of excellent design in the shaping of our world and culture.

Architects who serve as elected or appointed officials, public administrators, or institutional leaders and establish and contribute to the development of laws, regulations, policies, or initiatives that promote excellence in architecture.

Previous recipients of the Public Service Award are eligible for nomination after ten years have passed since initially receiving the award.

Nominations are submitted by AIA Connecticut members.

Nominations must be submitted through the nomination page

Nominations close on October 9, 2024.

Questions? Contact communications@aiact.org

2023 Honor Recipients

Over his career, Darren has had a variety of roles in public service, spending almost a decade with the State’s Department of Administrative Services. His journey within the State includes positions as a Building Official, Deputy State Building Inspector, and Director of Regulatory Compliance. Currently serving as a Deputy Commissioner, he provides executive leadership for teams overseeing state construction projects, property management, leasing, regulatory compliance (building and fire codes), and state vehicle fleet management. Darren’s experience extends beyond state boundaries, as a municipal building official here and in the UK, where he was also a senior fire safety advisor to the national government. Throughout his career, Darren has been an enthusiastic educator, offering support to code officials, design professionals, contractors and the public through one-on-one coaching and participation in regional, national, and international events.

Christopher Wigren is Deputy Director of Preservation Connecticut, where his responsibilities include editing the newsletter, Preservation Connecticut News, and managing preservation easements and awards programs. He is the author of Connecticut Architecture: Stories of 100 Places (Wesleyan University Press, 2018) and serves on the Connecticut State Historic Preservation Board and the Merritt Parkway Advisory Committee. Most recently, he coordinated a project with the Connecticut State Historic Preservation Office to document the heritage and works of the Olmsted landscape architecture firm in Connecticut.

Photo: Ian Christmann