James Polshek

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James Stewart Polshek (born 1930, Akron, Ohio) is an American architect based in New York City. He is founder and senior design counsel of Polshek Partnership architects.

Education & background

Polshek enrolled in premed at Case Western Reserve University's Adelbert College 1947, with thoughts of becoming a psychiatrist. He struggled with school and began taking a variety of courses, including a course in the history of modern architecture. After deciding to study architecture he enrolled at Yale University, and graduated in 1955 with a Master of Architecture degree. He was also a Fulbright/Hayes fellow in Denmark and received a number of grants from the Graham Foundation.

After becoming dean of Columbia University's Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation in 1972, Western Reserve University granted his bachelor of science degree in 1973, forgiving the 8 credits he was short.

Professional career

Polshek worked for I.M. Pei prior to starting his own firm, Polshek Partnership, in 1963.

He served as the dean of Columbia University's Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation from 1972 to 1987.

Polshek is unusual among top-tier architects for taking the position that architecture is more craft than fine art, and that architects have some measure of social responsibility.

Awards and honors

Polshek received the Gold Medal award from the New York City chapter of the American Institute of Architects in 1986. In 2002, he was honored with the Municipal Art Society’s Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Medal, and was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. In 2005, he was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

He has received honorary degrees from Pratt Institute (1995), the New School University Parsons School of Design (1995) and the New Jersey Institute of Technology (2002).

References

External links

Polshek Partnership Architects Homepage
CWRU article about Polshek, his firm, and the Clinton Center design.
Awarding of CWRU Distinguished Alumni Award
Biography at newseum.org
Controversy over design for the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C.
Information at greatbuildings.com