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April 21, 2020

Five School of Architecture Alumni Elevated to AIA College of Fellows

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) recently elevated member-architects, including five School of Architecture alumni, to its prestigious College of Fellows.

Yanel de Angel Salas (M.Arch ’99), Kenneth J. Jandura (B.Arch ’76), Vivian Lee (M.Arch ’95), Sara Lopergolo (B.Arch ’89) and Kirk Narburgh (M.Arch ’90) have received this prestigious honor as recognition of their notable contributions to the advancement of the profession of architecture.

Election to the AIA’s College of Fellows is one of the highest individual honors the institute bestows on members. Out of a total AIA membership of over 90,000, only 3 percent are distinguished with the honor of fellowship and honorary fellowship.

The elevation to fellowship is conferred on architects with at least 10 years of AIA membership and demonstrated influence in at least one of the following nomination categories: promoted the aesthetic, scientific and practical efficiency of the profession; promoted the science and art of planning and building by advancing the standards of architectural education, training or practice; coordinated the building industry and the profession of architecture through leadership in the AIA or other related professional organizations; or advanced the living standards of people through an improved environment.

Fellows are selected by a seven-member Jury of Fellows. This year’s jury included Chair Paul Mankins, FAIA, Chair Substancearchitecture; Mary A. Burke, FAIA, Burke Design & Architecture PLLC; Philip Castillo, FAIA, Jahn; Mary Johnston, FAIA, Johnston Architects LLC; Nancy Rogo Trainer, FAIA, Drexel University; Steven Spurlock, FAIA, Quinn Evans Architects and Anna Wu, FAIA, University of North Carolina.

This year, 116 architects from across the country were elevated to Fellows.

“Election to the AIA College of Fellows is among the most prestigious forms of recognition in our profession and we are all so very proud of our distinguished alumni,” says Syracuse University School of Architecture Dean Michael Speaks. “This is an especially strong showing with so many from Syracuse Architecture, and it is yet another confirmation of the current and historical strength of our school and our programs.”

Yanel de Angel SalasYanel de Angel SalasYanel de Angel Salas, FAIA is a principal at Perkins and Will’s Boston studio, where she co-leads the global residential practice while managing complex mixed-use projects. She is a founding member of the firm’s Project Delivery Board, whose mission is to develop strategy for complex project processes and facilitate nimbleness in delivery of services. With a passion on social purpose, resilience and sustainability, she co-founded resilientSEE-PR, a global alliance committed to designing and rebuilding a resilient, sustainable Puerto Rico. A devoted mentor and advocate, she strives to advance women and minority leadership in the design profession. She is a member of the firm’s Diversity Council, co-chairs the Boston Society of Architects’ (BSA) Women in Design (WiD) Excellence Awards committee, co-founded the BSA WiD Mid-Career Mentorship committee and is a member of CREW Boston.

Kenneth J. JanduraKenneth J. JanduraKenneth J. Jandura, FAIA is a principal with DLR Group, where he serves as the Northeast Region’s Justice + Civic market sector leader and, on a national level, is responsible for reviewing all court designs. He has 42 years of experience as an architect and for the past 30 years has specialized in the design, planning and programming of court facilities. Jandura has dealt with multi-faceted clients, extensive consultant coordination and the complex planning and construction process required for both large and small justice projects across the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and the Middle East. His extensive courthouse design and planning experience includes over 500 courtrooms in eight million square feet of court facilities with a total construction value of over $2.6 billion. Jandura has been published in national and international magazines and has spoken at more than 30 conferences ranging in topics from trauma-informed courthouse design to public-private partnership delivery models for public sector projects.

Vivian LeeVivian Lee Credit: Woods BagotVivian Lee, FAIA is studio director at Woods Bagot, a global architectural and consulting practice founded in Australia. She is a registered architect in New York state with over 30 years of international experience contributing to enhancing the built environment. Lee’s portfolio includes the Oaks Frontline Apartments and Villas in the Czech Republic, the Taichung Condominium Tower in Taiwan and the 101 Market Street hotel and residential tower in Newark, New Jersey. She also worked on the recently completed SoMA Newark Master Plan, Teachers Village charter schools and workforce housing in downtown Newark; the OCT Shenzhen Clubhouse in Shenzhen, China; the Seamarq Hotel in Gangneung, South Korea; and Italcementi i.lab in Bergamo, Italy while at Richard Meier and Partners, where she was a principal. Lee is co-chair of the AIA New York State Women in Architecture Committee, where she mentors young architects and promotes women in leadership and design roles through a myriad of programs and events. A frequent speaker, panelist and juror, Lee has given talks at universities and conferences around the world, including Cornell University, Ming Chuan University in Taiwan and Domus Academy in Italy.

Sara LopergoloSara Lopergolo Credit: Nicholas VeneziaSara Lopergolo, FAIA is a partner at Selldorf Architects, a 70-person architectural design practice founded by Annabelle Selldorf in New York City in 1988. She is a licensed architect with nearly three decades of experience studying and working in England, Italy and Japan. In her almost 30 years with Selldorf Architects, Lopergolo has worked on many of the firm’s major projects, including large-scale new construction and cultural facilities. She is currently partner-in-charge for the expansion and renovation of the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego and the expansion and enhancement of The Frick Collection. Lopergolo has significant experience with ground-up construction, having served as partner-in-charge on large-scale projects such as the Sunset Park Material Recovery Facility in Brooklyn and 200 Eleventh Avenue, a 19-story residential condominium. Lopergolo has completed galleries for David Zwirner, Hauser & Wirth and Barbara Gladstone, among others. Lopergolo is currently treasurer of the Board of Open House New York and sits on the advisory board of Syracuse University’s School of Architecture.

Kirk NarburghKirk NarburghKirk Narburgh, FAIA brings 30 years of professional experience to his position as CEO/managing partner at King + King Architects. He is the partner-in-charge of education projects with both higher education and K-12 environments throughout New York state. Recent projects include the LeMoyne College Master Plan and Madden School of Business; Stadium renovations and the Carmelo K. Anthony Basketball Center (LEED certified) at Syracuse University; the SUNY Brockport New Special Events Center (LEED Gold certified), and multiple residence hall projects at Syracuse University and SUNY campuses at Oneonta, Cortland, Morrisville and Oswego. Narburgh’s K-12 work includes active projects with the Syracuse City School District, North Syracuse and Central Square school districts and his alma mater, the Albion Central School District in western New York. Narburgh is 2012 AIA Central New York past president and 2018 AIA New York state president. Currently, he is the New York state regional representative to the AIA National Strategic Council and also an adjunct professor at Syracuse University’s School of Architecture, where he has been teaching professional practice and digital technology classes every semester for the past 29 years.

The 2020 Fellows will be honored at a forthcoming investiture ceremony.

For complete details and images of the newly elevated members, visit the fellows directory at aia.org/college-of-fellows.