New Haven, CT – On April 27, the Connecticut Architecture Foundation (CAF) hosted its annual gala at the University of Hartford. The evening consisted of a lecture followed by a reception, dinner, and awards ceremony.
The event is a collaborative effort of the CAF and the University of Hartford Department of Architecture to support scholarships. The CAF Distinguished Leadership Award was presented to Fred W. Clarke, FAIA and Rafael Pelli, FAIA of Pelli Clarke & Partners based in New Haven and New York.
Clarke delivered a comprehensive review of the global works of Pelli Clark Pelli. He offered examples of the firm’s commitment to sustainability as well as their focus on place-making in their design.
After the dinner, CAF president, Robert Swain, AIA ,of Amenta Emma presented Clarke with the 2023 Distinguished Leadership Award. Swain remarked on “the firm’s resilience over the course of their history making it a role model for other firms.”
Recipients of CAF and University of Hartford scholarships were also in attendance at the gala. CAF has a total of six scholarship funds, among them two new scholarships — the Jane and Kevin Roche Scholarship and the Hoffmann Diversity Advancement Scholarship – that are offering awards this year.
Representatives of CAF say that, through the generosity of sponsors and attendees, a record amount of funds for scholarship support was raised. The main event sponsor was Woodbury Supply.
