The American Institute of Architects has awarded John E. "Jack" MacAllister the 2013 Lifetime Achievement Award for Distinguished Service.
This award is the most significant honor presented by The AIACC for service to the profession, and is presented to an individual architect or group in recognition of outstanding contributions to the improvement of the built environment, or for contributions to furthering the aims and goals of the profession of architecture or the AIA in California.
According to the AIA press release, John E. “Jack” MacAllister’s 57-year career in architecture is distinguished by a rare comprehensiveness, exemplifying consistent excellence across the many facets of the discipline. A rigorous and accomplished designer, Jack is also an incomparable practice manager, a pioneer in the application of digital technology, and a valued mentor to generations of younger architects. He takes particular pride in having encouraged and supported the entry of women into the profession.
Linda Derivi, AIA, AIACC Director of Design & Practice, had this to say, "How could I have missed this individual who has succeeded in every aspect of our profession? Maybe it is because he so personifies the collaborative nature of the best of our practitioners, sharing the success of his projects with the entire project team, from client to craftsman, not cornering the glory only for himself."
Jack MacAllister served on the Belvedere Planning Commission from 1996 to 1998, and the City Council unanimously reappointed him to the Commission in 2005, where he was elected Vice Chairman by the Commission. He retired from the Commission in 2007 .
Linda Derivi continues her recommendation as follows, "Jack MacAllister deserves the Lifetime Achievement Award for outstanding contributions to both the improvement of the built-environment and to the profession of architecture: at the age of 25, he was placed in charge of the design and construction of the Salk Institute by Louis Kahn and Jonas Salk, only one of the many design award- winning projects he has been involved with; he put to use the first architectural CAD system in 1967 at Cambridge University where he was also teaching and has not used a parallel rule since 1971; he grew Anshen+Allen from 30 to 400 individuals; he employed the analysis of interacting ecosystems put forth by Ian McHarg as early as 1968; he taught in more than a dozen professional schools of architecture from 1968 until 1985, and continues to mentor young architects; and he takes particular pride in having encouraged and supported the entry of women into our profession. Jack MacAllister is one of those rare individuals gifted in design, technology, humanism, commerce, and foresight, and deserves this great honor outmatched only by the architect himself."
Jack MacAllister has served as the Belvedere Consulting Architect since 2009, in which capacity he has represented the interests of the Community to developers desiring to build in Belvedere.
A reception for Jack MacAllister will be held at 6 p.m. on August 21, 2012 in the City Hall Council Chambers before the Planning Commission meeting at 6:30 pm. Please join with City officials and The American Institute of Architects in recognizing the accomplishments and contributions of this member of the Belvedere Community.