Arizona Tribune - Architectural Record Names 2026 Women in Architecture Award Winners

NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / July 29, 2026 / Architectural Record announces the recipients of its 2026 Women in Architecture Awards. Now in its 13th year, the program recognizes outstanding achievement by women whose work is advancing the architectural profession through design excellence, research, education, advocacy, and leadership.

The 2026 honorees are Marlene Imirzian, Mae-ling Lokko, Clare Miflin, Anne Schopf, and Carole Wedge. They will be celebrated at a ceremony on September 23 at the S.R. Crown Hall, designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, on the campus of the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago.

About the Awardees

Marlene Imirzian - Founding principal of Marlene Imirzian & Associates Architects, Imirzian has built a practice recognized for design excellence, sustainability, and community-centered architecture. With offices in Phoenix and Escondido, California, her firm's portfolio spans public, educational, healthcare, commercial, and residential projects distinguished by thoughtful, place-based design. She has received numerous honors throughout her career, including elevation to the AIA College of Fellows, the AIA Arizona Architects Medal, and recognition of her firm as AIA Arizona Firm of the Year. Beyond practice, Imirzian has served as an educator at Arizona State University and held numerous leadership roles within the American Institute of Architects, the Urban Land Institute, and the City of Phoenix Historic Preservation Commission. Her work continues to influence both the profession and the communities it serves.

Mae-ling Lokko - Architectural scientist, designer, educator, and artist Mae-ling Lokko explores the future of biobased materials and sustainable construction through research and design. An assistant professor at Yale University's School of Architecture and assistant director of Yale's Center for Ecosystems in Architecture, she also founded Willow Technologies in Accra, Ghana. Lokko's work has been exhibited internationally, including at the Venice Architecture Biennale, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, Triennale Milano, and the Museum of the Future in Dubai. Supported by organizations including the United Nations Environment Programme and the SOM Foundation, her research advances non-toxic, low-carbon building materials and circular design systems.

Clare Miflin - As founder and executive director of the Center for Zero Waste Design, Clare Miflin is helping redefine how architects and cities approach waste, materials, and the built environment. Through her nonprofit and consulting practice, ThinkWoven, she develops research, design strategies, and policy initiatives that promote circular systems and eliminate waste through design. Miflin is widely recognized for developing the Zero Waste Design Guidelines, an influential framework that has shaped conversations around sustainable urban infrastructure. Her work supports architects, policymakers, and communities seeking practical strategies for creating healthier, more resilient cities.

Anne Schopf - Anne Schopf has spent more than four decades advancing architecture through design excellence, environmental stewardship, and evidence-based research. As senior design principal and director of design at Mahlum Architects, she has led award-winning projects spanning education, healthcare, housing, and mixed-use environments throughout the Pacific Northwest. Under her leadership, Mahlum has earned four AIA Committee on the Environment (COTE) Top Ten Awards and more than 100 regional and national design honors. Schopf has also shaped the profession through leadership within the AIA, mentorship, and advocacy for measurable design excellence and sustainable practice.

Carole Wedge - As executive vice president and chief executive officer of the American Institute of Architects, Carole Wedge has dedicated her career to advancing architecture through leadership, advocacy, and practice. Previously president and CEO of Shepley Bulfinch for 17 years, she guided the firm's growth into a nationally recognized practice while championing diversity, collaboration, and innovation. A Fellow of the AIA and co-founder of the AIA Women's Leadership Summit, Wedge has served on numerous boards and received multiple honors, including the AIA Edward C. Kemper Award and the Boston Society of Architects' Award of Honor. Her leadership continues to shape the profession nationwide.

About the Jury

This year's jury comprised past awardees Carol Ross Barney (2022) and Anne Marie Duvall Decker (2023); Sanford E. Garner, founding partner and president at RGCollaborative; Kira Gould, principal/founder of Kira Gould Connect; and Yasemin Kologlu, principal and regenerative design director at HKS.

Event & Programming

This year marks the second time the Women in Architecture Awards will be held in Chicago. The September 23 ceremony will be preceded by the Sustainability in Practice Conference the same day also at the S.R. Crown Hall.

About the Women in Architecture Awards

Since 2014, Architectural Record has hosted the Women in Architecture Awards, a national program dedicated to honoring women in architecture across generations and disciplines. As of 2026, nearly seventy women have been recognized through the program.

About Architectural Record

Founded in 1891, Architectural Record is the leading source for architecture and design news, serving professionals with award-winning coverage of innovative projects worldwide. The publication offers expert commentary, technology features, and continuing education content, both in print and online, and explores a wide range of building types including residential, educational, healthcare, and interiors. Widely regarded as the authoritative voice in the profession, Architectural Record highlights top firms and emerging trends in design, urbanism, and sustainability.

For more information, please contact:

Joann Gonchar, FAIA, LEED AP
Deputy Editor
Architectural Record
[email protected]

SOURCE: Architectural Record

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