The Society of Architectural Historians ( SAH ) is an international not-for-profit organization that promotes the study and preservation of the built environment worldwide. Based in Chicago in the United States, the Society's 3,500 members include architectural historians , architects , landscape architects , preservationists , students, professionals in allied fields and the interested public.
12-577: The Alice Davis Hitchcock Book Award , established in 1949, by the Society of Architectural Historians , annually recognizes "the most distinguished work of scholarship in the history of architecture published by a North American scholar." The oldest of the six different publication awards given annually by the Society, it is named after the mother of architectural historian Henry-Russell Hitchcock . The Alice Davis Hitchcock Medallion , established in 1959,
24-590: Is a high standard of research and analysis, whether the production was for a scholarly audience, a general audience, or both. A third criterion is excellence in design and production. Similar and historically related organizations are found in Great Britain, Canada, and Australia/New Zealand: the Society of Architectural Historians of Great Britain ; the Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada (SSAC); and
36-513: Is awarded to the author of a literary work that provides an "outstanding contribution to the study of architectural history". The recipient(s) must be British, or the book must deal with an element of the architectural history of Britain or the Commonwealth. The medallion is a Wedgwood portrait of James ‘Athenian’ Stuart. Source: Society of Architectural Historians Society of Architectural Historians The Society, originally named
48-705: Is currently the largest academic organization in the field of architectural history in the US. As part of its mission to "advance knowledge and understanding of the history of architecture, design, landscape, and urbanism worldwide", the Society publishes several works, most noticeably the Buildings of the United States series, as well as a newsletter and the Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians ( ISSN 0037-9808 ). In addition, in association with
60-590: The Founders Award is given to the best architectural history article published in the Society journal. SAH Award for Film and Video The SAH Award for Film and Video was established in 2013 to recognize annually the most distinguished work of film or video on the history of the built environment. The most important criterion is the work's contribution to the understanding of the built environment, defined either as deepening that understanding or as bringing that understanding to new audiences. A second criterion
72-627: The Society of American Architectural Historians was founded on July 31, 1940, inspired by the work of Harvard University historian Kenneth John Conant . Twenty-five chartering members elected Turpin Bannister the first President, and directed him to edit the Journal of the American Society of Architectural Historians . The name was shortened to its current form a decade later. From 1964 to 1966, Robert Branner served as president. SAH
84-560: The Society of Architectural Historians, Australia and New Zealand . Society of Architectural Historians of Great Britain The Society of Architectural Historians of Great Britain ( SAHGB ) is a United Kingdom learned society for people interested in the history of architecture . The Society exists to encourage interest in the history of architecture, to enable the exchange and discussion of ideas related to this. The Society has no official location and its activities cover
96-483: The United Kingdom . The Society also represents the interests of UK architectural history to governmental and non-governmental bodies within the education and heritage fields. The Society specifically avoids conservation issues. Architectural History is the main journal of the society. It is published each autumn and members of SAHBG receive a copy. There is also a newsletter for members. The foundation of
108-459: The University of Virginia , the Society is developing an online encyclopedia of architecture called SAH Archipedia . At present, SAH Archipedia allows free access to entries on 100 of the most important buildings in each state it covers, and is being expanded; SAH members have access to the full version, which includes over 19,000 building histories. SAH Publication Awards Every year,
120-476: The Society presents five awards honoring the most distinguished publications in architectural history, urban history, landscape history, preservation, and architectural exhibition catalogues. SAH also presents the Founders' Award for an outstanding JSAH article written by an emerging scholar in the previous two years. The Alice Davis Hitchcock Book Award , established in 1949, goes to a North American scholar for
132-530: The Society was prompted in 1955 by Turpin Bannister in discussion with Frank Jenkins , a British architect and scholar who worked with Bannister at the University of Illinois in the United States . Initially it was conceived as being a chapter of the American Society of Architectural Historians partly because Bannister had been a founder-member in 1940. However, it was decided in 1956 that
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#1732794386772144-534: The most distinguished work in architectural history. The Philip Johnson Exhibition Catalogue Award awards the best scholarship in the production of materials on an architectural exhibition. The Antoinette Forrester Downing Award goes to a publication's outstanding contributions to the field of architectural preservation. The Elisabeth Blair MacDougall Book Award is for scholarship related to landscape architecture. The Spiro Kostof Book Award recognizes outstanding work on urban design and development history. Finally,
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