Walter Hood Receives 2024 Vincent Scully Prize From the National Building Museum

The National Building Museum has announced Walter Hood, an acclaimed American landscape designer, as the recipient of the 2024 Vincent Scully Prize. This prestigious honor, established in 1999, recognizes excellence in architecture, historic preservation, and urban design. Hood, the 26th recipient, follows a legacy of distinguished honorees such as Theaster Gates, Dolores Hayden, and Elizabeth Meyer.

Walter hood receives 2024 vincent scully prize from the national building museum
Walter Hood © Adrienne Eberhardt

A public celebration will take place on October 4, 2024, at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C. The evening will include the award presentation, remarks by Hood, and a public conversation with jury members, including 2012 laureate Paul Goldberger.

Hood is the founder and creative director of Hood Design Studio, based in Oakland, California, which he established in 1992. His work emphasizes creating ecologically sustainable public spaces that resonate with urban communities, often highlighting marginalized histories. Notable projects include the International African American Museum in Charleston, the Oakland Museum of California, the de Young Museum in San Francisco, and the Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing Park in Jacksonville, Florida

Walter hood receives 2024 vincent scully prize from the national building museum
International African American Museum: The Ancestors Memorial Garden at the International African American Museum was inspired by the local landscape vernacular and the broader African diaspora. It stands as a tranquil space that invites visitors to connect with their heritage and embrace the power of collective memory. © Esto/Sahar Coston-Hardy

“Walter Hood’s illustrious career embodies the affirmative spirit of Vincent Scully’s perspective; that of melding art, history, landscape, and urbanism,” said Aileen Fuchs, president and executive director of the National Building Museum. “He has forged a path for landscape architects with provocative designs that have helped instigate social change.”

In addition to his studio work, Hood serves as chair of the Department of Landscape Architecture & Environmental Planning at UC Berkeley. His career is decorated with numerous accolades, including the 2019 MacArthur Fellowship, the Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize, and the 2021 Architectural League’s President’s Medal.

Walter hood receives 2024 vincent scully prize from the national building museum
John Robinson Jr. Town Square: Green Valley is a black neighborhood landscape whose history can be traced back to the nation’s first Freedman Village in the nearby Arlington Cemetery. The new verdant landscape embodies the site’s ecological history, and the FREED Sculpture signifies the action of emancipation. © David Ross

The jury praised Hood for his distinctive approach to urban public spaces, working across scales from large cultural projects to neighborhood-level initiatives.

“Hood focuses particularly on urban public space, and unlike many of his peers in landscape design, he makes a point of working at both the scale of large, public projects… and the intimate scale of community-based neighborhood projects,” remarked the jury.

His recent work at the International African American Museum in Charleston has been particularly lauded.

Walter hood receives 2024 vincent scully prize from the national building museum
Oakland Museum of California: The renovation of the gardens at the Oakland Museum of California serves as a remarkable illustration of how public spaces can be redesigned to become more inclusive, functional, and representative of the local culture. This renovation project achieved several goals, including promoting interaction within the city, reflecting the essence of the local culture, preserving historical elements, providing multifunctionality, creating communal spaces, and ensuring operational efficiency. © Caitlin Atkinson

About the Vincent Scully Prize and National Building Museum

The Vincent Scully Prize, created in 1999, honors exemplary contributions to architecture, historic preservation, and urban design. Named for Yale University professor Vincent Scully, whose teachings inspired generations of architects and planners, the prize reflects a dedication to the built environment’s influence on society.

Walter hood receives 2024 vincent scully prize from the national building museum
Panorama Park: This new landscape at the apex of Yerba Buena Island has been designed as a cultural and ecological arboretum, making it a significant regional destination. Panorama Park is envisioned as a dynamic space that celebrates both the ecological and cultural heritage of Yerba Buena Island. © Steven J. Magner

The National Building Museum in Washington, D.C., which awards the prize, is committed to educating the public on architecture, urban planning, and design. Through its exhibitions and programs, the museum encourages a deeper understanding of how the built world shapes communities and everyday life.

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