Announcing the Winners of the Awards for Emerging Excellence in the Classical Tradition

The Institute of Classical Architecture & Art (ICAA) is pleased to announce the winners of the Awards for Excellence in the Classical Tradition. The Awards for Emerging Excellence are a suite of prizes that recognizes exceptional talent exhibited by young professionals in architecture, landscape, and craftsmanship. The Awards seek to highlight emerging talent that engages with classical design, demonstrating a thoughtful use of precedents from the past in projects that are forward-looking, creative, and holistically demonstrate their talents.

Kate Chambers has been named the winner of the Architect’s Prize For Excellence in Architecture. The Prize, given with The King’s Foundation and INTBAU, is awarded to an emerging architect whose work exhibits a holistic understanding of the principles of classical design, and whose projects show a demonstrable excellence in their design.

Kate Chambers received her Master of Architecture and Master of Architectural Design & Urbanism from Notre Dame in 2018. While at Notre Dame, she had the opportunity to complete an independent research project on the history of modern Greek architecture and a pattern book for repairing the modern city. Her research was grounded in on-site documentation performed in Athens.

Following graduation she moved to Montgomery, Alabama to work for Tippett Sease Baker Architecture. The firm designs exclusively through hand drawing and focuses on traditional vernacular architecture. In recent years Kate returned to Notre Dame as a visiting professor, then Assistant Professor of the Practice, for the academic years of 2021-2024 during which time she continued to practice architecture. She has also had the opportunity to participate as a design professional in several Dean’s Charrettes held by the University of Notre Dame’s Housing and Community Regeneration Initiative. Kate is a registered architect in Alabama and North Carolina.

Alice Arnn, an associate at Michael G. Imber Architects, is the runner up for the Architect’s Prize, with Sohaib Ahmad Javed of Kamil Khan Mumtaz Architects receiving honorable mention.

Douglas Clark has been named the winner of the Bunny Mellon Prize for Excellence in Garden Design, recognizing work completed for Janice Parker Landscape Architects. The Prize is awarded to an emerging designer whose work furthers the ICAA’s commitment to design and craftsmanship as being vital to lasting and meaningful places. Further, the prize honors emerging professionals that demonstrate skilled knowledge of horticulture in a design that holistically considers the symbiosis between outdoor environments and physical structures and is in the spirit of Bunny Mellon’s “ceaseless interest, passion, and pleasure” in gardens, horticulture, and design.

Douglas Clark is a Landscape Architect at Janice Parker Landscape Architects, with over twelve years of landscape design experience and seven years as a licensed landscape architect. Of Brazilian-American heritage, Douglas was inspired early on by his grandfather’s garden, where he developed a deep appreciation for the harmony between nature, garden, and home—a passion that continues to shape his career.

Douglas earned his Master’s degree in Architecture in 2012, with his thesis, Prospect Refuge and Its Impact on Social Dialog in Our Built Environment, earning recognition from the Boston Society of Architecture for its exploration of how spaces influence human connection. That same year, he joined Janice Parker Landscape Architects.

In 2017, Douglas became a licensed landscape architect, and in 2018, he was named one of House Beautiful’s Next Wave Designers, celebrated for his innovative approach to integrating classical principles with modern sensibilities.

His work spans many locations, including New York, New England, Florida, Sardinia, and Brazil, focusing on private residential gardens that seamlessly extend the home. Each project reflects his commitment to sustainability, environmental stewardship, and timeless design while honoring the individuality of his clients and the surrounding landscape.

Outside of work, Douglas enjoys spending time with his wife and two children and exploring his passion for cooking as an inspired amateur chef, often drawing from his Brazilian heritage and international experiences.

Alexis Stanhope, a project manager at Hollander Design Landscape Architects, is the runner up for the Bunny Mellon Prize.

Leyla Alekperova has been named the winner of the Maker’s Prize for Excellence in Craftsmanship. The Prize is awarded to the emerging craftsperson, artist, or tradesperson whose work demonstrates a wealth of knowledge and excellence in a traditional building art, such as ornamental plaster, decorative painting and finishing, furniture design, masonry, blacksmithing, or any other allied art.

Leyla Alekperova is an immigrant professional and a third-generation artist dedicated to advancing her family’s legacy in plaster craftsmanship. As a graduate of Stevens Institute of Technology with a BA in Visual Arts and Technology, her background in contemporary design blends with a deep passion for classical tradition.

Today, Leyla is a Plaster Molding Designer at Arkada Plus. She takes an active role in both the creative and managerial aspects of the business at her family’s Brooklyn-based company. In her work, Leyla links tradition with innovation—infusing classical architectural style techniques with modern aesthetics—to create plaster moldings that add character to interior spaces.

Her success in finding the golden balance in the company's growth through generational legacy, modern innovation, and efficiency has shown how much she honors the dedication, vision, and hard work that shapes a more beautiful future for the advancing architectural landscape.

Architect and sculptor Pablo Treviño is the runner up for the Maker’s Prize, with mason and timber-framer Patrick Lemmon receiving honorable mention.

The prizes were awarded by a jury of distinguished architects, designers, and professionals:

• Philip Gaches, Master Plasterer, Gaches Plastering
• Zeynep Iqbal, Architect, INTBAU Qatar Chapter
• Dr. Tomasz Jelenski, Urbanist & INTBAU Chair of International Council of Chapters
• Benjamin Prosky, Richard Hampton Jenrette Foundation
• Melissa Reavis, Landscape Architect, Hollander Design
• Dr. Nathaniel Walker, Associate Professor, School of Architecture, Catholic University

The ICAA is grateful to the Richard Hampton Jenrette Foundation for its generous support of the Awards for Emerging Excellence in the Classical Tradition.

The ICAA is very grateful to the Gerard B. Lambert Foundation for its generous support of The Bunny Mellon Prize for Excellence in Garden Design, along with the Curricula's Lead Co-Sponsor Hollander Design Landscape Architects, Film Series Co-Sponsor Janice Parker Landscape Architects, Landscape Prize Co-Sponsor Harrison Design, Continuing Education and Public Programs Co-Sponsor Charlotte Moss, and Garden Symposium Co-Sponsor Kathryn M. and Ronald J. Herman Charitable Foundation.

About the ICAA

The Institute of Classical Architecture & Art’s (ICAA) mission is to advance the appreciation and practice of the principles of traditional architecture and its allied arts by engaging educators, professionals, students, and enthusiasts. The ICAA is headquartered in New York City with regional Chapters across the United States. It offers a wide array of programs that are designed to promote the appreciation and practice of classical and traditional design, including classes, travel, lectures, and conferences. It publishes an academic journal called the Classicist, an acclaimed book series called the Classical America Series in Art and Architecture, and an original documentary film series, Design in Mind. The ICAA’s Arthur Ross Award annually recognizes and celebrates excellence in the classical tradition internationally.

About INTBAU

INTBAU was established in 2001, and has since gained over 5,500 members worldwide. INTBAU works under the patronage of its founder, HRH The Prince of Wales. INTBAU’s mission is to support traditional building, the maintenance of local character, and the creation of better places to live. This is done through workshops, summer schools, study tours, conferences, awards, and competitions. Their three objectives are to research, educate, and engage as widely as possible on the value and relevance of traditional architecture and urban design. INTBAU is a unique, established resource for global knowledge of traditional architecture and urban design. INTBAU's active network consists of individuals and institutions who design, make, maintain, study, or enjoy traditional buildings and places.

About The King’s Foundation

The King’s Foundation is a charity founded by King Charles III and was first formed in 1990.

Inspired by the vision and values of His Majesty, the Foundation builds and supports communities where people, places and the planet can coexist in harmony. The Foundation’s Projects Team works both domestically and internationally across stakeholder and community engagement, masterplanning, and community regeneration. Over 35 years, the team has developed plans for hundreds of thousands of homes in walkable communities and revitalised a range of historic buildings. In addition to its UK presence, the Foundation delivers projects in over a dozen sites worldwide.

The King’s Foundation is headquartered at its flagship regeneration project, Dumfries House in Ayrshire, Scotland, and acts as custodian of other historic Royal sites including Highgrove Gardens and The Castle of Mey. The charity also manages educational programmes and cultural events in London at The King’s School for Traditional Arts, The Garrison Chapel and Trinity Buoy Wharf.

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