Since its inception in 1997, the National Building Museum’s Spotlight on Design has presented the work of luminaries in architecture, landscape architecture, urban planning, and design. This lecture series presents a unique window into the creative journey and cultural influences of visionary practitioners, illuminating the powerful role of design in shaping the built environment.
Thank you to the generous supporters of the Edward A. Feiner Fund for Public Architecture.
Recent Speakers
Rick Joy
March 28, 2025
Thom Mayne
May 9, 2024
Explore Past Speakers
Past speakers include Pritzker Prize laureates Tadao Ando, Jean Nouvel, and Zaha Hadid; National Medal of Arts laureates Laurie Olin and Billie Tsien; American Institute of Architects Gold Medalists Antoine Predock and Marlon Blackwell; and the American Society of Landscape Architects' Medal recipients Richard Haag and Joseph E. Brown.
Billie Tsien
International African American Museum
Thom Mayne
Allied Works
Annabelle Selldorf
Gerdo Aquino, FASLA, SWA
PWP Landscape Architecture
ZGF Architects
Michael Graves
Perkins&Will
Snarkitecture
Thomas Phifer
David Adjaye
Jeanne Gang
Michael Green
nARCHITECTS
James Corner, Field Operations
Marlon Blackwell
Ehrlich Architects
Mikyoung Kim, FASLA
Robert M. Rogers, FAIA, Rogers Partners Architects+Urban Designers
Snarkitecture
Susan Reatig
Leo Marmol, FAIA, Marmol Radziner
MAD
Reed Hilderbrand
Robert A.M. Stern
Tod Williams Billie Tsien
Sharon Johnston & Mark Lee, Johnston Marklee
Abalos+Sentkiewicz
Adriaan Geuze, West 8
Diana Balmori, FASLA
Enrique Norton, TEN Arquitectos
Jim Eyre, RIBA, Wilkinson Eyre
Lewis.Tsurumaki.Lewis
Robert Rogers, FAIA & Jonathan Marvel, Rogers Marvel Architects
Snohetta
Andrea Cochran, FASLA
Bjarke Ingles, BIG
Fuensanta Nieto & Enrique Sobejano, Nieto Sobejano
Grace La & James Dallman, La Dallman
Kulapat Yantrasast, wHY Architecture
Benedetta Tagliabue, EMBT, (Enrico Miralles Benedetta Tagliabue)
Lawrence Scarpa, Pugh + Scarpa
Mia Lehrer
Michel Rojkind
Peter Bohlin, Bohlin Cywinski Jackson
Ted Flato, Lake|Flato Architects
Warren T. Byrd, FASLA, Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects
2009
Adrian Smith & Gordon Gill Architecture
Alberto Campo Baeza
Andropogon Associates
Leon Krier
Laurie Olin. FASLA & David Rubin, OLIN
2008
David Adjaye
Jacques Ferrier
Mario Botta
Michael Maltzan, FAIA
Stephen Kieran, FAIA & James Timberlake, FAIA, KieranTimberlake Associates
Thomas Phifer Partners
2007
Brenda Levin, FAIA
David Rockwell
James Corner, Field Operations
Joshua Prince-Ramus
Jane Werner & Julie Eizenberg, Koning Eizenberg Architecture
Penny Bonda, FASID
Todd DeGarmo, STUDIOS Architecture
2006
Annie Han & Daniel Mihalyo, Lead Pencil Studio
Antoine Predock, FAIA
Craig Dykers, Snohetta
Max Bond, FAIA
Frank Escher & Ravi GuneWardena, Escher GuneWardena
George Yu Architects, Inc.
Jeanne Gang, Studio Gang architects
Kevin Shanley, SWA Group
Mark Goulthorpe, dECOi
Moshe Safdie
Eric Bunge & Mini Hoang, nARCHITECTS
Olvia Demetriou, FAIA & Theodore Adamstein
Paolo Soleri, Arcosanti
Paulo Mendes da Rocha
Rem Koolhaas
Shigeru Ban
Stefan Behnisch
Steven Martino, FASLA
Teddy Cruz
Thomas Bercy & Calvin Chen, Bercy Chen Studio
Valerio Olgiati
2005
Cameron Sinclair, Architecture for Humanity
Charles Gwathmey
James Carpenter
James Eyre, Wilkinson Eyre Architects, RIBA
Kathryn Gustafson
Lorcan O’Herlihy, LOH/a
Polshek Partnership Architects
Sasaki Associates
Steven Holl
Tod Williams Billie Tsien
Walter Hood
2004
Antoine Predock, FAIA
Brigitte Shim, Shim + Sutcliffe Architects
Enrique Norten, TEN Arquitectos
Dennis Pierprz, Sasaki Associates
Hariri & Hariri
Jones & Jones Architects & Landscape Architects
John Patkau
Ken Smith
Lindy Roy
Richard Haag, FASLA
Richard Rogers
Rick Joy
Robert Gurney
Rodolfo Machado, Machado and Silvetti Associates
Roger Duffy, SOM
Vincent James
Will Bruder
Wolf Prix, Coop Himmelb(l)au
2003
Bing Wing Thom
Brad Cloepfil, Allied Works Architecture
David Mill, FAIA, Miller/Hull Partnership
David M. Schwarz
Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates
James Eyre, RIBA
Julie Snow, FAIA
Laurie Olin, FASLA
Merrill Elam, Mack Scogin Merrill Elam Architects
Miller/Hull Partnership
Olvia Demetrious, FAIA, Adamstein & Demetriou
Peter Eisenman
Ralph Johnson, FAIA
Santiago Calatrava, FAIA
Stanley Saitowitz
William E. Massie
2002
Clodagh
Eric Owen Moss, FAIA
Glenn Murcutt
Hani Rashid & Lise Anne Couture, Asymptote
Joe Brown, EDAW
Lehman-Smith+McLeish
Malcom Holzman, FAIA
Mark McInturff
Michael Van Valkenburgh, FASLA
Raimund Abraham
Tadao Ando
Thomas Balseley
Thom Mayne
Thierry Despont
Weiss/Manfredi
William L. Rawn III, FAIA
Zaha Hadid
2001
Arthur Gensler, FAIA, FIIDA
Carol Ross Barney, FAIA
Cesar Pelli, FAIA
Daniel Libeskind
Greg Pasquarelli, SHoP
I.M.Pei, FAIA & Sons
James van Sweden, FASLA
Martha Schwartz
Michael Graves, FAIA
Moshe Safdie, FAIA
Richard Haag, FASLA
Steven Holl
Tod Williams Billie Tsien
2000
Hardy, Holzman, Pfeiffer Associates
James Cutler
James S. Polshek, FAIA
Peter Bohlin, FAIA
Rafael Vinoly, FAIA
Reiser + Umemoto
Robert J. Frasca, FAIA
Samuel Mockbee, FAIA
1999
Adam D. Tihany
Allan Greenberg
Bernard Tschumi
Carlos Jimenez
Charles Correa
Douglas Cardinal
Frank Gehry, FAIA
James Cutler
Joe Valerio
Jon Jerde, FAIA
Hugh Newell Jacobson
Michael Graves, FAIA
Perio Sartogo
Steven Ehrlich, FAIA
1998
Antoine Predock, FAIA
Cesar Pelli, FAIA
James Ingo Freed, FAIA
1997
Ricardo Legorreta