Local architects to honor University of Memphis president Shirley Raines

New campus buildings get designed, built and renovated no matter who's leading the University of Memphis.

But Shirley Raines has the university building architects as well as their designs, and she's using design to engage the campus with the surrounding community, architects say.

American Institute of Architects Memphis is honoring the U of M president's contribution to the field by bestowing its 2012 Francis Gassner Award on Raines during its annual Celebration of Architecture Design Gala on March 31.

The Francis Gassner Award honors each year an architect or member of a related profession for outstanding contributions to the quality of Memphis' built environment.

In her first 10 years as university president, Raines has led more than a dozen key building projects, including the new University Center, Honors residence hall, the FedEx Institute of Technology, the Kemmons Wilson School of Hospitality and Resort Management, and the relocation of the law school to the historic Downtown location on the Mississippi River.

The new or improved facilities "have had an immeasurable impact on the student body and surrounding community," AIA Memphis states.

Raines said Monday she's accepting the award on behalf of the university.

"We have sought to build environments representative of one of America's great metropolitan research universities," she said.

"We seek to create environments that promote learning and involve students' and community members' engagement on and off the campus."

There's always been a construction cycle on campus.

See original here:
Local architects to honor University of Memphis president Shirley Raines