The Theme

Under the general theme Transforming Practices, this year’s program aims to stimulate proposals with direct relevance to practice. Especially welcome are proposals that demonstrate how the benefits of architectural research extend to clients and communities.

The format and content of the 2007 biennial call flows from the College of Fellows' mission—to support the Institute and advance the profession of architecture—and from the language of the last call: To maintain its leadership position in the design and construction industry, the profession must challenge traditional practice models and seek new paradigms that facilitate the integration of rapidly changing…technology, new materials, new methods, new ideas, and new client and public expectation.

In formulating this year’s theme, the Latrobe Prize program seeks to emphasize practice in its role as both the instrument and object of economic and cultural transformation.

Criteria

Since the inception of the Latrobe grant program in 2000, the College of Fellows has awarded $250,000 in support of exemplary proposals selected by jury review for their promise to advance professional knowledge in architecture.

The 2007 Latrobe Prize will be $100,000.

Criteria for the evaluation of 2007 Latrobe Prize proposals include:

> relevance of the proposed research program to the general goals and objectives of the College of Fellows, the Latrobe Prize program, and the 2007 theme;

> breadth, depth, and innovativeness of the research program;

> projected benefits of research outcomes to practice;

> benefits of research outcomes to professional and public constituencies;

> qualifications, expertise, prior achievements, maturity, and performance record of the applicant(s);

> demonstrated capacity to administer a sustained research program, including the formulation and management of the budget;

> quality and content of supporting documentation; and

> quality and content of letters of reference.