Harleston Parker Medal

Established in 1921 in memory of Boston architect J. Harleston Parker with the first medal given in 1923, this highest honor awarded by the Boston Society of Architects/AIA recognizes “the most beautiful piece of architecture, building, monument or structure within the City or Metropolitan Parks District limits.”

The Harleston Parker Medal accepts nominations annually for each year’s medal. Nominations for the 2024 Harleston Parker Medal closed in April 2024.

The Harleston Parker People’s Choice Award recognizes, by public vote, the most popular among each year’s Harleston Parker Medal finalists. Voting for the 2024 Harleston Parker People’s Choice Awards took place in December 2024 and January 2025.

2024 Winner:
Roxbury Branch of the Boston Public Library
Utile, Inc.

Winners

• 2024: Roxbury Branch of the Boston Public Library (Utile, Inc.)
• 2023: Berklee Tower, Berklee College of Music (William Rawn Associates)
• 2022: As If It Were Already Here (Studio Echelman)
• 2021: Harvard Art Museums Renovation and Expansion (Renzo Piano Building Workshop with Payette)
  
• 2020: Dearborn STEM Academy (Jonathan Levi Architects)
• 2019: The Richard A. and Susan F. Smith Campus Center (Hopkins Architects with Bruner/Cott)
• 2018: Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Complex (Payette)
• 2017: Boston Public Library, Johnson Buidling Transformation (William Rawn Associates, Architects)
• 2016: Bruce C. Bolling Municipal Building (Mecanoo Architecten with Sasaki)
• 2015: Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Addition (Renzo Piano Building Workshop with Stantec)
• 2014: MFA Art of the Americas Wing (Foster + Partners with CBT Architects)
• 2013: Roger E. Wellington Elementary School (Jonathan Levi Architects with Stantec Architecture)
• 2012: MIT Media Lab (Maki and Associates in assocation with Leers Weinzapfel Associates)
• 2011: Harvard Graduate Student Housing (Kyu Sung Woo Architects)
• 2010: New Cambridge Public Library (William Rawn Associates with Ann Beha Architects)
• 2009: Parker Community Boathouse (Anmahian Winton Architects)
• 2008: Genzyme Center (Behnisch, Behnisch & Partner; House & Robertson Architects; Next Phase Studios)
• 2007: Institute of Contemporary Art (Diller Scofidio + Renfro with Perry Dean Rogers Partners)
• 2006: Wang Campus Center, Wellesley College (Mack Scogin Merrill Elam Architects)
• 2005: Building H/College of Computer and Information Sciences and Residence Hall, Northeastern University (William Rawn Associates)
• 2004: Simmons Hall, MIT (Steven Holl Architects and Perry Dean Rogers Partners)
• 2003: Honan-Allston Branch/Boston Public Library (Machado and Silvetti Associates)
• 2002: Northeastern University Multi-Faith Center (Office dA)
• 2001: Boston Public Library renovation (Shepley Bulfinch Richardson and Abbott)

View winners from 1923 to 2000 on the Harleston Parker Medal Wikipedia page.

Past winners

You may visit past BSA Design Awards winners here.

About the BSA Design Awards

Each year the Boston Society of Architects/AIA (BSA/AIA), often in collaboration with other organizations, sponsors awards programs to honor design excellence in Massachusetts, throughout New England, and beyond. By recognizing remarkable achievements in architecture, the design community highlights exemplary projects that serve as inspiration for practitioners. Equally important, these awards elevate the potential for positive impact that architecture has on quality of life for everyone.