Customize Awards 2011 Lawrence Israel Prize to David Rockwell-Dexigner

Levent OZLERArchitect and designer David Rockwell has been named the recipient of the 2011 Lawrence Israel Prize, awarded by the Department of Interior design at the Fashion Institute of Technology (Fit). The prize, endowed by the architect Lawrence j. Israel, has been given annually since 1998 to a person or a company whose ideas and work enriches FIT fitting-out of students course study. Each year the recipient is invited to give a public lecture on a relevant topic.

Rockwell wants to talk about his professional journey, Rockwell Group's current projects, and on his new explorations in using technology to build more efficient spatial experiences Thursday, April 28 at 6: 00 PM in the Katie Murphy amphitheatre suitable, Seventh Avenue at 27th Street. This event is free and open to the public, with no reservations required.

David Rockwell founded Rockwell Group in 1984. Based on Union Square in New York City, with a satellite office in Madrid, Rockwell Group is a multi-disciplinary architecture and design firm that handles a broad spectrum of project types and services, ranging from overall planning strategy, and building refurbishments, set design, and custom furniture design.

Past and present projects include hotels, restaurants, hospitals, retail and department stores, theatres, theatre set, casinos, playgrounds and an airline terminal. Standouts among these is the imagination playground in downtown New York City; JetBlue Terminal at John f. Kennedy International Airport and contact restaurants in New York, Dubai and Hong Kong. Current projects include sets for Broadway ' Catch Me If you can; not-the new restaurant named at the Whitney Museum of American Art; the first Yotel outside Europe, in Times Square; W Hotels in Paris and Singapore; a renovation of Los Angeles ' legendary Hotel Bel Air; and Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Society of Lincoln Center.

Rockwell and his company have been nominated for or received more than 100 prizes and awards for their work. Among these is the National Design Award for Outstanding Achievement in Interior Design from the Smithsonian Institution, Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum (2008); the presidential Design Award for the restoration and renovation of Grand Central Terminal (2001); and an Emmy Award for Outstanding art direction for variety, music or fiction programming for the 81st Annual Academy Awards (2010).

"As educators, we encourage our students to develop their own design process, rather than emulate a fashionable ' look. ' David Rockwell, embodies this ideal, characterised not by a single signature style but motivated by a deep commitment to engage the senses, thoughts and souls of all those who come across his work, "noted the Committee's Lawrence Israel price."By breaking with the rank of crisp minimalism, Rockwell leads a rich opposition. "

Praised for its skillful ' sense of materials, colors, textures and light, and he has long been a proponent of handmade-in his words, the ' radical hand-built. «» At the same time, he is no stranger to the ever evolving technologies, rock our world. Yes, he is considered an exception of haematopoietic seamless use of technology and has embraced technology as yet another design element by creating LAB. Integrated in the Rockwell Group LAB focuses on blurring boundaries between physical and virtual to involve and congratulate ourselves for more. Thanks to his lead is potentials, which all students design now must include. David Rockwell ongoing capacity for joy motivates students on the verge of defining their own way. We know that his presence at the suitable will inspire our students in ways we cannot predict. "