Lowell Berg, AIA, 2020 Harry F. Cunningham Gold Medal Recipient

Lowel Berg, AIA

Lowell Berg, AIA, of The Clark Enersen Partners, Lincoln, is the recipient of the 2020 Harry F. Cunningham Gold Medal for Architectural Excellence in the State of Nebraska. The Gold Medal is the highest honor the Nebraska Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) can bestow and is awarded in recognition of the most distinguished achievement in architecture or service to the profession of architecture in the State of Nebraska. Click here to view Lowell Berg’s submission.

Lowell Berg, AIA, has conducted his entire professional career as a leader with a broad vision of sharing his professional knowledge and expertise with others because he believes in the value of architecture in society, communities, and individual lives.

Berg began his professional career in 1975 at Clark & Enersen, Hamersky, Schlaebitz, Burroughs and Thomsen. His talent and leadership abilities allowed him to rise to senior principal, board member and eventually president of The Clark Enersen Partners from 1989 to 2008. He transformed the firm and positioned it for unprecedented growth and excellence in design, while primarily focusing on libraries, corporate office buildings, and government buildings.

Nominator Greg Newport, AIA, said, “Over the past four decades, I have known Lowell to be a consummate professional dedicated to building a better world. Whereas Lowell has been a guiding influence in my own professional growth as an architect, I have also witnessed his influence on generations of other architects as they grew from student interns into highly talented professionals.”

His many years of service on AIA’s Governmental Affairs Committee provided strong leadership instrumental to the profession and public safety. In addition, Berg has dedicated his personal time to public, private, and philanthropic organizations within Nebraska and the nation. By pairing his philosophy of design with his organizational prowess, Lowell has been an effective leader for Rotary Club #14, Lincoln Community Playhouse; Lincoln Libraries Board of Trustees; First Plymouth Church, and the Nebraska Education Finance Authority.

The Gold Medal commemorates the achievements of Harry Francis Cunningham who came to Nebraska as lead architect for Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue’s office during completion of the tower phase of construction for the State Capitol following Goodhue’s death in 1924. It was Goodhue’s revolutionary building design which won the nationwide competition in 1920 for the creation of the state house in Lincoln. Cunningham subsequently established the first school of architecture at the University of Nebraska- Lincoln.