Architizer’s Editor in Chief Paul Keskeys reflects on Architizer’s decade-long celebration of extraordinary architecture, as well as the talented teams that make it a reality. The following poem is dedicated to every A+Award winner from the past decade. Thank you to the thousands of architecture firms that have helped make the program what it is today — we look forward to sharing your work with the world this year, and for many years to come!
It’s time to redefine the word “Architect”.
Architects are not simply designers.
They are conceptualizers of space and time,
Manifestors of environments where memories will form.
Architects are magicians, turning wishes into walls,
Pixels into places, lines into landscapes
We could only dream of before.
They frame voids. They bridge gaps.
They connect the dots between this place
And one not yet known.
They are sailors, pilots, astronauts,
Guiding our collective vessel through the void,
Aiming for a better future on a horizon they’ll help to shape.
Architects are not simply designers.
They are conjurers of atmosphere and emotion,
Molding vibrant cauldrons in which history is made.
Architects are more than sculptors,
Weaving steel ribbons through thin air
And growing concrete trees, stretching to the sky.
They are three-dimensional painters,
Leaving sweeping strokes of wood, glass, and stone
Peppered with plants, water, light.
At their best, they are alchemists
Transforming empty shells into homes
Where kids can safely learn to build their own.
Architects set the scene
For that theatrical showcase
They lay the foundation
For the education of the next generation
They create the canvas
Upon which masterpieces are born
They describe what will be
And what will not
Without so much as a word.
By candlelight, in the spotlight, through the darkness,
They design. And they do so much more.
It’s time to redefine the word “Architect”.
Architizer's 13th A+Awards features a suite of sustainability-focused categories recognizing designers that are building a greener industry — and a better future. Start your entry to receive global recognition for your work!
