Author of new book on mid-20th century architecture wins highest honor from Potomac Valley chapter of AIA
SILVER SPRING, MD – The Montgomery County Planning Department, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, is pleased to announce that staff senior architectural historian Clare Lise Kelly is this year’s recipient of the Paul H. Kea Medal from the Potomac Valley chapter of the American Institute of Architects. She is being recognized for making a significant and exemplary contribution to the profession through her architectural advocacy.
Kelly serves as Research and Designation Coordinator for the Historic Preservation Office of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission. She is the author of the forthcoming book, Montgomery Modern: Modern Architecture in Montgomery County, Maryland, 1930-1979, to be published in October 2015.
The Kea Medal will be given to Kelly at Celebrate Design on Thursday, October 22 at the Silver Spring Civic Building. At the event, to be held from 6:30 to 9 p.m., the Planning Department will present its first annual Design Excellence Award for top-quality architecture in Montgomery County and the AIA will also announce its chapter awards.
About the Kea Medal
The Kea Medal is named for Hyattsville, MD architect Paul. H. Kea (1886-1968), who founded the firm Kea, Shaw, Grimm & Crichton, a precursor to today’s Grimm + Parker Architects. His firm built numerous banks, churches, schools and commercial buildings.
A founding member of AIA Potomac Valley, Kea served as president of the Maryland Society of Architects and became a Fellow of the AIA in 1960. He served as President of the Prince George’s Chamber of Commerce and served on numerous church committees and community boards. He took a strong interest in architectural education and funded a distinguished professorship at the University of Maryland.
The Kea Medal recognizes architects and non-architects who have made a significant contribution to the design professions through a body of work or a single contribution of great scope. Recipients may be cited for service to the profession; leadership; or advocacy that has furthered the public’s awareness or appreciation of design excellence.
About Clare Lise Kelly
Clare Lise Kelly works as a senior architectural historian at the M-NCPPC Montgomery County Planning Department, which she joined in 1990. She earned a bachelor of science degree in design and environmental analysis from Cornell University and a master of science degree in historic preservation from the University of Vermont. Researching and documenting Montgomery County’s historic sites led her to write Places from the Past: The Tradition of Gardez Bien in Montgomery County, a book that won a Maryland Trust Heritage Education Award.
In 2013, Kelly received the Montgomery Prize, the highest honor awarded by Montgomery Preservation, Inc. She established the M-NCPPC Montgomery Modern initiative that year to raise awareness of mid-20th-century modern architecture in the County. Her work with the Potomac Valley chapter of the AIA in organizing several popular public events on this topic earned education awards from the Maryland Historical Trust and Montgomery Preservation, Inc.
Kelly’s new book, Montgomery Modern: Modern Architecture in Montgomery County, Maryland, 1930-1979, will be published in October 2015. The Planning Department is hosting a book launch party for the publication on Friday, October 30 from 7 to 9 p.m. at The Writer’s Center (4508 Walsh Street, Bethesda, MD).
The event, sponsored by the Planning Department’s Historic Preservation Office, is free. Ms. Kelly will give a presentation and attendees will have an opportunity to purchase a signed book. RSVPs are encouraged but not required.
Register to attend the Montgomery Modern Book Launch Party.
Learn more about the Historic Preservation Office’s Montgomery Modern initiative.
Montgomery Modern may be purchased during the Launch Party and will soon be available by accessing Lulu.com, the on-demand publishing service used for this publication.
View a short video interview with Ms. Kelly about the Montgomery Modern initiative and upcoming book launch on October 30.