1974 AIA Award

The Pittsburgh Chapter of
THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS
Confers a special
ARCHITECTURE CRITIC’S CITATION
on ROBERT WATSON SCHMERTZ, FAIA, ARCHITECT

An architecture critic who knows architecture and loves it, who refuses to see architecture when it isn’t, who tells us what he sees, and leaves the judgments to us - “If you can endure just pure architecture, get Walter or Mies or Corbu!”

He sings architecture, and observes with merry wit, how frequently the Modernists are like those who went before, making function follow form in endless repetition, exalting fads in place of styles (without much erudition), creating an order in spite of themselves, that “concrete-filled column without any clothes.”

His ballads have illuminated the foibles and the reality of architecture, taught us to care about history and recognize our own pretensions, reminded us that architecture is for people and that architects are people too, encourages us to do architecture, enjoy architecture and love each other.

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