Congratulations to the Newly Elevated Fellow: Stephen Pickard, FAIA

Only three percent of AIA's 96,000 members have received this prestigious honor. The Fellowship program was developed to elevate those architects who have made a significant contribution to architecture and society, and who have achieved a standard of excellence in the profession. Election to fellowship not only recognizes the achievements of architects as individuals, but also their significant contribution to architecture and society on a national level.
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Stephen Pickard, FAIA

Stephen is a respected thought leader, teacher, and mentor whose national church practice has pioneered community driven, environmentally sustainable and socially responsible design solutions - thereby changing and influencing thinking about an age-old building type.

Changing Design Conventions

Stephen’s work has touched churches of all sizes and denominations across the country and beyond. His designs promote walkability, environmental sustainability and create options that integrate churches into surrounding neighborhood and communities.

Community Driven Church

Stephen's designs for community driven church campuses begins with intentional Master Planning. They are not planned as isolated islands surrounded by vast areas of paving for parking. Outdoor recreation areas, fire pits, walking trails, and amphitheaters are included that help physically connect a church campus with the surrounding communities and neighborhoods that they serve. Indoor fellowship and gathering spaces have begun to migrate outdoors and include seating areas, patios and ‘town greens’ that become shared connection points where sacred meets secular.

Sharing, Teaching, & Mentorship

Stephen is passionate about teaching and sharing information with church leaders and other design professionals. He speaks regularly at national conferences. His work has been featured and he has made significant contributions to industry related publications on church facilities and design.

Pickard was granted fellowship in object two, which is given to “architects who have made notable contributions through their work in the practice of architecture.”