LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION honoring Richard Meier, FAIA, upon the occasion
of his designation for special recognition by the Brooklyn Chamber of
Commerce

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to publicly recognize
those extraordinary individuals who have made contributions to the
success and progress of society in the course of their life's work; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to honor Richard Meier,
FAIA, upon the occasion of his designation for special recognition by
the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, to be celebrated at its 2009 Building
Brooklyn Awards on Wednesday, July 15, 2009, in Brooklyn, New York; and
WHEREAS, Richard Meier received his architectural training at Cornell
University and established his own office in New York in 1963; his prac-
tice has included major civic commissions in the United States, Europe,
and Asia, including courthouses and city halls, museums, corporate head-
quarters, and housing and private residences; and
WHEREAS, Among Richard Meier's most well-known projects are The Getty
Center in Los Angeles; the Jubilee Church in Rome, Italy; the High Muse-
um of Art in Atlanta, Georgia; the Museum for the Decorative Arts in
Frankfurt, Germany; the Canal & Television Headquarters in Paris,
France; and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Barcelona, Spain; in 1984,
he was awarded the Pritzker Prize for Architecture, considered the
field's highest honor; and
WHEREAS, In that same year, Richard Meier was selected architect for
the prestigious commission to design The Getty Center in Los Angeles,
which was opened to popular and critical acclaim in December of 1997;
among the projects recently completed by Richard Meier & Partners are
the Arp Museum in Germany; the Ara Pacis Museum in Rome; the Burda
Collection Museum in Baden-Baden, Germany; the Broad Art Center at UCLA;
the San Jose City Hall; 173/176 Perry Street and 165 Charles Street in
New York City; and the United States Federal Courthouses in Islip, New
York, and Phoenix, Arizona; and
WHEREAS, In 1997, Richard Meier received the AIA Gold Medal, the high-
est award from the American Institute of Architects, and, in the same
year, the Praemium Imperiale from the Japanese government in recognition
of lifetime achievement in the arts; he is a Fellow of the Royal Insti-
tute of British Architects and the American Institute of Architects, and
he received a Medal of Honor from the New York Chapter of the AIA in
1980 and a Gold Medal from the Los Angeles Chapter in 1998; and
WHEREAS, Richard Meier's numerous awards include 30 National AIA Honor
Awards and over 50 Regional AIA Design Awards; in 1989, he received the
Royal Gold Medal from the Royal Institute of British Architects; and
WHEREAS, In 1992, the French Government honored Richard Meier as a
Commander of Arts and Letters, and in 1995, he was elected Fellow to the
American Academy of Arts and Sciences; he has received honorary degrees
from the University of Naples, New Jersey Institute of Technology, The
New School for Social Research, Pratt Institute, the University of
Bucharest, and North Carolina State University; and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that those who
enhance the life in their community and have shown a long and sustained
commitment to excellence certainly have earned recognition and applause;
now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor Richard Meier, FAIA, upon the occasion of his designation for
special recognition by the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce; and be it
further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Richard Meier, FAIA.