AIANY Design Award | Honor Award
Associate Architect for The Forum at Columbia University
Caples Jefferson Architects worked on the "The Forum" for the Columbia University as Associate Architect
along with Datter Architects and the Renzo Piano for which we received
an Honor Award from the 2019 AIANY Design Awards.
We at Caples Jefferson Architects are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Robert A.M. Stern, one of the most influential architects and educators of our time. His prolific career shaped skylines, campuses, and communities around the world, and his commitment to architectural history, scholarship, and discourse enriched the profession for generations.
As a designer, dean, author, and mentor, Robert broadened the conversations around architectural identity and continuity. His work demonstrated how tradition and innovation can coexist with clarity and purpose, and his leadership at the Yale School of Architecture helped nurture a more inclusive and intellectually expansive field.
Robert’s mentorship was personal to CJA Principals, Everardo Jefferson and Sara Caples as he invited them to lecture and ultimately to teach studio at the Yale School of Architecture. Sara and Everardo are presently honored to be architects for the Africa Center, the anchor institution in Robert’s building located at 1280 5th Avenue.
A note from Sara and Everardo reflects the profound impact he had on our practice and on generations of architects:
“Sara and I will always remember Bob for his generosity, and our delightful impromptu encounters over time.
Bob was our first great mentor at Yale. He took a risk on two architects focused on social equity to teach a studio with our dream developer, Jonathan Rose.
Bob not only cared passionately about every detail, he got us all to care passionately too.”
We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, colleagues at RAMSA, and the countless students and practitioners whose lives and careers he touched. His legacy will continue to inspire all who care deeply about the built environment.
Two of our public-sector projects at Caples Jefferson Architects — namely Weeksville Heritage Center and the Louis Armstrong Center — have been recognized with annual funding support from the city through the prestigious Cultural Institutions Group (CIG). This designation places these institutions among the 39 leading cultural organizations across New York City. We’re honored that our clients are now part of this very select group, opening doors to new funding, stability, and recognition for two of our city’s most treasured cultural landmarks.
Thank you to the Board and leadership of each institution, the City of New York, and everyone who supports the vital role that cultural heritage plays in our city’s future.
Established in 2001, the MASterworks Awards pay tribute to projects completed in the previous year that exemplify excellence in architecture and urban design. To select the winners of the MASterworks Design Awards, every year MAS convenes an esteemed jury of architects, designers, preservationists, scholars, and critics. The following distinguished individuals comprise the 2026 jury:
• Isabel Castilla, Associate Partner, Field Operations
• Phu Duong, AIA, AICP, LEED AP, Founding Principal, Urban X Design
• Everardo Jefferson, Principal and Founder, Caples Jefferson Architects PC
• Daphne Lundi, Managing Director, Urban Ocean Lab
Read more about the 2026 MASterworks Jury and make a nomination at mas.org
