The Rice University School of Architecture will posthumously bestow the 2024 Dean’s Medal to Raymond Brochstein B.A. ’55, B.S. ’56 (1932–2022). Initiated in 2023, the Dean’s Medal is given annually in recognition of extraordinary dedication, leadership, and support for the School of Architecture and its pursuit of excellence in design education across the spectrum of practice, research, and teaching.
Raymond Brochstein, by embodying these principles, left an indelible mark on the success of the school, university, and architectural design industry. In 2008, Rice University named its path-breaking central building the Raymond and Susan Brochstein Pavilion. Lauded for its design, the Pavilion endures as a hub for informal and formal cross-campus and cross-cultural connections. An alumnus of the School of Architecture, Raymond further elevated the school’s visibility serving as a trustee of Rice University (1998–2002) and member of the Buildings and Grounds Committee and Public Art Committee. He also served as a founding member of the school’s advisory board, the William Ward Watkin Council.
We look forward to celebrating Raymond and Susan’s generosity to the School of Architecture with the forthcoming Brochstein Fabrication Lab in the new William T. Cannady Hall for Architecture. This state-of-the-art facility will be dedicated in the fall semester 2024 and will provide a functional and inspiring environment to create three-dimensional architectural works, both digitally and by hand. The naming of the new fabrication lab honors a shared dedication to excellence, innovation, and craftsmanship, qualities that Raymond imbued in his family business, Brochsteins, Inc., which has provided custom millwork for significant architectural projects worldwide, including the Getty Center in Los Angeles.
The 2024 Dean’s Medal will be conferred during the school’s annual award ceremony on Wednesday, April 24, at 5:00 p.m. in Farish Gallery, MD Anderson Hall. Susan will represent the Brochstein family which includes, Benjamin, M.A.ʼ12, Ph.D. ʼ15, and Deborah, M.B.A. ʼ00 and accept the dean’s medal on behalf of Raymond. The event will also honor other friends and supporters of the school, as well as student award recipients and graduates in the School of Architecture. It will include a special announcement about the launch of a new school award—the Brochstein Excellence in Craft Award—that will recognize future undergraduate and graduate students for their exceptional fabrication skills and attention to craft and detail. The event is free and open to the public.
For more information, please contact Director of Development Amanda Sullivan at amanda.m.sullivan@rice.edu.