2026 Greater Erie Awards

The 2026 event includes the presentation of one Adaptive Reuse Award, one Preservation Excellence Award, three Education & Advocacy Awards, and one Design Excellence Award and the keynote “Why Modern Matters” by Justin Gunther, Vice President of the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy and Director of Fallingwater.

The Modern Movement in the United States flourished beginning in the 1930s and was defined by a design language that emphasized form rather than ornament, the honest display of structure and materials, and the efficient and rational use of space. With a vision for a better future, architects embraced bold experimentation and innovative engineering to break free from historical architectural styles and invent new forms that revolutionized the way people lived in and used the built environment.

Despite Modernism’s influential place in our architectural heritage, many significant Modernist buildings face critical threats from urban development pressures, deferred maintenance and neglect, and a lack of public awareness about their cultural value. Deemed unsightly, to challenging to adapt, or too young to be historic, they are often knocked down rather than preserved.

Join Justin Gunther, director of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater, for a discussion about why these buildings matter and how they can be preserved to serve as vital and sustainable solutions for the future.