We are deeply honored to share that PAYETTE Principal Sho-Ping Chin, FAIA (1953-2015), has been posthumously recognized with the prestigious 2024 AIA Edward C. Kemper Award by the Board of Directors and the Strategic Council of the American Institute of Architects (AIA).
The Edward C. Kemper Award, named in honor of the AIA’s first Executive Director, is given annually to an architect who has contributed significantly to the profession through service to the AIA. This recognition reflects Sho-Ping’s enduring impact on healthcare architecture and her inspiring contributions to the design community.
During her tenure at PAYETTE, Sho-Ping was instrumental to the firm’s healthcare practice. Sho-Ping believed that architecture can be achieved in each project regardless of program, scope or mission and she brought that belief to every project she encountered. In addition to her contributions as a Principal of the firm, she was a wonderful mentor and instilled in her teams a sense of camaraderie and commitment to design.
Sho-Ping was a trailblazer who defined the national discourse for women in architecture. Co-founding the Boston Women Principals Group in 2006 and subsequently taking it to a national platform with the inaugural AIA Women’s Leadership Summit in 2009 and continuing through today. Her legacy continues to resonate, inspiring architects across the nation.
Beyond her being a champion for women in architecture, Sho-Ping was a talented and compassionate architect dedicated to designing high-caliber healthcare facilities for those in need. In 2009, she co-founded Sustainable Healthcare for Haiti, a pro bono mission focused on improving healthcare for women and infants in the aftermath of the island’s devastating earthquakes. Her approach to architecture was rooted in meeting human needs with a blend of compassion, technology and a deep respect for nature and the built environment.
Sho-Ping’s contributions extended beyond the professional realm, leaving an enduring mark on the Boston community. From serving as a guest critic for local architecture schools to her involvement with the Boston Chinatown Main Street Program and various BSA committees, she gave selflessly of her time and energy, enriching the lives of those around her.
Sho-Ping Chin always had a way of bringing out the best in those around her: a project team, the clients or her colleagues in the AIA. She instigated and inspired others to engage and advance initiatives into enduring legacies. She led not by just giving direction but by including everyone’s effort in finding the best direction. While consistently producing effective, inspiring environments, Sho-Ping initiated efforts on multiple fronts that have changed the practice of architecture at the firm, local and national scale. She worked tirelessly to advance women’s roles to the full spectrum of architecture, urban design and planning, sustainable technology and social responsibility.
As we celebrate Sho-Ping Chin’s legacy, we recognize her as a true luminary in architecture whose influence continues to resonate. Her dedication to inclusivity, excellence and compassion serves as an enduring inspiration for all architects.
Congratulations, dear Sho-Ping. We miss you so much!
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