Faculty, Alumni, and University Win 2024 Preservation Austin Awards
Preservation Austin recently announced its 2024 Annual Preservation Merit Awards. Of the twelve awardees, School of Architecture Assistant Professor Tara Dudley, Lecturer Mark Wolfe, and the University of Texas at Austin’s Hogg Memorial Auditorium Renovation — an undertaking that brought together the work of many architecture alumni — received recognition for their “hard work and visionary approaches” in preserving Austin’s architectural, cultural, and environmental heritage.
Dr. Tara Dudley | Preservation Award for Restoration & Stewardship Award
Associate Professor Tara Dudley’s work, “Reckoning with the Past” with the Neill-Cochran House Museum won both the Preservation Award for Restoration and the Stewardship Award. Dr. Dudley’s research informed the two-year restoration of the Slave Quarters located at the museum site—the only intact and accessible structure of its kind left standing in Austin.
Dr. Dudley, who holds both a Master of Science in Architectural Studies (Historic Preservation) and Ph.D. in Architecture from the school, teaches interior design history and architectural history courses. Her current research examines the contributions of African American builders and architects on the American built environment, focusing on the antebellum and Reconstruction eras in Austin and Texas.
Mark Wolfe | Special Recognition Award for Public Service
Lecturer Mark Wolfe, who teaches Historic Preservation Law, received the Special Recognition Award for Public Service as one of the “inspiring Austinites who have worked tirelessly to uplift their community’s stories.”
Wolfe has dedicated much of his career to public service and historic preservation. He served as the Texas Historical Commission executive director and state historic preservation officer for 15 years. He has also worked as President of the National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers (NCSHPO), where he served on the board of directors of the federal council that advises the President and Congress on matters related to historic preservation.
Hogg Memorial Auditorium | Preservation Award for Restoration
The Hogg Memorial Auditorium renovation, completed in 2023, won the Preservation Award for Restoration. The 90-year-old building underwent an extensive two-year renovation, with updates to the exterior and interior to better house performances and events.
The restoration and renovation included a new electrical system, repaired roof, new state-of-the-art AV system, reconfigured lobby, expanded restrooms, new stage, acoustical improvements, new ornamental woodwork, and a LEEDS Platinum Certification.
The McKinney York Architects team that provided services for the renovation included five School of Architecture alumni:
- Michelle Rossomando, AIA, RID (M.Arch ’98)
- Andrew Green, AIA (M.Arch ’14)
- Johan Cheah, AIA (B.Arch + B.S.ArchE ’20)
- Josh Leger, RA (M.Arch ’17)
- Ko Kuwabara, AIA, LEED AP (M.Arch ’07)
Preservation Austin will honor the awardees at their Preservation Merit Awards Celebration at Springdale Station on Tuesday, November 12 from 6 pm to 9 pm.
Congratulations on the well-deserved recognition!
