Indiana Chapter of the American Institute of Architects honors McRobbie

Sarah Schuler, AIA president, presents Michael McRobbie with the 2022 President's Award during the Indiana Chapter of the American Institute of Architects' 2022 Convention hosted by the J. Irwin Miller Architecture Program at The Republic building in downtown Columbus, Ind., Friday, October 21, 2022. Carla Clark | For The Republic

COLUMBUS, Ind. — A long-running leader in education has been recognized for his contributions to architecture.

Indiana University Chancellor and President Emeritus Michael McRobbie received a President’s Award from the American Institute of Architects’ Indiana chapter (AIA Indiana) at the organization’s 2022 convention. The event was held Friday, with IU’s J. Irwin Miller Architecture Program playing host at the former Republic building.

An AIA Indiana President’s Award marks “dedication to the profession and love of architecture.” In accepting the award, McRobbie said that while he has “no personal talent” for design or architecture, he recognizes the importance of both, particularly in educational settings.

“My appreciation of the vital, central importance of great architecture arises from fundamental principle I have come to recognize from having visited or spent time on the campuses of hundreds of universities, both ancient and modern, over six continents,” he said. “That principle is that the quality of the built environment its exteriors and interiors and its integration with the natural environment can have a profound effect on stimulating thought and learning.”

McRobbie served as Indiana University’s 18th president for 14 years before retiring in 2021. His appreciation of architecture’s role in educational settings led him to focus on long-term planning. One of his first actions as president, he recalled, was to appoint David King of SmithGroup to develop master plans for IU Bloomington and IUPUI’s campuses. The plans were completed in 2010 and 2012 and have since been updated.

He also noted the importance of choosing skilled architects for campus projects who were committed to the same idea of stimulating education through the built environment.

“Without great architects who can create great architecture, the best master plans in the world are of little value,” said McRobbie. “This thing was the background thinking and principles that led to what Sarah (AIA Indiana President Sarah Schuler) so kindly called the most extensive period of construction, preservation, and adaptive reuse work in the history of the university. It involved, as she indicated, over 200 major projects construction, renovation and maintenance as well as thousands of smaller ones that would have a total of nearly $2.7 billion and comprising at least 16 million square feet.”

The Indiana Chapter is having its 2022 convention in Columbus today, which included the award ceremony for McRobbie.

For more on this story, and more photos, see Saturday’s Republic.