CU-Denver Honors Von Luhrte with Alumni Recognition Award

From left, Chancellor James Shore, honoree Richard von Luhrte; College of Architecture and Planning Dean Mark Gelernter and University of Colorado at Denver President Elizabeth Hoffman.

Photos courtesy of Argyres Communications.

RNL President and Senior Principal Richard von Luhrte, FAIA, was honored last month by the University of Colorado at Denver with the 2004 Alumni Recognition Award. He was recognized for his career, which spans more than 35 years, and for his continuous service to the community.

"We were thrilled and not the least surprised when Richard von Luhrte was chosen over all of the very distinguished nominees from the other academic disciplines," College of Architecture and Planning Dean Mark Gelernter said. "He has added immeasurably to the quality of our built environment through his firm, as well as through his strong and public advocacy of quality design."

The Alumni Recognition Award is presented each year to an alumnus/alumna who has excelled in his/her career field and been active in the community. Nominations were made by each of the individual colleges and followed by an all-university selection committee that made the final recommendation.

Chancellor James Shore and University of Colorado at Denver President Elizabeth Hoffman presented the award to von Luhrte.

Raised in Chicago, von Luhrte received his bachelor's degree in architecture from the University of Michigan. He studied planning and urban design at CU-Denver's College of Architecture and Planning.

Von Luhrte began his career at Skidmore Owings and Merrill and then joined C.F. Murphy Associates in Chicago, where he later helped establish Murphy's Denver office. After working for the Regional Transportation District as chief architect and director of urban design, von Luhrte joined RNL Design in 1979, where he currently serves on the firm's board of directors and is responsible for all urban mixed-use and urban design projects.

He has been an RNL a principal since 1984 and president since 2002. Von Luhrte is a member of CU-Denver's College of Architecture and Planning's Advisory Board and a past chair. He's an adjunct architecture professor at the college, current national director of the University of Michigan Alumni Association and has lectured and juried extensively for both of his alma maters.

Dedicated to making urban spaces better environments in which to live, work and visit, von Luhrte was chosen as the 2001 Architect of the Year by the Denver chapter of the AIA. He chaired the AIA task force on growth management, is a founder of Denver's AIA urban design committee and an advocate for transit-oriented development as a remedy for urban sprawl.

Von Luhrte's civic achievements include past director of the Downtown Denver Partnership, past chairman and current director of the DIA Business Partnership, past president and board of director of the Denver Chapter of the AIA and membership on the Auraria Higher Education Center Design Review Board, design review committees and task forces.

Von Luhrte's significant landmark work includes: Colorado's Ocean Journey Aquarium, Coors Field and the original urban design concepts for the 16th Street Mall, an award-winning project designed by I.M. Pei. He has created a new downtown master plan for Leawood, Kan., mixed-use developments in Kansas City, Salt Lake City and a new town master plan for Luchaogang, China.

He is also co-principal on a six million-sq-ft master plan for downtown Las Vegas. RNL Design is an integrated, full service architectural firm with offices in Denver, Los Angeles and Phoenix.


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