John Nesholm FAIA

AIA Seattle Medal 2004, AIA Fellowship 1995
Visionary in both architectural practice and philanthropy, John Nesholm FAIA (BArch MIT 1965) has materialized Seattle's cultural landscape over two decades.

 In his quiet but powerful way, he has brought together the forces of arts development and design to create the Seattle Symphony's Benaroya Hall, Marion Oliver McCaw Hall, and Seattle's new Central Library -- strong contributions to the Northwest arts legacy, and recipients of design accolades for LMN Architects (originally Loschky, Marquardt & Nesholm).

For decades to come, visitors and citizens of Seattle will enjoy special access to cultural experiences, thanks to the memorable, enduring structures and vital institutions shaped by the deft and generous hand of John Nesholm and the Nesholm Family Foundation.  As a professional exemplar, John Nesholm manifests the architect as a responsible societal leader, helping Seattle achieve its potential as a city of the world.

.A Founding Partner of LMN Architects and a mainstay of the Seattle Opera, Seattle Parks Foundation, and other cultural organizations, John served as AIA Seattle President 1990-91.  Here he helped to achieve a highly visible public presence for architecture in re-configuring both the organization and its First Avenue storefront space. 

He also co-chaired the AIA Seattle Centennial Commission that developed the year-long observance, in 1994, of the 100th anniversary of the establishment of AIA in Seattle and Washington, resulting in significant new appreciation of the professional heritage of Northwest design excellence.  Centennial programs included a MOHAI exhibit "Blueprints: 100 Years of Seattle Architecture" and publication of Shaping Seattle Architecture:  A Guide to the Architects.

On receiving news of the honor, John Nesholm responded in his typical self-effacing fashion, asking to note that "this recognition ... also extends to my family who are intimately involved in everything I do, to my partners who have been so supportive of my activities, and at least symbolically [to] all architects who give to the community in ways beyond their practices."

Update:  In 2016, LMN received the AIA Architecture Firm Award.