Mayne is the only American in the past 16 years (since 1991) to be selected for architecture's most prestigious award, the Pritzker Prize. This achievement capped a three-decade career in which Mayne has received more than 100 awards and honors from across the world. Founder and leader of the Los Angeles-based firm Morphosis, Mayne's most prominent projects include the Phare Tower in Paris; the Federal Building in San Francisco; the Wayne L. Morse U.S. Courthouse in Eugene, OR.; the University of Cincinnati Campus Recreation Center in Cincinnati; the Hypo Alpe-Adria Bank in Klagenfurt, Austria; and the Diamond Ranch High School in Pomona, CA.
A dedicated educator for the past 35 years, Mayne is also co-founder of the influential Southern California Institute of Architecture, a tenured professor at UCLA, and a visiting teacher/lecturer who travels across the globe.
"Thom Mayne is truly a world-class architect whose extraordinary designs are always inspiring and thought-provoking," says Frank-Paul King, chairman of the museum's Board of Trustees. "His unique approach of melding creativity and technology while respecting our environment in an urban society reflects our vision for the Museum of Nature & Science."
The museum will be located on a 4.7-acre site at the northwest corner of Woodall Rodgers Freeway and Field Street adjacent to Victory Park. The facility will be walking distance from the American Airlines Center, W Hotel, and House of Blues, and just minutes from the Dallas Arts District.Groundbreaking is projected to take place in 2009. Upon completion, the Museum of Nature & Science is expected to emerge as one of the region's premier destinations, attracting more than 1 million visitors annually.
