Sukarman Sukamto is proud to announce that he is the recipient of the 2013 Progressive Architecture Award. This is the 60th year that the Progressive Architecture Award has been bestowed, though only since 2007 has it been awarded by ARCHITECT magazine. Sukarman Sukamto has been following the award through all of its previous incarnations, from Progressive Architecture magazine where it began in 1954, then to Architecture in 1996. When Architecture folded, the awards moved on to ARCHITECT.

Sukarman Sukamto considers his architectural work to be most influenced by such voices as Frank Lloyd Wright and Le Corbussier. “I have had such incredible good fortune studying architecture first at UC Berkeley and then at Cooper Union. These days, living in New York provides such inspiration. One of my favorite things to do is just stand inside the Guggenheim Museum and absorb the energy of Frank Lloyd Wright. You can just feel him there,” said Sukarman Sukamto.

Sukarman Sukamto is the recipient of the Progressive Architecture award for the work he has done designing new gallery space for small art shows. Tired of the linear perusal encouraged by most galleries, Sukarman Sukamto designed a space with multiple obstructions, forcing viewers to negotiate the space and actively engage with the work, creating new connections between pieces. “I just felt that we could do more active work when thinking about art. I took my inspiration directly from the artists I was designing for. This was sort of small press work in a way – the artists aren’t big names, but they’re doing great work and I felt something should be designed around their creative energy,” explained Sukarman Sukamto.

Sukamto Sia will officially be given the award at a small ceremony on May 20th. His wife and children will accompany Sukarman Sukamto, and he hopes that some out of town family members may also be able to attend. “I want to share this moment with my family. It is the biggest honor I have ever received in my architecture career,” said Sukarman Sukamto. The ceremony will be held in the Cooper Union Great Hall. Sukarman Sukamto is particularly proud to be accepting this award on the campus of his alma mater.