An Inventory/Survey Award of Excellence is presented to Elizabeth Scheu Close: A Life in Modern Architecture (book and exhibition), for its achievement in documenting the legacy of one of Minnesota’s earliest Modern architects and one of America’s pioneering women in architecture. This project, a collaboration between author Jane King Hession and the University of Minnesota Press, chronicles the life and work of Elizabeth “Lisl” Scheu Close, offering insights into her significant contributions to Modernism. The book traces her journey, from her origins in Vienna, Austria, through her education at MIT, and her co-founding of Minnesota’s first Modern architectural practice. It sheds light on the challenges she faced due to her gender and highlights her role in designing more than 250 Modern residences and various public buildings that have shaped Minnesota's architectural landscape. The accompanying exhibition, both physical and digital, broadens the reach of this important narrative, engaging diverse audiences and fostering a deeper appreciation for Close’s work. 

University of Minnesota Press (Publisher); Jane King Hession (Author and Curator); Joan Soranno (foreword); Pieter Martin (Senior Editor); Laura Westlund (Managing Editor); Eric Lundgren (Development and Outreach Manager); Anne Carter (Editorial Assistant); Rachel Moeller (Assistant Production Manager and Art Director); Emily Hamilton (Associate Director for Book Publishing); Heather Skinner (Publicity Director); Matt Smiley (Senior Sales Manager); Maggie Sattler (Digital Marketing Manager); Jeff Moen (Rights, Permissions, and Contracts Coordinator); Jena Sher (designer); William B. Olexy (Photographer); Goldstein Museum of Design, University of Minnesota (Exhibition Host); Lin Nelson-Mayson (Museum Director); Soo Jin Kang (Exhibition Designer); Rolf Anderson (Nominator)

Donors

Georgia Bizios; Lynda and Darel Jacobsen; Edward J. Kodet, Jr., FAIA; Mark Larson and Jean Rehkamp Larson; Michaela Mahady; Rosemary McMonigal; Lea Babcock Scherer and Jeffrey Scherer; Anne Close Ulmer, Roy M. Close, and Bob Close; James and Megan Dayton; Dale and Jan Mulfinger; Gladys and Roger Reiling

Grant Support

Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation; Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts