Channing Swanson receives AIA Iowa Medal of Honor

The Iowa Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) honored Neumann Monson Principal Channing Swanson, AIA, with the 2022 AIA Iowa Medal of Honor. Channing was formally recognized during an awards ceremony of the annual AIA Iowa convention.

After graduating from Iowa State University, Channing spent time honing his design skills at Shiffler Associates and then at Herbert Lewis Kruse Blunck (HLKB) in Des Moines. In that time, he led projects earning multiple AIA Iowa Design Awards and AIA Central States Region Design Awards. While at HLKB, the philosophical and aesthetic underpinnings of Channing’s work solidified.

In 2011, Channing joined Neumann Monson Architects to co-lead their Des Moines studio. After two years, he was named a Principal and member of the Board of Directors. He quickly became integral in the firm’s emergence as a state and regional design leader. He challenged younger architects to innovate, mentoring teams to elevate their expectations for design, sustainability, and the art of making. His vision has propelled Neumann Monson’s next generation of leaders to passionately engage with the profession and embrace design quality as a calling.

As a firm leader, he has crafted an approach to design that has become emblematic of the work of the firm. This commitment to design excellence is demonstrated by the firm’s first national AIA design award. In 2019, St. Luke the Evangelist Catholic Church was honored with a Faith & Form/Interfaith AIA Knowledge Community Award. In 2021, Market One was honored with an AIA COTE Top Ten Award – the industry’s highest recognition for sustainable design. That accomplishment paved the way for the firm’s second COTE award in 2022.

The Medal of Honor is the highest honor that an individual can receive from the AIA Iowa chapter, in recognition of their distinguished service to the profession.