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james-corner-photo-from-weitzman-school-of-design
Weitzman School of Design professor emeritus James Corner was recently awarded the 2024 IFLA Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe Award (Photo from Weitzman School of Design).

Stuart Weitzman School of Design Practice Professor Emeritus James Corner was awarded the 2024 IFLA Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe Award from the International Federation of Landscape Architects.

The award is the highest honor the IFLA can provide for a landscape architect, according to the School of Design announcement. Corner, a former chair of the Department of Landscape Architecture, received recognition for his contributions to the profession across his career.

The award is named for one of the IFLA’s founding presidents, British landscape architect Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe. The IFLA jury that picks the award’s recipient includes the chair, a representative from each of the five IFLA regions worldwide, and a guest member. 

“James Corner is without question one of the most important and influential landscape architects practicing today," the jury said. "With his professional and theoretical work James Corner has made significant and innovative contributions to the field of landscape architecture."

Corner is a Founding Partner and CEO of the New York-based architectural firm Field Operations, which has projects across the United States, Europe, and China. The company works on public spaces in urban settings, often while incorporating nature. Field Operations has won numerous awards and recognition from institutions such as the Guggenheim Museum and Cooper Hewitt. 

Corner and Field Operations’ most famous work is the High Line in New York City, a 1.45-mile-long rail structure elevated above the city. The design revitalized old, unused train tracks to create a public green space amidst a dense city. The firm's other notable projects include Domino Park in Brooklyn, the Philadelphia Navy Yard, and the Qianhai Water City in Shenzhen, China. 

Corner joined Penn’s faculty in 1988 and has taught at the School of Design since 1990, where he served as chair of the Department of Landscape Architecture from 2000-2012. In addition to lecturing globally in countries such as Denmark and Sweden, Corner has published numerous books and essays on design and urbanism.