Deborah Berke, the Edward P. Bass Dean of the Yale School of Architecture, has been awarded the 2025 Gold Medal from the American Institute of Architects. Considered the organization’s highest annual honor, the award recognizes individuals whose career has made a lasting influence on the theory and practice of architecture.
Professor Berke, who currently holds the title of J. M. Hoppin Professor of Architecture, first joined the Yale University faculty in 1987. She was appointed dean of the Yale School of Architecture in 2016, making her the school’s first woman dean. During her tenure, she has worked to advance the school’s academic and research opportunities, including the establishment of the Yale Center for Ecosystems in Architecture and the Regenerative Building Lab.
Outside of Yale, Professor Berke is the founder of the New York-based architecture firm, TenBerke, which designs private residences, commercial developments, and community spaces. Some of the firms most notable projects include the residential colleges at Princeton University, the Rockefeller Arts Center at SUNY Fredonia, and the Yale School of Architecture’s Holcombe T. Green, Jr. Hall.
Professor Berke received a bachelor of fine arts degree and a bachelor of architecture degree from the Rhode Island School of Design. She holds a master’s degree in urban planning from The City College of New York.