Architect Joyce Owens, FAIA RIBA, awarded the Gold Medal

A jury of Florida’s top architects presents the highest honor to Fort Myers-based architect, Joyce Owens, FAIA, RIBA

Architect Joyce Owens’ founder and principal architect, Joyce Owens, FAIA RIBA, is the recipient of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Florida’s 2022 Gold Medal award, recognizing her leadership and impact as an architect.

Owens is immensely honored to be awarded AIA Florida’s highest honor, and in doing so, breaks a longstanding barrier in the male-dominated profession.

“The Gold Medal is a great honor. I hope the award will encourage other women architects to create and pursue opportunities to take the lead through their own work and design,” Owens says. “When I started my career, I knew only one female architect older than me. As more and more women enter the field every year, I want to encourage young women to work hard, but also to take credit for the wealth of talent they bring in an inherently difficult profession.”

Each year, a select jury of past AIA Florida honor award recipients and member architects, confer eight Honor Awards recognizing architects for significant contributions to the architecture profession, their communities, and architecture at large.

The Gold Medal is awarded to an individual who has a profound impact on the architecture profession and demonstrated noteworthy leadership within the AIA, as well as notable accomplishments in their community. Owens received the 2022 Gold Medal during an awards ceremony July 30, at the AIA Florida annual convention, at The Breakers in Palm Beach.

In 2020, AIA Florida awarded Owens with the Medal of Honor for Design, its highest design honor, recognizing her influence on design as one of the most significant architects in the state.

Owen's recognition for excellence in architecture extends beyond Florida. In 2018, she was inducted into the prestigious College of Fellows (FAIA) of The American Institute of Architects, a distinction held by only three percent of architects nationwide. From 2019 to 2021, Owens served on the AIA National Strategic Council and is currently a member of the organization's Public Outreach Committee. In 2017, Owens served as president of AIA Florida.

Launching Architecture Joyce Owens | Studio AJO in Fort Myers in 2007, Owens quickly established her reputation for environmentally-sensitive coastal design across Southwest Florida. By integrating architecture with the design of interior and exterior spaces, Owens maximizes the coastal lifestyle experience for every project, from the 12,000-square-foot Community Parish Hall at Fort Myers St. Cecilia Catholic Church to distinctive, modern coastal homes in Naples, Sanibel, and Captiva Island.

Owens and her architecture firm are responsible for the recent renovation of Sanibel Captiva Community Bank headquarters and are currently relocating the Sanibel Captiva Trust Company to its new headquarters on Periwinkle Way.

Owens also has an extensive portfolio of residential and commercial architecture in London, England, as the founding partner of Azman Owens Architects for more than a decade. As principal of an international architecture design studio, her clients included prime minister Boris Johnson, fashion icon Alexander McQueen, and luxury retailer TAGHeuer and her design work has received awards from the United Kingdom’s Royal Institute of British Architects and other international competitions.

Modern Architecture Designed for Sustainability

With offices in Fort Myers, Sanibel, and Naples, Architecture Joyce Owens has become a recognized architecture firm across Florida with an extensive portfolio that includes landmark commercial and community spaces, as well as distinctive tropical modern island homes.

“Modern architecture designed for sustainability can help lessen the impact on the fragile ecosystems of Florida’s beachfront,” Owens explains.

Always aiming to improve the relationship between nature and buildings, the Fort Myers-based architecture firm’s groundbreaking modern architecture and minimalist interiors incorporate key design elements and sustainable principles.

For more information, call 239-425-5773 or email info@studioajo.com.