The Harvard Graduate School of Design Alumni Council has named Los Angeles architect Brenda Levin, FAIA (MArch ’76) as one of three recipients of the 2025 GSD Alumni Award, recognizing her exceptional achievements in architecture and preservation. Her firm, Levin & Associates Architects, ensures these cultural landmarks remain accessible and relevant to the diverse communities they serve. Excerpted from the Harvard Graduate School of Design announcement (October 2025).
"[It] feels like a recognition not just of my individual and firm’s work, but of the collective progress we can make when we bring diverse voices together to rethink how cities evolve, to respect the past and imagine the future.” - Brenda Levin, FAIA
The Harvard Graduate School of Design Alumni Award recognizes the exceptional achievements and leadership of GSD alumni around the globe. Founded in 2021 by the GSD Alumni Council, the award honors those whose impact and ambassadorship underscore the crucial importance of design education.
The Council is pleased to announce Brenda Levin (MArch ’76), Peter Coombe (MArch ’88), and Wannaporn Phornprapha (MLA ’95) as the winners of the fifth annual Harvard GSD Alumni Award. These extraordinary alumni exemplify the mission, vision, and values of the GSD by working diligently toward a resilient, just, and beautiful world.
“The jury’s goal was to highlight the work of our colleagues that inspires us and would provide hope and energy to other alumni and current students,” shared Zeerak Ahmed (MDE ’18) and Chelina Odbert (MUP ’07), co-chairs of the 2025 Alumni Award jury. “In a time of challenges, we can look to each other to find ways to make the world a better place. And this year we are honored to celebrate the work of Brenda, Peter, and Wannaporn—guiding stars in a moment where their light is desperately needed.”
A distinguished architect and advocate for historic preservation, Brenda Levin, FAIA, has stood at the helm of numerous restorations and adaptive reuse projects for iconic Los Angeles landmarks, from the Griffith Observatory to the Bradbury Building. Her firm, Levin & Associates Architects, ensures these cultural landmarks remain accessible and relevant to the diverse communities they serve. In 2017, Brenda donated the archive of Levin & Associates to the Getty Research Institute.
Former co-chair of the Alumni Council’s Student Alumni Exchange Committee, Brenda encourages the next generation of design leaders to approach their work with technical excellence and social responsibility. Brenda receives this award for her impact on the urban, historic, and cultural landscape of Los Angeles and her generous service to the GSD community.
“To be recognized by my peers whose work I so deeply admire is humbling,” Brenda said. “It affirms how the focus of my career—advancing solutions through the built environment, shaping more livable communities, and aligning design with the broader public good—truly resonates with the GSD community. It feels like a recognition not just of my individual and firm’s work, but of the collective progress we can make when we bring diverse voices together to rethink how cities evolve, to respect the past and imagine the future.”
Brenda Levin, FAIA receives this award for her impact on the urban, historic, and cultural landscape of Los Angeles and her generous service to the GSD community.
Read the full announcement from Harvard GSD here!
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