National Medal of Arts and National Humanities Medal

The National Endowment for the Arts' (NEA) National Medal of Arts are awarded by the President of the United States to individuals or groups "who are deserving of special recognition by reason of their outstanding contributions to the excellence, growth, support, and availability of the arts in the United States."

New York-based architects Billie Tsien and Tod Williams are recipients of 2013 medals "for their contributions to architecture and arts education." The official announcement continues: "Whether public or private, their deliberate and inspired designs have a profound effect on the lives of those who interact with them, and their teaching and spirit of service have inspired young people to pursue their passions."

The duo's eponymous firm focuses almost exclusively on institutional projects, particularly museums and schools. Their design for the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia is their most well known project.

2013 National Medal of Arts
 

The National Endowment for the Humanities' National Humanities Medal "honors individuals or groups whose work has deepened the nation's understanding of the humanities and broadened our citizens' engagement with history, literature, languages, philosophy, and other humanities subjects."

Johnpaul Jones, architect and founding partner of Bainbridge, Washington's Jones & Jones Architects + Landscape Architects + Planners, is a recipient of a 2013 medal. He is the first architect to receive a National Humanities Medal since its 1997 inauguration. Per the official announcement, Jones is being given the award "for honoring the natural world and indigenous traditions in architecture. A force behind diverse and cherished institutions, Mr. Jones has fostered awareness through design and created spaces worthy of the cultures they reflect, the communities they serve, and the environments they inhabit."

Jones & Jones website indicates they have completed more than 650 projects on five continents. Their portfolio excels in museums, cultural centers and heritage landscapes, many for native populations. One of the most striking is the Southern Ute Cultural Center and Museum for the Southern Ute Indian Tribe in Igancio, Colorado.

2013 National Humanities Medal
 

President Obama will award the 2013 National Medal of Arts and National Humanities Medal in a ceremony in the White House's East Room on the afternoon of Monday, July 28, 2014.