It is an award for those who believe that social equity, economic opportunity and environmental stewardship can be embraced to sustain all America's communities. For those of us who have been fortunate to participate, it is the equivalent of an advanced degree in finance, community, and economic development. A merican cities embody our nation's greatest triumphs and most daunting challenges. At their best they showcase the rich diversity, cultural achievement, and democratic values that characterize the American spirit. Yet there are those places that are developed with such vision and imagination that they transform urban problems into creative solutions.
Excellence exists in every city.
It can be found in downtowns, neighborhoods, and parks. The Rudy Bruner Award is a search for examples of this often overlooked excellence, and a celebration of their contribution to the richness and diversity of the urban experience. Often these places transcend the boundaries between architecture, urban design, and planning. The Rudy Bruner Award considers form only one aspect of urban excellence. An excellent urban place involves the interplay of process, place and values.