Biography
Since founding his practice in 1964 in Princeton, New Jersey, Michael Graves has been a leader in architectural design. His body of work in the U.S. alone includes the Humana Building, projects for Disney, the Denver Central Library, and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Headquarters and Hall of Champions. These buildings, along with many other significant projects all over the world such as the Headquarters for the Ministry of Health and Sport in The Hague, The Netherlands, have directly influenced the transformation of urban architecture from abstract modernism toward more contextual and traditional themes.

The architectural practice encompasses a wide variety of building types, including large-scale mixed-use projects; office buildings and corporate headquarters; university buildings of various types; civic institutions such as courthouses and municipal buildings; educational and cultural facilities such as public libraries, museums, and theaters; hotels and resorts; facilities for sports, entertainment and retail enterprises; healthcare facilities; apartment buildings; and single-family residences. Graves is also well known for his design of furniture, furnishings, and artifacts.

A native of Indianapolis, Graves received his architectural training at the University of Cincinnati and Harvard University. In 1960, he won the Rome Prize and studied at The American Academy in Rome, of which he is now a Trustee. Graves began teaching at Princeton University in 1962. After almost four decades of educating architectural students, he is now Robert Schirmer Professor of Architecture, Emeritus, having retired from the University in order to devote even more time to his design practice. His firm, Michael Graves & Associates, currently comprises 105 people.

Michael Graves is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). He has received over 160 awards for his professional achievements, including the 1999 National Medal of Arts (a Presidential award); the 2001 AIA Gold Medal, the Institute’s highest individual honor; and the 2001 $50,000 Frank Annunzio Award from the Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation.