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alumnus Thom Powell G’90 has been elevated to the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects (AIA).  He has received this prestigious honor in recognition of his notable contributions to the advancement of the profession of architecture.

Powell is among 78 member-architects and 11 honorary international members  recently elevated. will be honored at the AIA College of Fellows Investiture on June 11 in San Diego.

Election to the AIA’s College of Fellows is one of the highest individual honors the institute bestows on members. Out of a total AIA membership of more than 100,000, only 3% carry this distinction.

The elevation to fellowship is conferred on architects with at least 10 years of AIA architect membership and demonstrated influence in at least one of the following areas: promoted the aesthetic, scientific and practical efficiency of the profession; advanced the science and art of planning and building by advancing the standards of practice; coordinated the building industry and the profession of architecture; ensured the advancement of the living standards of people through their improved environment; made the profession of ever-increasing service to society; advanced the science and art of planning and building by advancing the standards of architectural education and training. Fellows were selected by a nine-member Jury of Fellows.

A Leader in Sustainable Design

Powell is a partner at , a Texas‑based design firm serving municipal and institutional clients statewide. A recognized leader in sustainable design, Powell integrates technical expertise with innovation to advance environmentally responsible practice across Texas.

Powell’s commitment to durability and environmental stewardship was shaped early in his career during ������’s study abroad program, where he interned with an architectural office in Florence, Italy, contributing to the restoration of 500‑year‑old structures near the Pitti Palace. The experience established principles of longevity, craft and responsible design that continue to inform his work.

Throughout his career, Powell has collaborated on high-profile and landmark projects. His work includes the transformation of Arnold Schwarzenneger’s first gym into a private residence and the offices of the then-Los Angeles Raiders’ team physicians in Beverly Hills. In the Dallas Arts District, he partnered with Allied Works on the Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, Foster + Partners on Artist Square and the AT&T Performing Arts Center Information Center and Morphosis on the Perot Museum of Nature and Science.

After completing his M.Arch II in 1990, Powell founded Gang of Four Design in Los Angeles. He later relocated to Dallas, leading the development of Santa Monica Place along the Santa Fe Trail and designing his residence in the historic Hollywood Heights neighborhood. In 2004, Powell joined GFF Architects as the firm’s first director of sustainable design, establishing its environmental leadership platform. In 2020, he co‑founded BVG4 Architecture as design partner, continuing his commitment to advancing institutional and municipal design through innovation, collaboration and sustainable excellence.

Powell has played a significant leadership role with the AIA and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). He served on the AIA Dallas Board of Directors from 2009-21, contributing to major initiatives including the founding of the Dallas Center for architecture in 2015. Earlier, as chair of the AIA Dallas Committee on the Environment (2008), he launched a sustainability resource website that reached nearly 2,000 visitors across 84 countries and earned him recognition as AIA Dallas Young Architect of the Year. He also chaired the North Texas Sustainable Showcase (2008–12), expanding regional awareness of high-performance design.

Powell served on the USGBC North Texas (2009-15) and the USGBC Texas Chapter (2016-23). As chair of USGBC North Texas in 2014, he led the merger of four regional chapters into a unified USGBC Texas Chapter. He later served as statewide vice chair (2018-19) and chair (2020-21), guiding strategic growth and advancing sustainable design initiatives across Texas.

In 2024, Powell was named a LEED Fellow by Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI)—the program’s highest distinction—an honor awarded to only 437 professionals globally since 2011. The recognition reflects his sustained leadership, expertise and impact in advancing green building practices.

Purpose Shaped by Pan Am 103 Tragedy

For Powell, election to the AIA College of Fellows carries deep personal meaning. He has long felt, as he describes it, “a deep responsibility to make a meaningful contribution to the profession”—a sense of purpose shaped profoundly by a formative moment early in his life. After studying in Italy, he flew home on Pan Am Flight 103 just one day after the tragedy over Lockerbie on Dec. 21, 1988, having delayed his return to celebrate a friend’s birthday. The narrowness of that circumstance stayed with him, particularly as he realized he was the same age as his grandfather—his namesake—when he died in a tractor accident. Those experiences impressed upon him how fragile and precious time can be. Reaching this milestone, Powell reflects, is a way to honor those who influenced his path and are no longer here.