Architecture Update: Palladian president

THE American Institute of Architects has awarded its annual Gold Medal to Thomas Jefferson, third president of the United States, who died 250 years ago. The institute's justification is that Jefferson not only laid down the foundations of modern democracy, but also 'the theoretical foundations for American architectural thought'.

Jefferson introduced the principles of Palladian architecture after his European tours. The institute's nomination says that 'his plans and buildings for the idealistic academical village' in Charlottesville, Virginia, were the 'crowning point in his career (and) proof of his greatness as an architect'.