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IASS Torroja Medalists

The Eduardo Torroja MedalThe Torroja Medal was established by the Executive Council of 1971 to promote the aims and objectives of the Association to the world body of engineers and architects. The engraved medal represents the highest individual recognition given by the Association to members or nonmembers of the Association in recognition of outstanding and distinguished contributions to design, construction or research of shell and/or spatial structures. It is conferred upon those who embody the ideals and accomplishments of Eduardo Torroja.

The Torroja Medal is named in honor of the Founding President of the IASS, Professor Eduardo Torroja (Spain, 1899-1961), one of the world's great structural engineers.  Each of his works, from a humble chapel hidden in the mountains to the well-known and masterpiece structures of the Algeciras Market and the Madrid Racecourse Tribune, shows a lesson of originality and simplicity based on the knowledge of the way structures work and the possibilities of the "new materials" of his era, such as reinforced and prestressed concrete. Torroja was also a humanist, a great teacher, a manager of several companies and testing laboratories, and a pioneering researcher.

The Torroja Medalists are listed here in the order of the year of conferral. Select the name for more information about the person.
1974
Arend M. HaasArend M. Haas
(1898-1983)
The Netherlands
1975
Carmen Cabanillas  Prósper
wife of Eduardo Torroja
Spain
1976
Yoshikatsu TsuboiYoshikatsu Tsuboi
(1907-1990) Japan
1979
Florencio del Pozo Frutos
(1924-1993) Spain
1984
Andre PaduartAndre Paduart
(1914-1985) Belgium
1988
Rafael López PalancoRafael López Palanco
(1933- ) Spain
1990
Herman Rühle
(1924-1993) Germany
1991
Stefan J. MedwadowskiStefan J. Medwadowski
(1924- ) USA
1994
Alexander C. Scordelis
(1923-2007) USA
1996
Heinz Isler
(1926-2009) Switzerland
1999
Gian Carlo Giuliani
(1935- ) Italy
2001
Mamoru Kawaguchi
(1932-2019) Japan
2004
Jörg Schlaich
(1934-2021) Germany
2009
Ihsan Mungan
(1936-2012) Turkey
Ekkehard Ramm
(1940- ) Germany
Masao Saitoh
(1938- ) Japan
Ture Wester (posthumously)
(1941-2008) Denmark
2010
Massimo Majowiecki
(1945- ) Italy
2012
Horst Berger
(1928-2019) USA
R. Sundaram
(1935- ) India
2013
Frei Otto
(1925-2015) Germany
John F. AbelJohn F. Abel
(1940- ) USA
2014
Julius Natterer
(1938-2021) Switzerland
2016
Jack V. Christiansen
(1927-2017) USA
René MotroRené Motro
(1946- )
France
2018
Hoshyar NooshinHoshyar Nooshin
(1934-2024) Iran / United Kingdom
2019
William F. BakerWilliam F. Baker
(1953- )
USA
Manfred GrohmannManfred Grohmann
(1953- ) Germany
2021
Chris WilliamsChris J. K. Williams
(1951- ) United Kingdom


2022
Sergio Pellegrino
(1959- ) USA
2023
Mutsuro Sasaki
(1946- ) Japan


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