The Seaside Institute has announced its 2025 Seaside Prize recipients, honoring two trailblazers who have reshaped how we think about suburban spaces: Ellen Dunham-Jones and June Williamson. The annual prize recognizes exceptional contributions to architecture, urban planning, and community development, and this year’s celebration promises to shine a light on their remarkable work.

The festivities will take place from February 6 to February 9, 2025, culminating in an awards ceremony on February 8 at The Chapel at Seaside, hosted by Seaside founder Robert Davis. Learn more here.

The weekend will feature engaging events and symposia, providing an opportunity to reflect on the honorees’ groundbreaking achievements.

Revolutionizing Suburbia

Dunham-Jones and Williamson are best known as the co-authors of the Retrofitting Suburbia book series, which has become a cornerstone in urban design literature. Over the past two decades, they have championed the transformation of underused suburban spaces—like abandoned malls and office parks—into vibrant, resilient, and community-focused areas. Their books, Retrofitting Suburbia: Urban Design Solutions for Redesigning Suburbs (2008, updated 2011) and Case Studies in Retrofitting Suburbia: Urban Design Strategies for Urgent Challenges (2021), have earned prestigious accolades, including the PROSE Award for best architecture and planning book and a Great Places Book Award from the Environmental Design Research Association.

Their innovative work has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, NPR, PBS, and even TED, where they have shared their vision of how suburban spaces can be reimagined to address urgent challenges like climate change, equity, and public health.

Meet the Honorees

Ellen Dunham-Jones is a professor and director of the MS in Urban Design program at Georgia Tech. A prolific author and educator, she also hosts the podcast Redesigning Cities and maintains a database tracking over 2,500 suburban retrofit projects. Recognized as one of the 100 most influential urbanists by Planetizen, she has received numerous honors, including Architectural Record’s Woman Educator of the Year award.

June Williamson, a professor at The City College of New York, has an extensive career as an architect, urban designer, and academic. Her book Designing Suburban Futures showcases innovative urban design competitions that reimagine suburban areas. Williamson has taught and practiced across the U.S., making significant contributions to architecture and urban design education.

A Legacy of Impact

Together, Dunham-Jones and Williamson have inspired a generation of architects, planners, and community leaders to tackle the challenges facing aging suburban landscapes. Their work advocates for reducing automobile dependence, increasing energy and water resilience, fostering equity, and creating healthier, more sustainable communities.

The 2025 Seaside Prize is a fitting tribute to their efforts to transform suburbs into spaces that serve people and the planet better.

Join the Celebration

The Seaside Prize ceremony is more than an awards event; it’s a celebration of the innovation and passion driving the future of urban design. Set against the backdrop of Seaside, Florida, the weekend will bring together thought leaders, visionaries, and community members to honor these remarkable individuals.

For more information about the Seaside Institute and the upcoming events, visit Seaside Institute’s website.