Pulitzer Prize winner Blair Kamin will receive the 2025 Gerald W. Adelmann
Conservation Leadership Award. For 28 years, Kamin used his platform as
the Chicago Tribune architecture critic to shape civic debate and advocate
for the public good through “activist criticism.” His work influenced the built
environment at every scale—from skyscrapers and museums to parks and
public housing—always with an eye toward the commons.

In his 1998 Pulitzer Prize-winning series on the Chicago lakefront, Kamin courageously contrasted its often-dismal state with its sterling reputation, envisioning a revitalized public space that would serve all citizens equally, adapt to shifting demographics, and promote a more vital democracy. Kamin has earned nearly 50 awards and honorary doctorates and has authored five books, including the recent Who Is the City For?, a critical look at how the built environment can unite or divide communities. His work embodies the spirit of the Gerald W. Adelmann Conservation Leadership Award, which honors those whose advocacy and vision help protect nature and ensure its access for all.