ENR California is pleased to announce that Clark Manus, CEO of Heller Manus Architects and former president of The American Institute of Architects, will receive the Legacy Award for Northern California.

In his roles as a design principal and citizen architect, Manus’ 35-year career has influenced the character of San Francisco's built environment. He is a vocal activist for community design and advocacy issues affecting policies and planning in the Bay Area and has served as an Oakland planning commissioner.

Following the 1989 earthquake, Manus chaired successive Mayoral Citizen Advisory Committees over two decades, emerging as a leader who helped orchestrate the Embarcadero Design Assessment Team. The group resulted in the removal of the damaged Embarcadero Freeway in 1992, thereby enabling the reclamation and the continued transformation of the Central Embarcadero. This also set the stage for the visionary Transbay area plan that enabled the rebirth of the downtown Rincon Hill neighborhood and the adjacent Transbay residential and transit district. 

Manus’ experience encompasses a wide range of new and reconstruction projects including residential, commercial, civic, rehabilitation/adaptive re-use, performance facilities, academic and urban design plans in the San Francisco Bay Area and China. Manus is recognized for his expertise in complex urban, mixed-use buildings and master planning projects, especially in difficult approval environments. 

As the AIA's 87th president, Manus led initiatives on healthy, sustainable and resilient communities, including disaster planning and energy efficiency. He also led the inaugural AIA foreign trade missions to India with the U.S. Dept. of Commerce. 

The Legacy Awards are given annually by ENR regional editors to an individual who has achieved a lifetime legacy of service in design and construction, and who has given above and beyond to his or her profession and communities. Manus will receive his award as part of an ENR California breakfast event on Oct. 9 that will also acknowledge this year’s regional Best Projects Awards. The event will be held at 8 a.m. at the Julia Morgan Ballroom in San Francisco.