Press Releases May 6, 2025

Perkins&Will and University of Michigan’s Taubman College Establish Robin Guenther Memorial Scholarship

Scholarship honors the life and legacy of Robin Guenther, a pioneer in the movement toward healthier buildings and materials

ANN ARBOR, Michigan—Perkins&Will and the University of Michigan’s Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning announce today the establishment of the Robin Guenther Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship provides multi-year, need-based financial support to graduate architecture students pursuing a Master of Architecture degree from Taubman College, Guenther’s alma mater.

Guenther, who died of cancer in May 2023, was one of the design profession’s foremost leaders in sustainable healthcare architecture. She was also an advocate for diversifying the industry through the advancement of equity and inclusion.

“Robin was passionate about supporting the next generation of design talent and sustainability leaders. One of her most adamant wishes was to create an enduring scholarship in her name,” says Perkins&Will CEO Phil Harrison. “After she passed, we collaborated with her husband Perry and Taubman College to establish this endowment fund, honoring her wish once and for all. While we miss Robin immensely, we’re comforted in knowing that the legacy she left behind continues to make a positive impact on our profession.”

First Robin Guenther Memorial Scholarship Awarded

Tamar Ayalew, a Class of 2026 architecture graduate student at Taubman College, has been named the first Robin Guenther Memorial Scholar.

Originally from Alexandria, Virginia, Ayalew earned her bachelor’s at the University of Virginia before beginning her Master of Architecture at Taubman College, where she is now completing year one of the two-year program. She is passionate about architecture as a force for social and environmental good, especially drawn to health, housing, and community design. At Taubman College, she hopes to deepen her understanding of both design and the business side of architecture, with aspirations to one day start her own practice.

“I want to express my deep gratitude to Perkins&Will for their generous support,” says Ayalew. “Because of their kindness, I can devote more time and energy to my studies at Taubman College without the worry of finances. It’s a privilege to be a scholarship recipient, and I hope to one day extend the same opportunity to future students. Their belief in my potential means the world to me, and I’m incredibly grateful.”

Taubman College alum Robin Guenther was a pioneer in the movement toward healthier buildings and materials.

Guenther’s legacy of healing, leadership, and advocacy

Guenther’s work focused on the intersection of sustainability policy and health design, directing the regenerative design strategies for numerous healthcare projects in the U.S. and abroad. Some of her notable projects include the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford—the second children’s hospital in the world to earn LEED Platinum certification—in Palo Alto, California; Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital—which was designed to continue operating during catastrophic flooding—in Charlestown, Massachusetts; and Memorial Sloan Kettering Monmouth Ambulatory Care Center—the repurposing of a 1980s office building using biophilic design—in Middletown, New Jersey.

Among her many laurels, in 2005, Guenther received the Center for Health Design’s Changemaker award for her leadership and innovation in the design of healing environments. In 2010, Healthcare Design magazine named her the “#1 Most Influential Designer in Healthcare.” In 2012, Fast Company included her as one of the “100 most creative people in business.” She appeared as a TEDMED speaker in 2014. And in 2018, she was honored with “Women in Design” awards from Healthcare Design and Contract magazines.

Guenther earned both her undergraduate and graduate degrees in architecture from the University of Michigan. After completing her studies, she moved to New York City and began her career at Norman Rosenfeld Architects. In 1991, she co-founded Guenther Petrarca, a firm specializing in healthcare and sustainability, which became Guenther 5 Architects in 2001. The firm merged with Perkins&Will in 2007, where Guenther held several leadership roles, most recently as chair of the global health practice.

“Robin believed that architecture could heal—physically, socially, and environmentally,” says Harrison. “Her impact is evident across the industry and in the values she instilled in colleagues, clients, and students.”

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About Perkins&Will

Perkins&Will, an interdisciplinary, research-based architecture and design firm, was founded in 1935 on the belief that design has the power to transform lives. The firm is committed to creating a better, beautiful, more equitable world through Living Design, an approach that integrates environmental, social, and design considerations to advance ecological health and well-being. Interior Design named Perkins&Will a “Sustainability Giant” in 2024; Architizer named it the world’s “Best Sustainable Firm” in 2023; and Metropolis named it “Firm of the Year” in 2022 for its industry leadership in advancing climate action and social justice. Fast Company named Perkins&Will one of the World’s Most Innovative Companies in Architecture three times, and in 2021, it added the firm to its list of Brands That Matter—making Perkins&Will the first architecture practice in the world to earn the distinction.

With an international team of more than 2,500 professionals, Perkins&Will has over 30 studios worldwide, providing integrated services in architecture, interior design, branded environments, urban design, and landscape architecture. Partners include Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects; McLennan Design; Portland; Nelson\Nygaard; and Pierre-Yves Rochon (PYR). Perkins&Will is part of the Sidara Collaborative, a global network of leading designers, engineers, planners, and consultants.

About Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning

Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning at the University of Michigan is dedicated to advancing the built environment through innovative design, research, and scholarship. With a commitment to sustainability, equity, and interdisciplinary collaboration, the college prepares students to become forward-thinking architects, urban planners, and design professionals. Taubman College offers a dynamic learning environment that blends rigorous academic study with hands-on experience, supported by state-of-the-art facilities and a vibrant community of designers, practitioners, and thought leaders. As one of the nation’s leading architecture programs, Taubman College is fully accredited and nationally recognized for its academic excellence and leadership in the field, and boasts a robust alumni network, 10,000+ strong, of Taubman College alumni who live and work in every U.S state and over 70 countries worldwide.