PBSC architecture professor receives Palm Beach Educator of the Year Award

Palm Beach State College architecture professor Ayhan Lambaz has been selected as the 2024 Educator of the Year by the Palm Beach County Chapter of the American Institute of Architects.

The award recognizes an educator in Palm Beach County whose outstanding performance has made a significant contribution to the advancement of architectural education.

Lambaz was recognized Sept. 25 at the AIA Palm Beach Design & Honor Awards Banquet at The Breakers Palm Beach.

“Ayhan has been committed to building the pipeline of future architects," said Becky Magdaleno, CEO of AIA Florida.  "He annually brings students to Tallahassee to visit the capitol and lawmakers to participate in AIA Florida’s Legislative Day. The students learn about how the legislature makes decisions about their chosen profession. We appreciate all he does to educate the future of our profession."

Also recognized at the banquet was PBSC alumna and Florida Atlantic University student Nathalia Mendez Bravo, who was one of two to receive the AIA Palm Beach Foundation for Architecture President’s Award.

Lambaz is an associate AIA, LEED AP and innovative educator with a focus on ecology and technology. He joined Palm Beach State is an adjunct professor in 2023, bringing with him a multi-disciplinary background and years of local knowledge with Palm Beach County schools in the architecture and engineering field.

Prior to teaching architecture at the high school level, Lambaz worked with Peacock and Lewis Architects as an associate assisting in large scale projects such as the Arden community and North Palm Beach Country Club.

 Lambaz holds a master's degree in architecture from Florida International University, and he serves on the Norton Museum Teacher Advisory Board. Last year, he was voted the Teacher of the Year with the Palm Beach County School District.

“This award means that the process of bridging the gap between academia and the profession is going to be ‘Faster, Stronger and Higher.’ It means that the process and vision of giving back to our community just began. It means that we will help our students reach their maximum potential,” said Lambaz.

This is the second time a PBSC professor has received this award. In 2014, it was awarded to PBSC professor Dharmesh Patel.

This award serves as a testament to the level of teaching students receive in PBSC’s Architecture Design and Construction Technology Associate in Science degree program.

Students in the program gain the technical knowledge and skills in drafting, design and construction technology needed to design and build in the next generation of healthy, energy efficient houses and buildings based on sustainable design strategies, applied building science principles, and mainstream green building practices. The program is also designed for employees in these fields who seek further education and career advancement.

For more information on PBSC's program, click here. For more information on the American Institute of Architects, visit www.aia.org.