Abbott Lowell Cummings Prize

The Abbott Lowell Cummings Prize, named after the founding president of the VAF, is awarded annually to the publication that has made the most significant contribution to the study of vernacular architecture and cultural landscapes of North America. In judging the nominated books, the jurors look for a publication that is

• based on primary research,
• emphasizes fieldwork,
• breaks new ground in interpretation or methodology, and
• contributes generally to the intellectual vitality of vernacular studies in North America.

Entries may come from any discipline concerned with vernacular architecture studies. Books published in the two years prior to the conference year are eligible for consideration. Edited collections are not eligible.

Nominations

There is no application form, but a cover letter should include a complete mailing address, phone number and email address in order to notify the candidate should the nominated work receive the award. Books should be sent directly to each of the committee members for the Cummings Prize, listed below.

The deadline for nominations for the 2012 prize will be announced shortly.

2011 Prize Winner

Susan Kern. The Jeffersons at Shadwell. Yale University Press, 2010.
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All Cummings Prize Winners

The Abbott Lowell Cummings Prize was first awarded in 1983.
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