Seaside Institute Holds 29th Annual Seaside Prize
The weekend of Feb. 24-26, 2023, the Seaside Institute held the 29th Annual Seaside Prize honoring UCLA’s Distinguished Research Professor of Urban Planning, Donald Shoup.
The Seaside Prize is awarded annually to a deserving individual or groups who have made significant contributions through design that have changed the way we live. Prize winners are thought innovators in concepts, quality and character of their industry and considered leaders of contemporary urban development and education, who have made their vision a reality, and ultimately our lives better.
Shoup was celebrated for his life’s work in parking policy as Seaside Founder and Developer Robert Davis presented him with the award. Shoup’s books, “Parking in the City,” and “The High Cost of Free Parking,” along with his ongoing research and ideas, have made an impact globally and inspired and challenged many to rethink parking. Parking is the single largest land use in every city and affects our quality of life more than we realize.
Prize weekend kicked off with a reception at The Court. Light bites were prepared by Black Bear Bread Co. and sponsored by The Seaside Merchants, Odd Pelican Brewery, and Distillery 98. Symposiums were held in the Lyceum, featuring a keynote by Rick Cole, Chief Deputy Controller for the City of Los Angeles, followed by Henry Grabar of slate.com, M. Nolan Gray, Research Director, California YIMBY, Stefanos Polyzoides, Architect and Partner at Moule Polyzoides, Norman Garrick, Professor Emeritus, Transportation and Urban Planning at UCONN, and William Fulton, AICP, William Fulton Group. Fulton is also a former student of Shoup.
A memorable awards ceremony at The Chapel at Seaside was followed by dinner at Bud & Alley’s Waterfront Restaurant. The weekend closed with town tours in Seaside, Rosemary Beach and Alys Beach led by founding architect Andrés Duany, Partner at DPZ Co-Design. Each speaker brought Shoup’s work full-circle.
Shoup has an expansive following known simply as “Shoupistas.” If you did not come to Seaside Prize weekend as a Shoupista, you certainly left as one. Find more about Donald Shoup’s work at shoupdogg.com and more about the Seaside Institute at seasideinstitute.org.
