|Established in 1848, the Royal Gold Medal
is still celebrated today. The Royal Medal online exhibition| was especially
created to coincide with the RIBA's 175th anniversary and takes you through the
history, winners and more.

Given in recognition of a lifetime's work, the Royal Gold Medal is approved personally by Her Majesty the Queen and is awarded annually to a person or group of people
whose influence on architecture has had a
truly international effect.

2012 winner

The internationally acclaimed Dutch architect Herman Hertzberger has been named as the recipient of the 2012 Royal Gold Medal|. 

RIBA President Angela Brady, who chaired the Honours Committee which selected the Royal Gold medal winner said:

'Herman Hertzberger has transformed the way we think about architecture, both as architects and people who use buildings. His architecture is about form and space which he defines as "place which has not been appropriated". Throughout his career his humanity has shone through in his schools, homes, theatres and workplaces. The RIBA is delighted to recognise the importance of his achievements and the effect his designs have on people and place.'

This year's RIBA Honours Committee was chaired by RIBA President Angela Brady with architects David Adjaye, Yvonne Farrell, Niall McLaughlin, Sarah Wigglesworth and Sir Terence Conran.

Herman Hertzberger will be presented with the Royal Gold Medal on 9 February 2012 at a ceremony at the Royal Institute of British Architects in London, during which the 2012 RIBA International and Honorary Fellowships will also be presented.

The award is for a body of work, rather than for one building or for an architect who is currently fashionable. Previous winners include Le Corbusier (1953), Frank Gehry (2000), Archigram (2002), Frei Otto (2005), Toyo Ito |(2006), Herzog and de Meuron |(2007), Edward (Ted) Cullinan| (2008), Alvaro Siza (2009), I. M. Pei| (2010) and Sir David Chipperfield (2011).