Daniel Drake Honorific Display
Challenge
When it comes to an organization’s highest honor, what is a fitting expression of recognition? The answer for UC’s College of Medicine was a cast medallion depicting the namesake of their highest recognition, the Daniel Drake medal. Since the award’s creation in 1985, there have been 88 recipients. The college was looking for a way to commemorate the distinguished faculty and alumni in a physical space on campus with future growth in mind.
Response
A high traffic thoroughfare serves as an ideal location for a display. To grant the piece some gravitas, the section of wall that holds the display is built out so that projects into the space. In the design phase, representatives of the college had requested that the display provide context for the award and feature a likeness of Dr. Daniel Drake. An existing sculpture featuring a relief of Drake proved too large to include in the display, so a sculptor was commissioned to create a representation of the medal at a more complimentary scale. Dr. Drake’s many accomplishments are featured in a narrative panel, underscoring the prestige of an award bearing his name. Biographies highlighting current awardees’ achievements substantiates their association with the preeminent doctor. A panel featuring the name of every past medal winner receives annual updates when the new recipients are announced. The prominent display enables the College of Medicine to honor recipients of the Daniel Drake Medal in a manner befitting the prestigious award.