Mark Lamster, longtime architecture critic of The Dallas Morning News, has been awarded the 2026 Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.
Lamster won for a series of columns about downtown Dallas that sparked civic debate and revealed how past decisions have shaped the present. A focus of his criticism has been the fate of Dallas City Hall, a celebrated yet controversial work of brutalist design by architect I.M. Pei, which is threatened by demolition as city leaders consider whether to leave the building or pay for repairs that could cost tens of millions.
Lamster has defended the building, arguing the city’s penchant for not taking care of its possessions, along with a willingness to erase its history and concede to moneyed interests, has placed City Hall in jeopardy.
