Steinbrueck-Thonn Award for Pike Place Market Research

The Friends of the Market has initiated the Steinbrueck-Thonn Award for Pike Place Market Research, an academic research award available to university and college students or recent graduates.

The Steinbrueck-Thonn Award is intended to encourage a broad range of cross-disciplinary and community-engaged scholarship related to the Pike Place Market; research that will serve as a catalyst for greater understanding and appreciation for this treasured public resource. The Friends will consider funding for worthy projects under a pilot program that was initiated in Spring 2022.


Please click here for the current Call for Applications – Fall 2022


  • The Fall 2022 program utilizes a straightforward and simple application format and submittal process.
  • The deadline for all submissions is January 15, 2023 (11:59pm Pacific).
  • The Friends look forward to sharing the products of the 2023 awardee via various public formats and/or programs in late 2023 and 2024.

The Steinbrueck-Thonn Award is named in honor of two individuals who played instrumental roles in the preservation of the Pike Place Market:

victor-steinbrueck-friends-of-the-pike-place-market

Victor Steinbrueck (1911-1985) was a Seattle architect and University of Washington professor and author of Market Sketchbook (1968). Victor co-founded Friends of the Market (FOM) in 1964 and then led the preservation efforts, which culminated in the “Let’s Keep the Market” public initiative campaign in 1971 that saved the Pike Place Market.

He then served on the Pike Place Market Historical Commission (PPMHC) and helped to develop the design and use guidelines that continue to be used by the PPMHC to preserve the Market.