Learning from the AIA convention The title of this year’s AIA National Convention was Building Leaders, so it was no surprise to see so much activity surrounding humanitarian and public interest designers. Amid a call from former President Clinton for a new form of leadership, the AIA answered with its own actionable response. By Garrett Jacobs The annual event, hosted this year in Denver, featured the usual industry and professional concerns, while highlighted exceptional leaders from around the profession, including emerging designers, female designers (though not enough) and trans-disciplinary leaders. The AIA also accepted a broader variety of proposals this year, providing a venue for those in pro-bono design to discuss their experiences.
To paraphrase John Peterson, the founder of Public Architecture, it felt great to be at the the first AIA convention with so much talk about public interest design. This energy ranged from the publication of the 2011 Latrobe Prize results, which documented the interest and understanding of pro-bono services in the field, to an energetic keynote speech given by AFH co-founder Cameron Sinclair.
Remarkably two of the three keynote speakers While we definitely felt the progressive energy at the convention were working with humanin our small corner of the room, it remains to itarian business models. On Thursday mornbe seen how the AIA will continue to acknowling Blake Mycoskie, the founder of TOMS, edge the fact that 41% of architecture graddiscussed their buy-a-pair, give-a-pair conuates are womcept. Though en but make up The sheer enormity of the conference, housed in a tradi- based on the only 20% of li- tional convention factory setting, proved taxing day-to- simple idea of censed profes- day, but it was exciting to see multiple panels, discussions, giving as you sionals, or adreceive, Myand keynotes devoted to our emerging perspective. dress the lack coskie’s comof young and pany has been emerging leadership amongst the national wildly successful and he presented its model committee. Whatever the case, these issues in an accessible manner to a new scale of aubuzzed around the crowds after talks and afdience. ter hours in bars. In a typical passionate fasion, Cameron addressed an audience of a few thousand peoThe sheer enormity of the conference, housed ple on Architecture for Humanity’s activity in a traditional convention factory setting, over the past 15 years. With a quirky energy proved taxing day-to-day, but it was exciting and packed slides, Cameron was able to conto see multiple panels, discussions, and keyvey the vast breadth of AFH accomplishments notes devoted to our emerging perspective. through our meaningful partnerships around
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