#1 - 2022 AIA Ohio Early Professional's Annual Journal

#1 - 2022 EARLY PROFESSIONAL’S ANNUAL JOURNAL

CONTENTS

Hello Events Discussions Initiatives Acknowledgments

HELLO

It’s nice to meet you.

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR(S):

As AIA Ohio Early Professional Directors (formerly Associate Directors) and de facto editors of the Annual Journal, we are proud to share the work and insights of our peers. AIA Ohio defines an Early Professional (EP) as someone who is part of the architectural staff and fills one of the following roles: architectural students, recent graduates, unlicensed emerging professionals within 10 years of graduation, or architects licensed within the last 10 years.

We have learned that this next generation of architects are a force to be reckoned with! They are an energetic and inclusive voice, deeply concerned with their everyday work as architects (or, “almostarchitects”) as much as they are with the civic and global conditions of our lives. The inaugural edition of this journal summarizes their voices and names, meeting two strategic plan goals for the year:

1. Enhance Member Engagement

We sought to create a platform for speaking, writing, sharing, etc. At the state-level, one of the smartest things we can do is facilitate communication and provide amplification to parties outside and within the collective organization. We are deliberate about representation and inclusion - again, looking for bodies and voices overlooked and unseen that we can meaningfully engage.

2. Elevate the Profession

We intend to challenge the profession by setting higher expectations for how to educate and operate. New initiatives such as the Early Professional Friendly Firm Program acknowledge our industry leaders and yield critical insights into how firms should be investing in their employees. Our community of architects and related professionals will all benefit by raising the bar.

Unsurprisingly, we have future schemes underway for the coming year, building on our previous work. We will continue to speak up and out together, and we hope you will join us next year.

Here’s to a new year!

AIA Ohio Early Professional Directors

Gwendolyn Frank, Senior

Alexandra Oetzel, Junior

EVENTS

Join us next time.

Across the state, our components have been organizing entertaining and informative programming. Here we share only a portion to illustrate where early professionals are going, what sparks their interests, and catches their eye. We hope that this list might serve components (among many others) as a source for inspiration.

Local Components:

AIA Akron

AIA Cincinnati

AIA Cleveland

AIA Columbus

AIA Dayton

AIA Ohio

AIA Toledo

AIA Youngstown

AIA Akron Sledding and Hot Cocoa

January, Akron, Ohio

The Emerging Professionals committee brought hot cocoa and donuts to a snowy hill at one of the Summit Metroparks and AIA members brought their family out to enjoy the winter. We even started a bonfire to keep warm.

AIA Cleveland Liquid Labs Virtual Happy Hour

Jan. 11th, Virtual

This virtual event was to kick off the year with some fun comradery in the Covid environment. A mixologist shared how to make some fun cocktails while guests followed along and enjoyed good drinks and laughs together.

Guides for Equitable Practice and Beyond Series

February-April, Virtual

The Guides for Equitable Practice were explored in depth in this three part collaborative series between AIA Cincinnati, AIA Cleveland, AIA Columbus, and AIA New York. We were also introduced to Kavitha Mathew, AIA, NOMA, LEED AP, the founder of Equity Co:LAB which assists architects and firms develop equitable, diverse, and inclusive practices.

AIA Cleveland Coffee with Fellows

V03S01 - Douglas L Steidl, FAIA and Hallie Crouch, Assoc. AIA

Feb. 3rd, Virtual Doug and Hallie shared perspectives on what leadership is (and isn’t), what’s at

the heart of a practice, the rewards of AIA engagement, and alternative careers.

AIA Akron + AIAS Kent Conjecture After the

Lecture March 2nd, Kent, Ohio

AIAS Kent partnered with AIA Akron to host a discussion between students, faculty, and professionals after the Marcelo Spina/Georgina Hulijich lecture at Kent State’s College of Architecture and Environmental Design. AIA Akron provided light snacks and everyone stuck around for a few hours discussing everything from the lecture, to practicing architecture, to balancing student and professional responsibilities.

AIA Columbus Sketching Happy Hour

March 10th, Columbus, Ohio

The Emerging Professionals Committee developed an informal gathering to socialize and sketch. Photos of iconic Columbus architecture were provided as source material.

AIA Columbus Stories of Architects

March 31st, Columbus, Ohio

This month’s installment of the storytelling series was led by Laurie Gunzelman, AIA, and organized by the Diversity by Design committee. Laurie spoke about her work as sole practitioner and her service on the Board of Directors in a highly personable and insightful manner.

AIA Cleveland ARE Demystification – A Panel Discussion

April 5th, Cleveland, Ohio

This annual event brought together a panel of recent ARE candidates to assist those working towards licensure. The panel shared tips on how to get started, suggestions on strategy and study materials, and any other words of wisdom on the arduous task.

AIA Cleveland Coffee with Fellows

V03S02 - Roberto de Leon, FAIA & Jonathan Bonezzi, Assoc. AIA

April 7th, Virtual Roberto and Jonathan shared in a conversation about the importance of trust in the design process, contextual sensitivity, and navigating between analog and digital.

AIA Akron + AIAS Kent Annual Napkin Sketch Competition

April 12th, Kent, Ohio

AIAS Kent hosted the annual AIA Akron Napkin Sketch Competition. Students and professionals walked around campus, doing quick sketches on napkins of various elements in Kent. At the end of the walk, everyone met back in the CAED and did a final napkin sketch, where the winners received small prizes.

AIA Cleveland Yves Klein’s Blue, Le Corbusier’s White, and Eileen’s Gray: Through the Eyes of a Color Chemist May 4th, Cleveland, Ohio

This unique lecture was with Dr. Katrin Trautwein, Ph.D. in chemistry, to share her

journey through reconstructing the color palettes of the great architects and the art of paint making. Attendees were intrigued with this fresh outlook on color that went way beyond typical color theory lecture.

CRAN Awards

May 12th, Cincinnati, Ohio

The AIA Cincinnati CRANawards is a juried awards program held annually by our Custom Residential Architects Network (CRAN) to celebrate and recognize outstanding projects by residential architects working in Cincinnati. Established in 2009, the AIA Cincinnati CRANawards is one of the only residential architecture award programs organized by a local AIA chapter.

AIA Cleveland Design Cruise Line

June 3rd, Cleveland, Ohio

An annual tradition for AIA Cleveland to hop aboard the Goodtime III for a scenic Lake Erie and Cuyahoga River cruise. The community was able to share in some summertime fun and enjoy their city from the water.

AIA Cleveland Coffee with Fellows

V03S03 - Bruce Sekanick, FAIA, and Gwendolyn Frank, AIA June 8th, Virtual Bruce and Gwendolyn shared about their dedication to AIA, observations about the evolving profession of architecture, and stories about their own journeys in the professional and design world.

AIA National A’22 Conference on Architecture

June 22nd-25th, Chicago, Illinois

A number of local professionals attended this conference to make new connections, learn about the newest strategies and technologies in architecture, celebrate individuals and projects of great prominence, and tour the great city of Chicago!

AIA Columbus Design Lecture: Good Fences Make Good Neighbors Forum

June 28th, Columbus, Ohio

This lecture by Annie Chu, FAIA NCIDQ WELL AP explored the relationships between the architecture and interior disciplines, and our ability to ally together to create a healthier, more equitable industry overall.

AIA Cleveland Hard Hat Tour: MetroHealth Transformation, Glick Center & APEX

June 29th, Cleveland, Ohio

As the first part of MetroHealth’s campus master plan was wrapping up, attendees received an in-depth look at the progress of the new Glick Center bed tower and early construction of the next phase, APEX, a new 315,000 SF medical office building.

Women in Architecture - ARCO Tour & Happy Hour

June 29th, Cincinnati, Ohio

The Women in Architecture Committee hosted a tour of the recently completed ARCO building and happy hour following.

ARCO is local Cincinnati neighborhood Price Hill’s recently renovated Arts and Community space, located in a former masonic lodge.

Daniel Burnham’s Mall Symposium

July 3rd, Cleveland, Ohio

A lecture as part of the Cleveland History Days was presented on the history and redevelopment of Cleveland’s Mall. The public space was originally designed by Daniel Burnham and in 2013 the redevelopment brought it closer to his original plans.

AIA Cleveland CIA Hand Drawing Instructional + University Circle Sketch Crawl

July 7th, Cleveland, Ohio

A hands-on course with Assoc. Professor Michael A. Gollini at The Cleveland Art Institute provided instruction on the art of perspective architectural drawing. This was followed by an opportunity for participants to practice while on site in University Circle.

AIA Ohio Technology Summit

July 28th-29th, Dayton, Ohio

This summit kicked off a series of statewide programming, experimenting with both format and content delivery. Keynote speakers from Lake | Flato and Kennedy & Violich Architecture (KVA) demonstrated how design and technology are closely interwoven, and attendees roamed Sinclair Community College’s campus to learn about drones, virtual reality, and more.

AIA Akron Design Awards Tour Series: Old Trail School Outdoor Classroom Tour

August 4th, Akron, Ohio

We have been touring the local projects that have won awards for our design awards. This space is at a school in Cuyahoga Valley National Park. An eight year old student of the school gave a candid review of the facility, along with the school’s principal and the designer on the project.

AIA Cleveland Sandfest

August 6th, Cleveland, Ohio

The local design community got together for a beach day at Edgewater Beach in Cleveland, complete with a volleyball tournament and massive sandcastle building competition. All the proceeds went towards supporting the ACE Mentor Program.

AIA Cleveland Coffee with Fellows V03S04 - Yanitza Brongers-Marrero, FAIA, NOMA and Jill Christoff, NCIDQ, IIDA, Assoc. AIA. August 25th, Virtual Yanitza and Jill shared in a conversation about world influences on their work, the relationship between interior design and architecture, and housing as a projecttype prime for community advocacy.

AIA Ohio Design Symposium and Awards

September 16th, Cleveland, Ohio

Three tour tracks shared different aspects of Cleveland design including

a performing arts track, mixed use track, and a historic track. Attendees got a unique experience to see some exciting buildings in different phases, from construction through century old buildings.

Early Professional Social September 27th, Cincinnati, Ohio

The Early Professional Committee hosted a social event at Braxton Breweries’s Cincinnati Taproom. Early professionals and AIA Cincinnati board members connected over appetizers and refreshments.

AIA Cincinnati WiA: Finding Your Voice in a Man’s World

October 19th, Cincinnati, Ohio

This program sought to empower women to overcome representation challenges in a male dominated industry. Notably, almost half of the students in American architectural programs are women, only 17% of registered architects are women.

Architecture Matters: What Makes a Great Place

October 26th, Cincinnati, Ohio

Soapbox Cincinnati & AIA Cincinnati combine forces to host a panel discussion with Phil Beck, Kurt Platte, and John Blake, moderated by Angela Mazzi. We reviewed current and new projects in the community, and discussed how our work can serve the generations of residents and visitors who will be living, working, and playing here in the future.

AIA Cleveland Understanding Leading Skills through the Lens of Competence vs. Confidence

November 2nd, Cleveland, Ohio

This brought together experienced professionals and early professionals as part of the mentoring initiative to reflect on a TEDx talk on leadership and had a discussion where everyone contributed on what it means to be competent and have confidence in a healthy way.

AIA Ohio Member Recognition Event

November 3rd, Columbus, Ohio

This wonderful evening celebrating our award recipients was hosted at the glassenclosed rooftop Revery venue in the heart of downtown Columbus. This event was a nice way to bring together those across the state to one location and enjoy the fellowship to cap off the year.

Cincinnati Design Awards (CDA)

November 4th, Cincinnati, Ohio

This awards program is supported by a number of professional organizations including local chapters of SEGD, IIDA, ASID, APA, ASLA, and AIA in an effort to acknowledge and uplift all of those who contribute to the built environment. This year’s program included two student projects from the University of Cincinnati - a new and thoughtful addition.

AIA Toledo Downtown Firm Crawl

November 4th, Toledo, Ohio

Emerging Professionals Group hosted BGSU and fellow EP’s in touring three downtown architecture offices (The

Collaborative, Toledo Design Collective, & Thomas Porter Architects) as well as the workshop of Graphite Design Build.

AIA Cleveland Design Awards ‘22

November 18th, Cleveland, Ohio

A celebration of over 350 gathered to reconnect and recognize the design excellence in Cleveland and northeast Ohio. This year the jury chair was Wendell Burnette and was held at Tenk West Bank, an 1880s machine and tool factory converted party space.

DISCUSSIONS

Share your experiences.

This year we introduced a series of questions to spur discussion, gossip, debate, and so on. We wanted to hear the voices of our early professional community in a concentrated effort to serve appropriately at state and national levels. This was our shut-up-and-listen moment, and we are encouraged by the responses. As we develop questions for the new year, we hope to return to these starting four, weaving threads across our tenure on the board and across generations of new architects.

Q1: How do we make change?

Q2: How do we conduct ourselves?

Q3: How do we manage work and labor?

Q4: How do we establish expertise?

How do we make change?

As the first in our quarterly discussions, “How do we make change?” had a unique position as a question and call to action. Our conversation revolved around education, perspective, and community. These larger themes produced further questions (as they should), as well as a bonus fourth item: a request for tangibility. More than once we felt that some change (for there are many types) is seemingly immeasurable and futile. In our efforts to confront these sorts of changes, we found solace in each other.

an active participant in your relationship with architecture”

-Vitruvious Grind, Welcome to the Grind

i. Education

The impetus to create change is sometimes a result of education or experience wherein we gain some form of knowledge. How to make a change (related but distinct from acknowledging that change must be made) is critical. How does the architect’s unique skill and experience, a body of collective knowledge, inform how we make change? We should pay close attention to how communicating and sharing our architectural knowledge facilitates change.

ii. Perspective

We must change how we look at things, and we are able to use a variety of means and methods to do so. We recommend collaborating inside and outside our profession. We recommend starting young and working across generations to build momentum, a force to be reckoned with. This sort of change in perspective brings further value to the colloquial table, but requires substantial time and energy.

“be

iii. Community

There needs to be more change holistically in AIA (some version of this phrase has been uttered by every one of us), and one way to achieve this is to work, play, and chitchat our way into each other’s lives. As early professionals’ we are beginning our adult lives, defining who we are, starting families, taking licensure tests, entering a career, etc. We are finding ways to build community as the educational structures and forced proximities of the classroom leave us, replaced by unfamiliar spaces and peoples. Blessed with the energy of youth, we are able to create and seek connected, collaborative work within our communities.

iv. Tangibility

There is a need for a tangible outcome which demonstrates that our change is meaningful and effective. In architecture, we often see the building, the model, the drawings, the project manual, etc. as this tangible thing. Coincidentally, we are here for a short time and many of these tangible outcomes take years to construct. We will not “solve climate change” in our quarterly sessions, but we are able to implement programs that are relatively quick to organize and manage (Early Professional Friendly Firm Program).

How do we conduct ourselves?

Our second discussion and corresponding question is rarely asked of early professionals. Unfortunately, we are assumed to implicitly know how to conduct ourselves and our work. It is to no surprise that miscommunication, frustration, and violence arise when our presumptions clash. In the light of recent and continued misconduct within our practices, we explored the intertwined characteristics of health and collectivity from unionization efforts to quarantine.

-MOS Office Policy

i. Collectively and Engagement

As architects, workers, and people, we need to care for and serve each other. This is not a unique call to action for our discipline, and it is notably difficult to achieve in groups without a shared culture, mission, history, etc. We discussed how community is a necessary ingredient to create change, and specific change is very much required in the architecture discipline regarding how we individually and collectively behave.

We would like to acknowledge examples of poor conduct where the discipline has failed to support workers and failed to uphold some notion of care. Firms, practices, corporations that prop a sole architect (star architect) up to achieve celebrity are deliberately obscuring the collective force that designs, draws, constructs the architectural work. Offices that cannot manage their finances in a way that

“Employees are expected to be mindful of others, clean up after themselves, and flush the toilet after each use.”

appropriately remunerates workers for their labor, resulting in an underpaid and overworked discipline. The false glories of long hours, late nights, poor hygiene, and lean diets are just that, and we will not celebrate or encourage the exploitation of individual health and wellness.

This same sort of front applies to how architects and the profession are seen by the public. We assume architects have the respect and awe of the people at a surface level; however, when digging a bit deeper, there is a lack of comprehensive understanding. What is the architect even doing anyway? We can combat this mystery and consider the future of our profession through two methods (at least):

1. Engage with K-12 through educational and fun programming, and,

2. Communicate and share our mission and activities with the broader public.

ii. Health and Practice

Without a doubt in our minds, the COVID-19 pandemic has done more to disrupt conduct and policy in our adult lives than ever before. We spent most of our discussion time reviewing and comparing these experiences. From lamenting lost years in academic studios, joining a new office while totally isolated, and to increased flexibility at work which blurred boundaries between “in-office” and “outof-office”. At moments, we felt that COVID-19 had the ability to level the playing field. For people with childcare responsibilities, disabilities, etc., working from home and participating in flexible working hours could be a boon. A crying baby, a cat butt, and significant others bringing lunch became regular fixtures in our virtual backgrounds.

Part of the realization we had also has to do with generational divides. The pandemic brought with it rapid changes to the earliest part of an architect’s journey in school and work. In a virtual world, the pressures to spend exorbitant time on studio decreased while isolation adversely impacted motivation. Meanwhile, experienced professionals with long held expectations about how to work in an office had to adapt to new settings and habits. Generally, early professionals and recent graduates were able to adjust, unburdened by decades of habit and expectation. Nonetheless, any clarity regarding how to conduct oneself, whether at home or the workplace, was lost.

How do we manage work and labor?

We started this conversation with the definitions of top down and bottom up – two distinct, occasionally oppositional methods of organizing. As a cohort of early professionals, we are arguably organizing in a bottom-up fashion – we have limited experience, capital, and power in our professional environments. As AIA leadership, we are operating as a top-down organization, representing our peers to the best our efforts. As a result, many opinions voiced in this review may not be applicable and/or complete.

i. Before Graduation

How we manage work and labor is often rooted in educational content and methods. By comparing experiences across Ohio architectural programs, we found that emphasis is placed on marketable skills, like learning a specific software that directly translates to profit in todays’ labor economy. However, some schools teach loose, transferable skills, suggesting they prefer to not master any one program but bits and pieces of several. We did not claim one strategy to be better than the other, sensing that education after graduation to be more critical in the making of a wellrounded architect.

That said, however, we felt that firms tend to limit interning students’ growth, making them complete one or two tasks over the course of the summer within their existing skill set (modeling, rendering, etc.). An intern might become unengaged and unchallenged so that a firm might meet their deadlines or balance the checkbooks. It’s appreciated when firms slow down, communicate, and train their early professionals. Billable time should not be the only source of value or profit. There is fine balance between general training, skill building, experimentation, professional development, and more that must be struck. This is likely true for all of us.

ii. Beyond Graduation

We considered how early professionals can operate as mentors and guides for even younger professionals. With a few years of practice under the belt and yet not so far away from the university experiences, we are the bridge that connects the present practice to future generations. These interactions can be small and informal, often just two individuals complaining about Revit workflows, Ohio Building Code, or a local lunch spot.

Architect’s Newspaper

A few of us shared a “what’s the worst that can happen” mentality when comparing experiences about speaking up for change within the firm. Retaliation does not seem obvious and swift anymore, but slow and toxic. It’s important to have people in leadership that are trustworthy and transparent about their actions. Similarly, it’s important to understand how leadership decision making varies according to firm size, office culture, physical locations, etc. Larger firms, for instance, rely on a streamlined hierarchy with many principals and leadership members, a different challenge than a small, flatter firm with one or two bodies in charge. We also noted that these hierarchies are reinforced in the work space in private offices, open floor of desks and cubicles, better chairs, separate floors, and so on.

“Saying that if an architectural worker doesn’t like their labor conditions they should just go elsewhere is like saying to children working in 19th-century factories that if they didn’t like it, they didn’t have to come to work.”

-Peggy Deamer, The

How do we establish expertise?

As we closed on a successful and curious year, we directly interrogated our professional standing. From the individual’s perspective to a systemic and legal perspective, we sought to discuss the future of licensure and the extent of practice. We explored both the act of establishing as well as the thing or content being established. We considered the relationship between obtaining knowledge and skill development with the separate, yet equally critical, perception and display of your abilities. We dared to ask if architecture even needed architects.

i. As an Individual

The first and more tiresome of methods to establish expertise in our profession is the licensure process. The exams received much of our ire considering the time, energy, and discretionary income required to take them. We felt they weren’t as successful as years of experience or our accredited educations, and one’s ability to take standard tests mattered more than content mastery. We contended that, assuming the standard of care is as critical as the exams imply, candidates should be allowed to have a copy of a complete code book with them as they would in real practice.

We also reviewed the litany of additional certifications and specializations that an individual could pursue in the name of career development and individual passion. The construction of a professional brand or identity is tied to these authoritative and socially agreed upon standards of expertise.

ii. As a Firm

We determined that there is a relationship between experience and expertise, yet each are distinct and not easily interchangeable. For example, our firms are likely to tout their experience in marketing efforts. This is because the term “experience” (as

opposed to expertise) does not raise the standard of care. This standard does not require performing service perfectly, just to a level of legal competence.

Firms also face similar questions regarding specificity and resolution when designing their business plans. Some pursue single-family residential projects with long timelines and extended, direct contact with a client while others seek fast paced retail rollout projects – both develop a specific market experience because of this concentration.

We considered the value of knowing when to call someone else, an under appreciated skill. This “phone a friend” is sometimes formal and contractual (consultants) or informal and low-risk (mentorship, peer-to-peer communication)

-

citygroup, Dialogue Not Monologue, Debate 02

iii. As a Discipline

Just as we explored different scales of establishment, we discussed the discipline’s role across space and time. Unsurprisingly, we found that countries and cultures across the world approach this profession differently, sometimes with more successful methods to ensure health, safety, wellness without exclusionary tactics. We debated whether architecture really benefited from having architects (the answer: no). Ultimately, we surmised that the future of licensure would greatly benefit from a close examination of its historical underpinnings.

“Architects do not have a specific expertise.”

INDEX & GLOSSARY

Definitions

Conduct

1. to direct or take part in the operation or management of conduct an experiment conduct a business conduct an investigation

2. to cause (oneself) to act or behave in a particular and especially in a controlled manner conducted herself in a professional manner

Bottom Up

1. proceeding from the bottom or beginning of a hierarchy or process upward

Top Down

1. denoting a system of government or management in which actions and policies are initiated at the highest level; hierarchical. “a top-down managerial philosophy and practice”

2. proceeding from the general to the particular. “a top-down approach to research”

Expertise

1. expert skill or knowledge in a particular field

Standard of Care

1. level of skill and care employed by architects, practicing in the same or similar circumstances and geographical area

Specialization

1. the process of concentrating on and becoming expert in a particular subject or skill. “the division and specialization of labor”

Low-skill/Unskilled labor

1. category of work that requires little or no experience or training to do or consists of routine tasks, Bureau of Labor Statistics

Events

Conduct, Rice Architecture Lecture Series. 2018. ABC School, Architecture Lobby. May 2022

Faculty strike at New School and Parsons School of Design. December 2022

Unionization efforts at SHoP Architects. Dec 2021 to Feb 2022

SCIArc Basecamp Lectures: How to Be in an Office. March 25th, 2022. Panelists: Tom Oyler (Oyler Wu), Marikka Trotter (Tom Wiscombe Architecture), and Margaret Griffin (Griffin Enright Architects). Citygroup Debates, No 2, 2017: Architects do not have a specific expertise.

Code Red Charrettes, AIA YAF Summit 30: Mission 2130.

People

Jack Self, https://jackself.com/ Peggy Deamer, http://peggydeamer.com/

The Architecture Lobby

Peter Barber Architects, http://www.peterbarberarchitects.com/ Future Firm, https://future-firm.org/Office-of-the-Public-Architect LA Forum, http://laforum.org/about/ Architecture Workers United Vitruvius Grind

Policy

AIA Code of Ethics

NCARB Rules of Conduct

ARB Architects Code: Standards of Conduct and Practice

American Bar Association

Ladies’ Book of Etiquette and Manual of Politeness

MOS Office Policy

Family Medical Leave Act

Remote Work Human Resources Policies

Ohio Department of Development Encouraging Diversity Growth and Equity Program (EDGE)

Reference

“The Ethics of Architecture and Other Contradictions” by Michael Crosbie. Common Edge, 2019.

The Architecture of Ethics by Thomas Fisher. Routledge, 2018. Architecture Depends by Jeremy Till. MIT Press, 2013.

“Labor Parti” by Zach Mortice. The Architect’s Newspaper, 2022.

“Architects Draft a New Blueprint for a Labor Movement” by Kriston Capps & Sarah Holder. CityLab, Bloomberg, 2022.

“Architects must reject the ‘follow your passion’ narrative and see ourselves as workers”by Andrew Daley. Dezeen, 2022.

“Middle-class guilt is weaponized to keep architectural laborers from demanding reform”by Phineas Harper. Dezeen, 2017.

“In response to the SCI-Arc Basecamp controversy, here’s an alternate list of advice for those heading into the profession” by Peggy Deamer. The Architect’s Newspaper, 2022.

“Is It Time For Architects to Unionize?” by John Parman. Common Edge, 2022.

“The Burnout Problem in Architecture” by Katherine Flynn. Architect Magazine, 2022.

The Architecture Salary Poll. Archinect. https://salaries.archinect.com/ The Human Condition by Hannah Arendt. University of Chicago Press, 1958

“Low-Skill Workers Aren’t a Problem to Be Fixed” by Annie Lowrey. The Atlantic, 2021.

“There’s No Such Things as a “Low-Skill Worker” by National Fund for Workforce Solutions

“An Architect’s Expertise” YR Architecture Design, 2022. “15 Steps to Define, Establish and Promote your Expertise” by Stephen Dupont. 2018.

Architecture without Architects by Bernard Rudofsky. 1964. Architecture After Architects: Alternative Pathways for Practice. Editors: Harriet Harriss, Rory Hyde, Roberta Marcaccio. 2022.

On Models. e-flux Architecture and The Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto. Editors: Nick Axel, Nikolaus Hirsch, November Paynter

INITIATIVES

Building collective knowledge.

We’ve been up to something this year with the institution of a new designation program that uplifts firms that invest in early professionals to the everyday clarity of a website refresh. Already, we’ve begun to prepare workshops and social gatherings for the coming year, combining forces with local components and the Membership Engagement Committee. As current programs continue to find strength and build longevity, new ones will join in complement.

Discover more about:

EP - ON - THE - GO

AIA Ohio Website Updates, C.A.R.E.S Program

EP Friendly Firm Program

EP - ON - THE - GO Running Submission Form

This program is intended to highlight the emerging professionals that comprise Ohio’s next generation of architects and leaders. Each professional answers a series of questions regarding their experiences during architecture school, the license process, everyday work, and their personal interests. We hope each biographical piece provides insight and inspiration to fellow architects as well as the author.

AIA OHIO WEBSITE UPDATES Webpage

This year we made a number of changes to the Early Professional webpage, including detailed application requirements for EPFF. This change also removed outdated information regarding ARE testing. This page will continue to see edits in an concerted effort to provide the most accurate, up-to-date information.

Early professionals are habitual users of technology, so keeping this page relevant will help AIA Ohio remain a valuable resource. Additionally, the EPs will continue to propel the use of social media to share what is new and upcoming programming.

AIA OHIO C.A.R.E.S PROGRAM

Existing Scholarship Program

AIA Ohio has created a scholarship program to reimburse associates for costs associated with taking and successfully passing the ARE. These costs may include testing fees, study materials, etc. All Ohio residents actively taking ARE sections are eligible. Each applicant is eligible for one grant for one section of ARE passed per calendar year. The goal of the program is to encourage candidates to continue to pursue registration.

AIA OHIO EARLY PROFESSIONAL FRIENDLY FIRM PROGRAM

Annual Application, February to March

The goal of this initiative is to celebrate firms who offer exceptional support and opportunities for their early professionals. Furthermore, the program seeks to foster a dialogue within firms across the state with the objective of creating new policies and practices that promote innovation, encourage generational development, and demonstrate equity for the future members of the design profession.

AIA Ohio will continue to make updates as needed annually to the EPFF Program to ensure it is reflecting the current ideas on early professional support. The questionnaire will also be made available on the website when the submission form is not open for firms and EPs to use as a reference guide.

We look forward to your continued participation and support!

EPFF Plus+ Designation: DNK // DS Architecture, LLC // JBAD // MODA4 Design // Moody Nolan // Phillips Sekanick Architects, Inc. | PSA Architecture // Richard L. Bowen + Associates, Inc. // Robert Maschke Architects, Inc. // RWA Architects, Inc. // studioTECHNE | architects // TC Architects // ThenDesign Architecture // Thomas Porter Architects // WSA Studio

EPFF Designation: App Architecture, Inc. // Bialosky Cleveland // Bostwick Design Partnership // CBLH Design, Inc. // GBBN Architects, Inc // Hiti, DiFrancesco and Siebold, Inc. // Levin Porter Architects // Makovich & Pusti Architects, Inc. // Perspectus Architecture

26 2-167 1-22 124 120

OHIO FIRMS RANGE OF STAFF MEMBERS

RANGE OF PRINCIPALS

UNLICENSED STAFF STAFF LICENSED UNDER 10 YRS

INAUGURAL EPFF PROGRAM RESULTS AND FINDINGS

This new program was met with positive and constructive feedback. Many of whom participated in the submission of the questionnaire were able to engage in enlightening and critical conversations, strengthening relationships between early professionals and firm leadership.

Following the close of applications, AIA Ohio assembled a task force dedicated to a question-by-question review of the EPFF program. The feedback provided by firms and professionals led our discussions and debates, and the result is an improved submission form and process. The following items were addressed in the 2023 application:

i. Redundancies were removed.

ii. All questions were reviewed for clarity and separated into multiple questions if needed.

iii. Questions were added in areas that the task force thought were missing yet critical to the character of a friendly firm.

Category 04 Support & Compensation

Upon licensure, the firm provides: (may select more than one)

Category 03 Professional Development

The firm provides early professionals with comprehensive reviews.

iv. Some questions that were considered “easy” as all firms answered affirmatively, were left in the questionnaire to promote discussion opportunities.

v. Open feedback text boxes were added for some questions. These text boxes will not be counted towards scoring and are only for data collection.

vi. Category 05 Equity, Diversity & Inclusion was largely revamped to more accurately gage where Ohio stands on these topics in a fair but honest way.

vii. Future goals were established, including potential methods to share data and insights.

Category 04 Support & Compensation

The firm pays for AIA dues.

Category 04 Support & Compensation

The firm provides financial support to early professionals to attend conventions, conferences or other continuing education.

Category 04 Support & Compensation

The firm pays for NCARB fees.

92% of firms offer flexibility of work hours within each pay period

89% of firms provide paid time off to volunteer for AIA or related opportunities.

77% of firms encourage early professionals to seek mentorship outside the firm.

Category 05 Equity, Diversity & Inclusion

73% of firms do not have minorities in positions of leadership and management. 46% of firms do not have women in positions of leadership and management.

54% of firms do not reference, utilize, and distribute the AIA Guide for Equitable Practice.

27% of firms report having neither minorities nor women in positions of leadership and management, and they do not reference, utilize, and distribute the AIA Guide for Equitable Practice.

Category 06 Firm Culture

The firm supports work-life balance by: (may select more than one)

11 firms suppor t work-life balance through 2 or more suggested methods

14 firms allow remote work only

1 firm adhers to a 40 hour week only

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Congratulations.

RECENTLY LICENSED

Joe Bowen, AIA Toledo

Deanne Schopfer, AIA Akron

Angela Bates, AIA Cincinnati

Alex Reed, AIA Cincinnati

Josiah Ebert, AIA Cincinnati

Madison Gilmore, AIA Cincinnati

Ina Kratzsch, AIA Cincinnati

Clarissa Leidenheimer, AIA Cincinnati

David Clark, AIA Cincinnati

Amber Wasinski, AIA Cincinnati

Alexandra Oetzel, AIA Cincinnati

Carolyn Berg, AIA Columbus

Lisa Canfield, AIA Columbus

Nickolas Castillo, AIA Columbus

Ochuko Evwaraye, AIA Columbus

Keith Fagan, AIA Columbus

Mark Hensler, AIA Columbus

Karen Juricic, AIA Columbus

Michael Krieger, AIA Columbus

Peter Larsen, AIA Columbus

Thomas Mahoney, AIA Columbus

Paul M. Miller, AIA Columbus

Yi Ren, AIA Columbus

Peter Scott, AIA Columbus

Hedi Slama, AIA Columbus

Micah Stidham, AIA Columbus

William Tucker, AIA Columbus

Lauren Turnage, AIA Columbus

Stephen Angus, AIA Cleveland

Daniel Collins, AIA Cleveland

Bryan Daily, AIA Cleveland

Marissa Engel, AIA Cleveland

Taylor Killen, AIA Cleveland

Carleigh LaFrance, AIA Cleveland

Spencer Mischka, AIA Cleveland

Christopher Persons, AIA Cleveland

Forest Sluzewski, AIA Cleveland

Jacqueline Stern, AIA Cleveland

Katherine Switzer, AIA Cleveland

Olivia Zepp, AIA Cleveland

AWARDS

Alex Schrinel AIA Toledo

AIA Toledo Emerging Professional of the Year

Jennifer Rittler, AIA Columbus

AIA Young Architects Award

Eric Pros, AIA Akron

AIA Young Architects Award IMI’s JBC Masonry Innovation Competition in the Young Architect Category Building Design + Construction’s 40 Under 40, Class of 2022

Dusty Lake, AIA Columbus Building Design + Construction’s 40 Under 40, Class of 2022

Zachary Forney AIA Akron

AIA Ohio Emerging Professional Award

Matthew Teismann, AIA Columbus

AIA Ohio Foundation Charles J. Marr Citation

Matt Toddy, AIA Columbus

AIA Ohio Foundation Charles J. Marr Citation

Jonathan Bonezzi AIA Cleveland

AIA Cleveland Emerging Professional Award

Tommy Chesnes, AIA Cleveland

AIA Cleveland Emerging Professional

Abby Baker AIA Cleveland

AIA Cleveland Presidential Citation

Neeraja Pandav AIA Cleveland

AIA Cleveland Presidential Citation

Award

2022 EP PARTICIPANTS

Gwendolyn Frank, AIA

AIA Ohio Senior Associate Director AIA Cleveland

Alexandra Oetzel, AIA AIA Ohio Junior Associate Director AIA Cincinnati

Becca Nikolai, AIA

Prev. AIA Ohio Associate Director AIA Dayton Treasurer

Seth Duke, AIA AIA Ohio Young Architects Forum Representative AIA Cleveland

Dana Adkins, AIA AIA Akron President

Zachary Forney, Associate AIA AIA Akron One-Year Director

Stephanie Crockett, Associate AIA AIA Cincinnati Associate Director

Darion Zeigler, AIA

AIA Cincinnati Emerging Professionals Committee Leader

Amber Price, AIA AIA Cleveland Young Architect & Associate Member Co-Director

Megan Klingelhofer, AIA AIA Columbus Emerging Professionals Committee Co-Chair

Bayleigh Hetrick, Associate AIA AIA Dayton Associate Director

Maggie Beecroft, Associate AIA AIA Dayton Associate Director

Trey Meyer, AIA AIA Toledo Emerging Professionals Committee Chair

Jessica Phillips, Associate AIA AIA Youngstown Associate Director

SPECIAL RECOGNITION AND MANY THANKS TO:

Kate Brunswick, CAE, Hon. AIA AIA Ohio Executive Director