WISDOM FROM THE FIELD
for instance in Architectural Record’s March 2013 article, “Beyond Architecture,” that describes the role of an expanded architectural profession in “This century’s biggest architectural challenge… the developing world.” These and other sources have brought specific projects, individuals, and organizations to the attention of the design fields and to the general public. We acknowledge the value of this work in growing the field and recommend the support for continuing these professional and public information services through the AIA, national museums, and through finding new venues to reach a broader section of the public. One way for design to be more relevant to the public is to consider what the types of issues are included in the work of design. The benefits of architecture could do so much for so many more. Architecture can play a direct role in addressing critical social, economic and environmental issues that the public faces around the world. The process of creating the built environment can allow communities and individuals to improve and celebrate their lives. It can help solve their struggles by reshaping their existence. Defining architecture in terms of the issues it addresses is one way to communicate the public value of design, which is in addition to the private benefits of architecture for individuals, corporations and organizations. Showcasing examples of projects that expand the issues addressed by design can improve the public’s perception. Another way is to reveal the ways design addresses critical societal issues. The work of Lisa Abendroth in her research into Social Economic Environmental Design (SEED) has identified design projects that address over seventy-five separate issues. Every time a community understands architecture can help address their most critical issue, architecture’s relevance increases, which in turn increases the range of work that is addressed by designers. Action Items: >> AIA support reassessment of standards of ethics and practices in the architectural field. >> AIA and allied organizations work with popular media to tell the story of the design profession’s public service values and initiatives. >> ACSA and leading universities emphasize the social impact of design in exhibits and lecture series. 3. F ACILITATE BEST PUBLIC INTEREST PRACTICES AND STRATEGIES. The use of the term Public Interest Design lends itself to broad interpretation. Like the situation a decade ago when R E C O M M E N DAT I O N S
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Green Design had no accepted standards, there was also less value in the term “Green.” Public interest design appears to be in similar situation. It is time to gain clarity and standards, as well as professional and public understanding of illustrative examples. While public interest design has shown growth over the last ten years, as given evidence by the publications and exhibits, the overall scale of the work remains small. The challenge is to move from individual efforts to systemic solutions. Systemic solutions include broadening professional standards to include public interest practices, and education that includes learning objectives specifically for public interest practices. Efforts to expand public interest practices should pursue both individual efforts and systemic solutions. One way to facilitate best public interest practices is to disseminate the Latrobe Research. This includes the AIA endorsement and support to distribute WISDOM FROM THE FIELD: PUBLIC INTEREST ARCHITECTURE IN PRACTICE, A Guide to Public Interest Practices in Architecture, to be published in both web and print media. The guide should also be disseminated through allied organizations including the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture, NCARB and the Association for Community Design. In addition, disseminating best practices includes presentations of the Latrobe research at the 2013 AIA convention, as well as other possible venues such as the Large Firm Roundtable, Affordable Housing Knowledge Community and other AIA related stakeholders’ events. Another way the AIA could support best practices is to provide necessary professional tools. One needed tool is model legal contracts for public interest projects, such as the AIA currently does for traditional practice. Such professional tools would address unmet needs and support partnerships in this emerging area of work. Professional contracts to fit the partnership relationships with public interest practices would outline roles and responsibilities and clarify liability issues between public interest practitioners, partners, users, funding organizations, universities, and other entities. Action items: >> Embrace and support a transformed profession. >> Communicate the profession’s public service values. >> Facilitate best public interest practices and strategies. 10 0