by Eugene C. Hopkins, FAIA
AIA President

What a wonderfully complex, insightful, and lively profession this is! How right that the AIA gives voice to this rich diversity.

That was my second response.

My first, when I saw the latest pile of chapter newsletters and magazines that landed on my desk, was . . . well, let’s not go there. After I got over my initial panic attack (“Where am I going to find the time to read this stuff?!”), I started to chip away at the stack, casually at first, but then I really started to get into what I was reading.

On the very top of the heap was the August issue of The Philadelphia Architect published by AIA Philadelphia. My secretary must have known I’d be hooked by a headline that read “Long Abandoned Buildings Given NEW LIFE,” my being a preservation architect; if not the headline, certainly the half dozen photos of the Victory Building, a wonderful Beaux Arts confection at the corner of 10th and Chestnut Streets. Originally built c. 1875 as a commercial building, today’s restoration architects, JK Roller Architects, LLC, are giving new life to this landmark structure and an adjacent 10-story addition built in 1901. Score one for architects as stewards of urban revitalization.

Engaging political engagement
The cover of the July/August issue of Architecture Boston was initially a puzzler: Why the headshot of a donkey, one ear up in the air? Then I turned to the editorial by Elizabeth Padjen, FAIA, on page 1. Of course! The Democratic National Convention. Here’s how she leads off:

“Many architects have a near-legendary aversion to politics. The reasons have been piling up for some time now, from a 19th-century notion that political activity is somewhat unseemly for a ‘gentleman’s profession’ to a 21st-century notion that the chaos of political process will just mess up a good idea.

“Which is all very peculiar. Peculiar, because architects need politicians. And even more peculiar, because architects themselves are very political creatures.”

Once again I was hooked. And naturally I had at least to glance at the other stories flagged in the table of contents: “The Politics of Green Building,” “Boston’s Central Artery in 1954 and 2004,” “Politics as a Design Program,” “Urban Design and Diplomacy,” “Smart Talk on Smart Growth”—you get the picture: Here was a tightly written and cogently argued primer on the how, what, and why of engaging in the political process.

A valentine and a commitment
Then there was the July/August issue of Focus, the news magazine of AIA Chicago, under the banner “Beyond the Bandshell.” Okay, I knew that would be about the new Millennium Park inaugurated four years late. But before I turned to page 14, I wanted to read the letter by AIA Chicago President Charles Smith, FAIA, which would surely comment on our National Convention last June.

Initially I was surprised. I had expected something far more self-congratulatory than what I read. Mind you, there was deserved praise for what Charles aptly called “this wonderful convergence of intellect, leadership, and architectural passion.” But the rest of his letter was a valentine (also deserved) to the companies and individuals (listed immediately to the right) who provided the essential financial and planning support that made this convention the success it surely was.

The emphasis was right on target. How obvious it would have been to applaud the people on stage. Instead, President Smith invited everyone behind the scenes, the people who made it happen, to take a turn in the spotlight. What class!

Inform, the magazine of the Virginia Society of the AIA, illustrates the commitment of many AIA members and chapters to engage the public. Published five times a year, Inform is architalk-free, at least I couldn’t find any “ buttresses,” “stepped plinths,” or “taut skins.” Instead, the issue I was leafing through began with a thoughtful essay by editor Vernon Mays on the values of the preservation movement: “[Have we] lost the ability to choose a valuable new cultural asset over a [marginal] building . . . ?”

A good question in a world of grays and nuances, rather than stark ideological black and white.

A measure of values
By this point, it was close to midnight, but then I came across the Summer issue of Oregon Architect headlined: “Activism, Innovation Mark Second Oregon Design Conference.” Reluctantly skipping past “Clients, Community Drive Inspired Architecture” (page 3), “A Not-So-Humble Plea to Get Involved” (page 5), and “An Enterprising Approach to Redevelopment” (page 6), I followed the lead story to page 8. Here’s a quotation from the keynote address (“Design Like You Give a Damn”) delivered by Ai’s Managing Principal Allison Williams, FAIA:

“If you don’t care about people, you’re not living up to your obligation as an architect.” Her recommendation? “The One Percent Solution.” If all American architects were to devote 1 percent of each 40-hour week to serving the underserved, it would amount to five million hours of work.

Although more modest in scope, AIA East Bay’s Arch News covered all the right bases: “Ratcliff Launches Web-based Green Design Tool,” the need to acknowledge the names of architects in media stories about new and redeveloped projects (from the President’s Letter), “An Open Letter to Architecture Students,” “RFQ for Downtown Development,” “A Little Bathroom Reading” (replacing that old, water-guzzling toilet with more efficient models), and firm as well as member profiles.

Shortly after midnight, I had whittled the pile by about two thirds. The rest would have to wait for another day. However, even though my eyes were tired, the impression I was left with was sharp: If you want to monitor the vital signs of today’s profession, forget the glossy shelter magazines. Check out the publications produced by AIA components around the country. Not only will you be struck by the dedication of those who produce quality communications on a shoestring and the knowledge contained within, you’ll learn a lot about our members’ values. From what I read, we have our heads and hearts right where they need to be!

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