Member’s Voice:
New Year’s Resolutions
Members speak out on plans and resolutions for 2007

by Heather Livingston
Contributing Editor

Summary: As the new year dawns, it’s a natural time to reflect on past performance and prepare for future growth. With that in mind, AIArchitect asked AIA members about their plans and resolutions for their firms in 2007. If the responses of these five architects are indicative of the profession, it appears that system improvements and increasing staff are very much on our minds.

What Are Your Plans and Resolutions for 2007?

Nolanda H. Bearden, AIA
Principal, NHB Group, LLC, Birmingham
My plans for this coming year are, hopefully, to grow smart—I need about three people: a receptionist and a couple of interns—and to acquire more of the kind of work that we want to do. Lately, I’ve been doing quite a few small projects just because of the size of my firm, but we’ve also gotten some larger projects, so when I receive requests for proposals, I’m going to try not to submit for any work under $500,000. We’ve grown every year since I started the practice in 2002, so I hope 2007 stays on track.

Tim Dufault, AIA
Principal, Cuningham Group Architecture, PA, Minneapolis
I’d say the biggest thing for us in the coming year is going to really be focusing, as the AIA on the whole is, on sustainability. We’ve always been active in sustainable design, but we really feel now is the time for the entire green movement to take a big step forward, so we’re going to be working with our clients to educate them on the issues that are important for sustainable design and help them see the value of doing more sustainable projects around the world. In January, we’re going to be performing an energy audit of all of our offices. We’re also going to work with our employees to do energy audits of their homes and begin to look at where, as a company, we start to do things that reduce our carbon footprint. Then, what can we do for our employees to help them reduce their carbon footprint, improving energy efficiency in the process. We expect to have the audit complete in February, and by early spring we are going to set forth our strategies for implementing better practices in the office.

Anthony Piermarini, AIA
Principal, Studio Luz, Boston
Well, we’re planning to expand our office in terms of getting into a new office space. This may be quite practical, but I think we’re going to invest in upgrading technology and integrate that in our delivery process, so we’re doing some housecleaning and shop upgrading to be able to serve our clients better. We’re upgrading the whole network, the whole server system, as well as looking at some new animation and rendering software.

Shelley Simon, AIA
President, Simon Oswald Associates, Inc., Columbia, Mo.
In 2007, one of the things I’m looking forward to is enhancing our office environment to increase productivity. We need to improve our systems and processes but we also want to create new internal spaces for inspiration—continuing to develop a workplace that will inspire innovation and creativity in our staff while increasing their productivity through the use of new tools, methods, and spaces. Our first step is transforming a resource library into an inspirational space complete with a glass water wall, design library, and comfortable chairs, doubling as an informal meeting room. This will reinforce our open collaborative culture and hopefully aid in retaining our great staff as we begin to enter a tightening labor market.

John Weekes, AIA
Principal, Dull Olson Weekes Architects, Inc., Portland, Ore.
We have three resolutions for 2007. One is to grow the office. Two is to increase the quality and care of the projects we’re designing. And three is to create a voice for architects and architecture in the Portland community.