AIA150 at the Convention: Part Celebration, Part Education, Part Legacy

by Tracy Ostroff
Associate Editor

Summary: Throughout 2007, the AIA is celebrating its 150th anniversary, marking the milestone by “Celebrating the Past, Designing the Future.” To take part in the celebration at the AIA National Convention, visit the AIA150 booth on the Expo floor, where you can view the America’s Favorite Architecture exhibit, which is making a stop as it tours the nation in 2007 and 2008. There you will also have the chance to vote for your own favorite building. At the AIA150 booth you can also take a walk through the Institute’s history, view the preliminary results of the Blueprint for America initiatives, and peek into the future in the National Associates Committee-sponsored exhibit, AIA175.

Not just a party
“The purpose and focus of this recognition of the AIA150 anniversary is not just a party,” says Robin Lee, Hon. AIA, senior director, Special Programs AIA150. “The real focus of the whole AIA150 program has been to leave a lasting legacy for communities across America. It is also a call to action for architects and their communities to continue to nurture the relationships that are creating more livable and sustainable environments. We do not expect the AIA150 to end in 2007; we look at it as the starting point for the next 150 years.”

At the AIA convention, AIA members will have the opportunity to take part in convention seminars and programs, including:

• Thursday, May 3, TH21 AIA150: A Blueprint for Urban Revitalization. AIA150’s Blueprint for America is a unique opportunity for architects to bolster the perception of their profession and to give back to the communities in which they live and work. In this presentation, three AIA150 champions will discuss how AIA150 initiatives are being used to revitalize blighted and challenged neighborhoods in Wisconsin’s largest cities and how these projects, and others, are being used to reestablish leadership for the architecture profession throughout the state.
• Saturday, May 5, SA39: The Writers Panel: Celebrating the Past, Designing the Future. Panelists will discuss the AIA150 anniversary publication, Celebrating the Past, Designing the Future, to identify the skill sets that have been historically needed and those that are newly required for successful practice from the perspective of urban and sustainable design; leadership cultivation through design; and models of community engagement.

A celebration, too
There are, of course, Lee says, celebratory elements to the sesquicentennial, and “we’re certainly happy to celebrate the heritage and the contributions that the AIA has made over the last 150 years. For example, on Saturday participants will have the opportunity to congratulate the AIA150 champions for their efforts in leading the AIA150 anniversary and Blueprint initiatives at a reception in their honor on Saturday, May 5.”

The real sparks will fly on Friday, though at the conclusion of the Fiesta! San Antonio Host Chapter Party with a fireworks display in honor of the AIA’s milestone birthday. Planned for skies above San Antonio’s River Walk, the celebration will be visible across the city for all AIA convention-goers and the public alike. It’s a gift for the city and a very large birthday candle for AIA members to make their own wishes for the future of the Institute.