Summary: The American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) announced on February 7 that Michael Graves, FAIA, will serve as honorary chair for its Freedom By Design™ national community service initiative and the association’s Beyond Architecture Campaign. The goal of the campaign is to raise at least $2 million to support membership and program goals for Freedom by Design and premier educational initiatives for architecture students.

Freedom by Design (FBD), an AIAS community service program, allows architecture and design students to use their talents to help people in their communities through design and construction solutions. Currently under way in more than 30 college and university communities, each project improves the life safety, dignity, and comfort of low-income individuals with physical disabilities.

Helping those with physical disabilities is of special interest to Graves, who in 2003 was paralyzed from the chest down as a result of an infection. Since then, he has become more aware of how good design can affect a person’s life, from using everyday items like a faucet to maneuvering around in one’s own home or accessing public spaces. "My passion is great design,” stated Graves. “I am dedicated to providing great design to people with disabilities. I am pleased to support the efforts of the AIAS and excited about the good work offered by the Freedom by Design program.”

This spring, selected students from five colleges and universities will have the unique opportunity to work with Michael Graves and members of his firm. Students will submit designs for review and then, through conference calls, receive feedback on their work.

Major fundraising campaign launched
To obtain the money necessary to continue this immense endeavor, the AIAS is launching its first major campaign to create an endowment that will enable leveraging future funding support for program expansion. The AIAS is pleased to announce that it has reached the midpoint milestone ($1 million) with its campaign efforts and added a new sponsor, Autodesk, to its list of contributors. With leading gifts of $250,000 each from the AIA and the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB), the AIAS is seeking financial support from new and existing corporate and industry partners, architecture firms, collateral organizations, academia, legacy and alumni of AIAS, and individuals and families across the country. (For more information on the Beyond Architecture campaign, visit the AIAS Web site.)

General Campaign Chair James P. Cramer, Hon. AIA, principal and chair of The Greenway Group Inc. and DesignIntelligence, says: “The American Institute of Architecture Students is an important and meaningful organization that is working to make the architecture profession increasingly attractive to the most talented young people in America. I believe that a strong AIAS translates into a strong profession in the future and that is why I recommend that architects, and especially firm owners, support the AIAS.”