Peter G. Kuttner Elected 2010-2011 Vice President

Peter G. Kuttner, FAIA, a member of the AIA Boston Society of Architects, has been elected 2010-2011 AIA vice president. Kuttner is president of Cambridge Seven Associates, represents AIA New England on the AIA Board, and is a past president of the Boston Society of Architects. Kuttner believes the AIA has come a long way in the past three years, and now is the time to capitalize on that momentum.

“We have new staff leadership and a more strategic Board and have stabilized our budget issues just in time to meet the current global economic problems, Kuttner says. He believes in a new definition of the AIA national component. “I asked people at Grassroots to help visualize a new national AIA with a more diverse and flexible relationship to the chapters. As the national component redefines itself, it becomes critical that the AIA move outside of the boardroom. I do not believe that the AIA should be a top-down organization. Rather, the national component serves specific broad needs, and every local component serves our membership in unique and critical ways.”

Kuttner believes in leveraging existing strengths. “We need to connect with the public more than ever,” he says “On the political and economic side, the national AIA has immediately connected with the Obama team. Addressing the stimulus package, the AIA’s “Rebuild & Renew” initiative has been immediate and direct, and we must continue to promote it. At the same time, we must extend these initiatives to the local levels as we work together.”

He is a strong advocate of communication and collaboration: “Much of my commitment to the AIA has focused on outreach to our members and the public. We need to look first at our relationships with the components, support their efforts, and learn from their successes. As budgets tighten, and we look to reduce the size and cost of national operations, enhancing collaboration with components will be our strongest option.” On educating the public on design, he says: “The public also needs to understand and appreciate the value of the built environment. As the head of a design firm, I am committed to design being at the center of all we do at the AIA. AIA 150 and America’s Favorite Architecture opened many eyes to the power of good design, and we need to keep these kinds of efforts alive in spite of the slipping economy. Sustainable design and concern for excellence cannot slip to the background. As we promote capital projects for the good of the economy, the public needs to appreciate that it is also for the good of our lives.”