Convention 2009 Wrap-Up: Live-Blogging the Sessions
Lessons learned, questions answered

by Zach Mortice
Associate Editor

Summary: After dashing through the halls of the Moscone Center in San Francisco for three days with a laptop under my arm to blog through convention sessions, I was struck by the alternating sense of uncertainty and opportunity I got from audience and AIA members. I asked dozens of people what they wanted to learn and what they did learn. Most said they just wanted to get a handle on what’s coming next. Few had any preconceived notion of what the future might hold and, as often as not, they showed up at the convention simply wanting to learn what things they didn’t know. As such, this compilation of blog entries (originally posted here) are snapshots of the contemporary architect’s challenges and opportunities. You might find your practice conundrums, your firm, or even yourself in them.

Some of the most popular sessions with the most engaged audiences I found were “The Top 10 Keys to Succeeding at Public Sector Work” and “Humanitarianism and Reshaping the Urban Fabric.” That indicates to me that architects (especially younger practitioners) are ready to embrace and ally with the progressive leadership of the government and public sector to begin addressing the shortcomings of the contemporary built environment and the recession-plagued economy. The parallels between the billions of dollars being funneled to renovation and construction projects via the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and similar Depression-era reinvestment in civic infrastructure are well documented, and, at the 2009 convention, I found a deep desire for a new New Deal for architects.

Convention session blog entry topics:

• The Research Frontier of Risk Management
• Google SketchUp for Energy Analysis Using Energy Plus
• Humanitarianism and Reshaping the Urban Fabric
• Redefining Your Practice in a Turbulent Economy: Global Perspective and Regional Context
• The Top 10 Keys to Succeeding at Public Sector Work
  
• Bioregional Design—Creating Region-Specific Vernacular by Designing for Climate, Ecosystem, and Culture
• Is It Tomorrow Yet? Megatrends Impacting Your Firm
• A Rearview Mirror and Fortune Teller—Lessons from This Downturn and Others
• The Art and Science of Designing to Net-Zero

Next year’s convention is June 10–12 in Miami.