AIA Colleagues:

Our relationships in Washington yield important opportunities for members to contribute to our nation's health and well-being. HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan and the Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force just launched REBUILD BY DESIGN, a multi-stage design competition to address the pressing needs of those still displaced by Hurricane Sandy. Billions of dollars of recovery funding will be guided by the proposals that are submitted through this competition.

Staff at HUD has reached out to the AIA and to me personally because they recognize the talent, passion, and creativity of our members is essential to the success of this effort. Although several of the awards will likely go to large firms who will make proposals for regional infrastructure, there is room for projects of all scales and I am confident that firms of any size have a fair shot in this competition, if they are innovative in their thinking and purposeful in their approach.

From large-scale green infrastructure to small-scale residential retrofits, REBUILD BY DESIGN will take advantage of the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery program, as well as other public and private funds, to make the greatest difference for the citizens whose lives and livelihoods were so severely disrupted. The National Endowment for the Arts will administer REBUILD BY DESIGN, based on its proven track record of supporting and facilitating design competitions.

This is an opportunity for the architectural profession to craft the vision and influence the decisions that we all hope will lead to a more resilient Northeast region. But time is short...

Request for Qualifications responses are due July 19, 2013. Learn more here.

Finally, I also want to emphasize that the AIA, and our partners in the Federal government, have not forgotten about the other communities affected by disaster. Whether it’s tornadoes in Oklahoma, floods in Illinois and Missouri, wildfires in Colorado and California, or any other calamities, many are in need of our skills and services. We are actively working with HUD and other federal agencies to ensure that they also receive the attention that they deserve.

Architects build a better world. And, the value of design is never clearer than when it fosters resilient communities.

Sincerely,

Robert Ivy, FAIA
Chief Executive Officer