From Friday’s Desk
Though not nearly as jazzy or lyrical as NPR’s Tiny Desk series, join me every Friday as we take conversation to action - highlighting tangible and meaningful engagement across the profession of architecture.
Introducing From Friday’s Desk Series
Join every Friday these next few weeks from my Friday desk! Whether in Dallas, Texas or wherever "desk" may be - we will dig into not just conversation but tangible and meaningful engagement and impact.
Check out the next post for where this first week takes us "from Friday's desk"!
In case you were not able to attend AIA Leadership Summit in DC last month, there is a great recap from AIA Colorado on Hill Day and top legislative priorities for the AIA - https://lnkd.in/gSJNxkdK - and would love to encourage everyone to spend a minute beginning to get to know the candidates for the AIA Board of Directors - https://lnkd.in/gXXi86a9.
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Local. Connected. Collective.
AIA | by its members, for its members and our communities.
From Friday’s Desk |
From Friday's Desk.. Week 01 | Amplifying Impact, Deepening Value
AIA New Mexico's four year efforts to update rate schedules set in 1985 not only successfully passed - changing not just fee percentages but definition of architect's value across the state (more here - https://lnkd.in/giutFzbJ and cheers to the great conversation Dillon Romero, AIA NCARB and Justin "JD" Milburn!).
AIA Georgia and Deirdre "Dee" Leclair, AIA, NCARB have been authoring code proposals for years.
These are tangible and local engagements - yet also questions, challenges, and value of the profession being asked and transformed everywhere.
Whether New Mexico, Washington, Hawaii, Georgia, Florida, and beyond - I see an organization and ecosystem in the AIA where local impacts and lessons learned are connected, resources are shared, and our impact advances big initiatives collectively.
Amplified local action. Shared, connected communities and knowledge. Collective impact.
Let’s keep building it—together.
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Local. Connected. Collective.
AIA | by its members, for its members and our communities.
From Friday’s Desk |
𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆'𝘀 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗸.. 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝟬𝟮 | 𝗘𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲, 𝗗𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲
AI is not just a buzz word. Anthropic recently released a report mapping which professions AI could potentially replace - sparking conversations across industries about disruption, displacement, and what work will look like in the years ahead. The framing is familiar: what jobs are at risk? What roles will AI absorb?
But I think architects have the opportunity to ask a different - and better -question.
Practice has always been in motion. The architect's role has never been static. We are exceptionally equipped to work at the intersection of space, policy, technology, and community. This is the ecosystem architects belong and contribute to at every scale.
So though AI may be one of the vehicle's calling architects to inhabit this ecosystem more fully - how is this more impactfully the opportunity to continue to lead a practice and world in motion?
Evolving practice is an invitation to lead.
Let's keep building, together.
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Local. Connected. Collective.
AIA | by its members, for its members and our communities.
𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘈𝘐𝘈 𝘕𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘈𝘵-𝘓𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘦 𝘋𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳.
𝘩𝘵𝘵𝘱𝘴://𝘸𝘸𝘸.𝘴𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘩𝘸𝘰𝘺𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘻.𝘤𝘰𝘮/𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘴𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘬
From Friday’s Desk |
𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆'𝘀 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗸... 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝟬𝟯 | 𝗔𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗳𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁
What's working in your backyard is changing the profession.
Over the last four years, leading the Align Mentorship Program and beginning a mentorship toolkit completed by Seth Duke and Kumi Wickramanayaka, AIA, LEED AP - taught me something beyond mentorship itself: when a model of connection and resourcing is built with intention, it doesn't just solve the problem it was built for. 𝗜𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗮 𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺.
The AIA recently launched a national mentorship platform (https://lnkd.in/geDmDQkV) doing exactly this - connecting members and components to programs and resources across the country. It might seem like a stretch to link mentorship to advocacy and impact of architects in public awareness, business acumen, or digital fluency. But that's the point. The same architecture of connection applies everywhere the profession is being asked to grow.
When processes and approaches that work in one backyard get connected - locally, nationally, internationally - we stop solving the same problems in isolation and start building something collective.
So I'll ask: what challenge are you facing in your own corner of practice that, if the system began to operate differently, could move the needle?
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Local. Connected. Collective.
AIA | by its members, for its members and our communities.
𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘈𝘐𝘈 𝘕𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘈𝘵-𝘓𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘦 𝘋𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳.
𝘩𝘵𝘵𝘱𝘴://𝘸𝘸𝘸.𝘴𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘩𝘸𝘰𝘺𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘻.𝘤𝘰𝘮/𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘴𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘬
From Monday’s Desk |
𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆'𝘀 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗸... 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝟬𝟰 | 𝗗𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲
What does it look like when an architect shows up not just as a designer, but as a neighbor?
When I served on the local Atlanta-Edgewood zoning committee, the city was in the early stages of citywide zoning reform and our neighborhood's comprehensive development plan was overdue for renewal. An architect and architect/developer (massive recognition to Jessika Nelson and her work in development and affordable housing) were often the two people on the committee both representing as neighbors and advocating for how our small part of the city was continuing to be 𝘴𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘥. The conversations were not always easy. We were hearing our neighbors, their real concerns and lived experiences, while also translating what we could as practitioners - and doing all of that as neighbors ourselves, genuinely committed to how our community was shaped.
This is the kind of work that shapes our communities - in housing, in policy, and beyond. It advances public awareness of what architects do, deepens trust between the profession and the communities we serve, and quietly reshapes what value means in practice.
Health. Safety. Welfare. These are not just words in our professional practice and licensure framework. They are the invitation to how the profession engages and shows up.
The profession's value is not just built in the projects we deliver. 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺𝘀 𝘄𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 — 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴.
𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘮𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘪𝘯? 𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶?
Let's keep shaping, together.
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Local. Connected. Collective.
AIA | by its members, for its members and our communities.
𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘈𝘐𝘈 𝘕𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘈𝘵-𝘓𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘦 𝘋𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳. 𝘩𝘵𝘵𝘱𝘴://𝘸𝘸𝘸.𝘴𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘩𝘸𝘰𝘺𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘻.𝘤𝘰𝘮/𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘴𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘬
From Friday’s Desk |
𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆’𝘀 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗸 | 𝗘𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲
Today’s view from Monday’s desk looked a bit different. It started with some work, an on site client meeting - and quiet reminders from 30,000’ in the air.
I had a moment to reflect to a question asked earlier this year by an architect and AIA member in Colorado - 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘥𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯?
Just as my day started quietly, these are quiet and sometimes unspoken forces that move the profession of architecture. They don’t often take center stage in LinkedIn posts, in board of directors candidacy, or in business acumen spaces - yet are an essential piece of the 𝙚𝙫𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙥𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙚.
And there are so many facets that layer into wellbeing and retention. Within engagement across the Institute, this has centered around bringing these into the light and dialogue.
- Amplifying wellbeing, tangible tools and resources during my time as Chair of the AIA Young Architects Forum (https://lnkd.in/gu8eN8-F).
- Connecting the financial literacy work Erin Agdinaoay, AIA, NOMAand WPA (https://lnkd.in/gnarG-XG) are engaged in with Kathleen McCormickand salary transparency efforts at AIA25 in Boston.
- Understanding parallel challenges and evolution contractors are engaged in to support retention in the midst of even more severe labor shortages during time as a part of the AIA-AGC Joint Committee.
However, it’s also the quieter ways I have seen shifts generate evolution.
- Reviewing schedule with entire project teams, not only confirming alignment but ensuring collective input in the process and trajectory
- Building trust with clients to navigate open conversations on value, timeline, and realistic hours in a day
- Modeling open communication with teams, recognizing the full breadth of our lived experiences and that we are impacted by life far beyond the “walls” of a workday
Today is ending as it began - from 30,000’ in the air - heading from coast to coast not for project meetings but to run as a team member of Sayless Projects in The Speed Project. Wellbeing is not only a practice within the profession, but for me extends and is modeled far beyond.
As the profession continues to evolve, as value of architects continues to expand and deepen, I am committed to not only evolution through our business models, public engagement, and practice - but to an evolution supportive of the people engaged within it.
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Local. Connected. Collective.
AIA | by its members, for its members and our communities.
𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘈𝘐𝘈 𝘕𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘈𝘵-𝘓𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘦 𝘋𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳. 𝘩𝘵𝘵𝘱𝘴://𝘸𝘸𝘸.𝘴𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘩𝘸𝘰𝘺𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘻.𝘤𝘰𝘮/𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘴𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘬
From Friday’s Desk |
From Friday’s Desk… Earth Day
Raleigh, North Carolina is not a stranger to hurricanes. However, the tornado that came through when I was 17 years old was unexpected and uncharted. Neighbors and a general contractor were out the next day - lending hands, chainsaws, and expertise with repairs. FEMA was present and providing assistance within two weeks.
Today, I reflect on this moment as architects, developers, policy makers, and communities work in tandem and sometimes in tension with sustainable, resilient, regenerative policies and practices calling our communities and the built environment forward.
Architects are systems thinkers, understanding not just part to whole, but 𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺. As an architect, I have had the opportunity to not only remembering that 17 year old, but embed sustainability in practice.
From the 50,000 gallon water retention tank designed into the structure of a building as an essential component of the entire system, to connecting architect-policy shapers from Georgia to Hawaii in strategies to successful adoption of proactive building codes, to amplifying resiliency work of Sammy Shams and Jennifer Ingram, AIA from my own backyard - just as our impact and connection is part of an integral system, so too is the implementation of sustainable practice within the system.
From the local impact understanding that Bob Jensen and Victoria Salinas are engaged in and building in the AIA currently, to continued progress and opportunity the AIA has as a connected community and resource amplifying tangible, everyday work - an organization by its members, for its members and the communities architects serve has the opportunity to deepen value and evolve practice, connecting members and communities to resources that embed sustainability not as peripheral, but as integral to every system.
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Local. Connected. Collective.
AIA | by its members, for its members and our communities.
𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘈𝘐𝘈 𝘕𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘈𝘵-𝘓𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘦 𝘋𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳. 𝘩𝘵𝘵𝘱𝘴://𝘸𝘸𝘸.𝘴𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘩𝘸𝘰𝘺𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘻.𝘤𝘰𝘮/𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘴𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘬
From Friday’s Desk |
𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆'𝘀 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗸... | 𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹, 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱, 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲.
This morning's view from my desk was joined in conversation with folks from Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Indiana, and Long Beach - thank you Alexei Dukov, Burton Baldridge, Jose Javier Tavarez, AIA, NCARB, Matt Jennings, and Desiree Coderre Gemigniani for joining!
We shared space and conversation around...
- Value of the AIA (and membership dues!)
- How the organization communicates and talks about what it does
- Impact of local engagement on members and impact of state advocacy for everyone (architects, AIA members, and beyond!)
- Bolstering engagement of and leadership pathways for the next generation
- How the AIA can be a connective thread across all members, components, and geographies
- and the 99% (when it comes to tangibility and demonstration of work, how we are moving the needle, and daily impacts on what might seem like visionary and lofty strategic goals)
Though informal by design, these have become catalytic avenues for connection, communication, and models of how the AIA as an organization in practice, governance, and process can continue to evolve.
In case you were not able to join today, we will see you next Friday or shortly on the AIA's global townhall - https://lnkd.in/gTijxMxZ.
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Local. Connected. Collective.
AIA | by its members, for its members and our communities.
𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘈𝘐𝘈 𝘕𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘈𝘵-𝘓𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘦 𝘋𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳.
𝘩𝘵𝘵𝘱𝘴://𝘸𝘸𝘸.𝘴𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘩𝘸𝘰𝘺𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘻.𝘤𝘰𝘮/𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘴𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘬