Archinect - News

Lakisha Ann Woods to step down from AIA post in February

2024-12-10T17:48:00-05:00

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has announced its EVP/Chief Executive Officer Lakisha Ann Woods will be stepping down from the post in February of next year, following a misconduct scandal that sparked outcries about organizational leadership, corporate spending, and nepotism. Woods was cleared of any wrongdoing by an independent investigation in August, which prompted the AIA Board of Directors to file an ethics complaint against her accusers in September. She has served as EVP/CEO since being named to the position in November 2021.

AIA President Kimberly Dowdell, lauded her tenure in saying: "[The] AIA is losing an incredible talent in EVP/CEO Woods, but we were so fortunate to have benefited from her leadership for three years. She is a leader among leaders, and those who have had the opportunity to collaborate with her understand how much of a loss this is to our organization and the pr...

AIA releases seven-point advocacy agenda for 2024 U.S. elections

2024-09-13T12:45:00-04:00

The American Institute of Architects has released a statement urging action on a number of key priorities related to architecture and the built environment for the 2024 presidential elections following Tuesday’s debate between candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.

"Architects across the country are keen to see greater progress toward key goals related to the built environment and our businesses," 2024 AIA President Kimberly Dowdell says in a preface to the seven-point agenda. "Our top election priorities highlight critical issues including the need for increased investment in affordable housing, aggressive climate action measures, enhanced resiliency against natural disasters and sound tax policies."

"[The] AIA calls on the candidates as well as the incoming new Congress to listen to architects as experts on the forefront of designing a more sustainable future," her statement continues. "Through these priorities, AIA’s members will continue to move the built environment forwar...

AIA President Kimberly Dowdell outlines the need for better K-12 outreach to strengthen the architecture profession

2024-05-31T14:43:00-04:00

Reflecting upon her activities during the recently passed Architecture Week in Detroit, AIA President Kimberly Dowdell outlined the need to engage with the key K-12 demographic in order to cultivate and better prepare the next generation of American architects to match the challenges they and the country will face tomorrow.

"If we want to engage the best young talent to help us grow our profession in the future, we must start now. Kindergarten through 12th grade engagement provides a wonderful opportunity to educate and excite students about the amazing field of architecture," Dowdell stated, also relating her experience as a young student in the city public school system.

Outlining her vision for institutional change in a new five-point agenda, Dowdell (also currently a trustee of her alma mater Cornell University) said better youth engagement can be achieved by further connecting the AIA’s K-12 nationwide resources; increasing support for the Architects Foundation’s scholarship pr...

Kimberly Dowdell hits back at anti-DEI push in business circles and academia

2024-03-25T14:21:00-04:00

The new AIA President and Principal in HOK’s Chicago office, Kimberly Dowdell, talked with Crain’s recently, stating diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts must be sustained in the face of the latest anti-DEI pushback parroted by Elon Musk and other business leaders that contributed to the resignation of Harvard University President Claudine Gay and other rollbacks on Wall Street and in corporate America.

"It's really disturbing how quickly the pendulum is shifting back toward a less inclusive and diverse society," she says, referring to different policymakers who are beginning to codify their resistance in conservative states like Florida and Texas.

Revisit our 2019 Archinect Sessions interview with Kimberly Dowdell, then President of the National Organization of Minority Architects

Of her company’s ethos she says, "[It’s] about diversity and its multiple forms in terms of its people but also the work and the kinds of work that we do," something that has underpinned its success...

Kimberly Dowdell is inaugurated as the AIA's first Black woman president

2023-12-18T14:20:00-05:00

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) celebrated a significant organizational milestone with the inauguration of Kimberly Dowdell as its AIA National President for 2024.

The AIA's 100th president overall is also the first-ever Black woman to head the post, following in the wake of 2023 President Emily Grandstaff-Rice.

At an inauguration ceremony last Friday, December 15th, the Cornell University and Harvard Kennedy School alumna who formerly headed the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) from 2019 to 2020, said: "Being elected as the 100th president of AIA is both an honor and responsibility that I embrace wholeheartedly.”

“My journey in architecture, from my roots in Detroit to this influential role, has deepened my conviction that design has the power to transform communities and elevate the human experience,” she continued. “This opportunity to serve my profession beautifully aligns with my overarching mission to improve people's lives through design, foster...

Kimberly Dowdell elected as AIA's 2024 president, the first Black woman in the position

2022-06-17T17:40:00-04:00

Architect, real estate developer, educator, and former NOMA national president Kimberly Dowdell has been elected as AIA’s 2023 First VP/2024 President-elect. She will be the 100th President of AIA and the first Black woman to sit in the role. Dowdell is joined by Britt Lindberg who was elected as the 2023-2024 AIA Secretary, and Illya Azaroff as the 2023-2025 At-large Director.

Dowdell has been an AIA member since 2007. She received her Bachelor of Architecture from Cornell University in 2006, which was followed by a Master of Public Administration from Harvard University in 2015. A Detroit native, Dowdell’s career has been driven by her mission to revitalize cities using design.

Previously on Archinect: Architect Kimberly Dowdell uses her hometown of Detroit as a catalyst for teaching equitable urban design practices

She currently works as the marketing principal in HOK’s Chicago office. Dowdell’s work with AIA includes participating on the Equity and the Future of Architecture Com...

NOMA celebrates Jason Pugh, Pascale Sablan, and Tiffany Brown as they embrace leadership and 50 years of empowering and educating minority architects

2021-01-19T18:45:00-05:00

NOMA's commitment to supporting and mentoring architects continues as new leadership transitions for 2021. Jason Pugh will begin his new position in the organization as he follows former President Kimberly Dowdell's work and energy. Pugh will be supported by Pascale Sablan, who was voted President-Elect for the 2023-2024 term. Like the presidents and leaders before them, each newly appointed president has helped shape NOMA into the organization it has become today.

Pugh shares, "One of the main goals for the next two years is to build upon the great work and progress NOMA has accomplished during the last impactful administration, led by NOMA past-President Kimberly Dowdell." In response to her appointment, Sablan wrote to the community sharing her matched enthusiasm in her new role. "I'm extremely proud to share that during the NOMA 48th National Conference, I was voted to be President-Elect to support Jason E. Pugh during his presidency. In this role, I will have the honor of gett...

2020 NOMA Conference opens virtually to the largest conference audience yet, gathering socially motivated architects, designers, and allied professionals

2020-10-15T14:51:00-04:00

This post is brought to you by the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA)

In a year challenged with COVID-19, a recession, and social awakening, NOMA experienced record membership, partnership and sponsorship support.

The 48th Annual National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) Conference opened on Thursday, Oct. 15, 2020, with an online audience of more than 1,500 registrants, making it the largest NOMA conference gathering ever. The virtual conference surpasses the record-breaking attendance of over 1,200 at last year’s NOMA Brooklyn conference. In an unprecedented year due to COVID-19, a resulting recession and social unrest, the conference will bring together architects, designers, academics, urban planners, community developers, artists, and students to champion and discuss how to shift the issues of our current structures to more equitable systems through architecture during the online conference, Oct. 14-17, 2020.

“When faced with the difficult question ...

Join NOMA as they present their 2020 Virtual Conference - Spatial Shifts: Reclaiming our Cities

2020-09-29T15:57:00-04:00

This post is brought to you by the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA)

Together on October 14-18, 2020, we will explore ways in which can break down barriers to creating meaningful projects, share ways to remix the role of the designer, and unpack new approaches to the design processes of our built environment. Each one of us will find our ikusasa, Yoruba for future or progress, to forge our path towards progression.

Now we’re just days away and the agenda has been published at https://conference2020.noma.net/ making today the PERFECT time for you to join the hundreds that have already registered! Early registration ends October 2nd!

Courtesy of NOMA

Cities are changing. Populations and economies in Oakland, Dakar, and beyond. Globally, our cities are changing from population to economies near and far. We, as designers, community members, leaders, and environmental stewards, need to be prepared to champion and shift the issues of our current structures to more equitab...

NOMA responds to the coronavirus pandemic

2020-03-13T12:48:00-04:00

In a statement released March 13th, National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) National President Kimberly Dowdell announced that the organization will cancel or postpone events with more than 20 people. Dowdell writes, "We are levaraging technology to replace many of our in-person events with virtual meetings, when practical."

NOMA is scheduled to host a reception at the 2020 AIA Conference and plans to provide an update after learning the AIA's decision concerning the conference. Additionally, Dowdell stated NOMA is currently considering to change its April national board meeting to a virtual meeting. NOMA Summer programs are still on track pending any further developments.

NOMA International Conference celebrates diverse architectural leadership and excellence

2019-11-07T13:16:00-05:00

In October, the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) hosted their 47th Annual NOMA Conference in Brooklyn. With more than 1,200 registered attendees, this year's event was the largest for the organization.

To conclude the conference, the organization celebrated a banquet dedicated to architecture leadership and excellence awards. With NOMA President Kimberly Dowdell, AIA, NOMA, NCARB, LEED AP presiding over the evening, the special event highlighted some of NOMA's long-time members, such as NOMA’s last surviving founder, Jeh Johnson, an architect who has made tremendous contributions to the organization and the industry.

NOMA founder Mr. Jeh Johnson with NYCOBA NOMA President Samantha Josaph at the 2019 NOMA Honors Banquet and Phil Freelon Professional Design Awards . Image courtesy of nycoba NOMA

A highlight of the evening was recognizing the work of beloved architect, industry leader and long-time NOMA member Phil Freelon, who recently passed away, with the inaugura...

Madame President Goes ALL-In; A Conversation with NOMA President Kimberly Dowdell

2019-09-26T18:35:00-04:00

For Archinect Sessions episode #145, we are joined by Kimberly Dowdell, a principal at HOK in Chicago and the current President of the National Organization of Minority Architects. Our conversation covers Kimberly’s impressive path to success in architecture and the leadership role she’s taking in NOMA. We’ll also discuss the upcoming NOMA conference taking place in Brooklyn in a few weeks from October 14th-20th.

Listen to episode 145 of Archinect Sessions, “Madame President Goes ALL-In”.

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Shownotes:

19th Annual Dunlop GSD Lecture: Kimberly Dowdell

Hamad International Airport Passenger Terminal Complex, the first project by Kimberly Dowdell at HOK, 2008...

Architect Kimberly Dowdell uses her hometown of Detroit as a catalyst for teaching equitable urban design practices

2019-08-14T17:00:00-04:00

In her lecture, entitled “Diverse City: How Equitable Design and Development will Shape Urban Futures,” Dowdell drew on her experiences growing up in Detroit and her work in real estate development.

Earlier this year, architect, Detroit native, and current National Organization of Minority Architects president Kimberly N. Dowdell presented a lecture discussing the importance of equity in design and development. With her multi-disciplinary background in real estate development, education, and architecture, Dowdell explains, "equity, if I boil it down to its most essential element, is making it right,"adding, "Cities can experience trauma, and when you make it right, they can become more resilient."

Thanks to coverage of the lecture by Danielle J. Kranchalk from The Harvard Crimson, we get a view into Dowdell's presentation at Harvard GSD, which showcased her strategy for revitalizing various Detroit neighborhoods.

Her passion and commitment for creating thriving cities are marked by an approach that prioritizes what can be done to think outside the box. As Dowdell poignantly explains, "both people and cities go through cycles of trauma, equity, and resilience." She continues t...