Archinect - News

Equity, Secrets and Relevancy of AIA; 1 Year After #NotMyAIA

2017-11-16T15:12:00-05:00

This week we're devoting our episode to the anniversary of the 2016 election of Donald J. Trump, the statement by the AIA CEO Robert Ivy, and the subsequent dissent born out of the hashtag #NotMyAIA. We look to what has changed, and what hasn't; as it relates to the profession, activism and education, and what does the future portend.

Joining Ken today are Katherine Darnstadt, founder and principal at Chicago-based Latent Design, V. Mitch McEwen, founder and principal at Brooklyn-based A(n) Office, principal of McEwen Studio, and assistant professor at Princeton School of Architecture, and Rosa T. Sheng, AIA LEED AP BD C, principal at SmithGroupJJR, AIASF President Elect - 2018 Board.

Listen to "Equity, Secrets and Relevancy of AIA":

iTunes: Click here to listen, and click the "Subscribe" button below the logo to automatically download new episodes.
Apple Podcast App (iOS): click here to subscribe
SoundCloud: click here to follow Archinect
RSS: subscribe with any of your favorite podc...

How Not to Run a Club; A conversation with Scott Frank, ex-Senior Director of Media Relations at the AIA

2017-05-27T15:00:00-04:00

We are joined this week by Scott Frank of Argo Communications. Scott was previously the Senior Director of Media Relations at AIA National, but resigned after the Robert Ivy letter/ #NotMyAIA controversy, as discussed in Episode 89 of Archinect Sessions. We invited Scott to the podcast to discuss his new architect-focused business and general communications strategies for architects, but couldn't resist the opportunity to delve into a behind-the-scenes viewpoint of the national fiasco. As we at Sessions continue to both criticize and actively engage with improving the National AIA's role, Scott offers the perspective of an aligned professional into how architects can direct the news media discussion to better represent ourselves to the public. Warning: This episode contains an even higher level of cuss words than a typical episode. Enjoy!

Listen to "How Not to Run a Club":

iTunes: Click here to listen, and click the "Subscribe" button below the logo to automatically download new epi...

Aamodt/Plumb Architects resigns from the AIA over Robert Ivy's conciliatory comments toward Trump

2017-01-10T19:54:00-05:00

Don't pay your national AIA dues if you don't agree with the direction of the association. At least, that's what Mette Aamodt is doing this year. According to a press release issued by the firm, Aamodt explains that she:

is calling on architects to join her in refusing to work for clients engaged in discrimination, human rights violations, tyranny and exploitation. AIA National dues are due this week and every member has to make a choice about where they stand.

Together with her partner Andrew Plumb, Aamodt and their firm Aamodt / Plumb Architects is raising money to start a non-profit organization dedicated to education and advocacy around quality construction techniques, healthy materials and fair labor practices. “We have just elected one of the world’s worst developers as President, who exploits people and natural resources to build junk buildings that benefit no one but himself,” says Mette Aamodt. “It’s time for architects to take a stand and fight back, rather than rolling ove...

Scott Frank, Senior Director of Media Relations for the AIA, resigns following the AIA's statement of support for President-elect Trump

2016-11-30T13:40:00-05:00

It’s been a rocky few weeks for the American Institute of Architects. Shortly following the election of Donald Trump, AIA CEO Robert Ivy released a statement on behalf of the 89,000 members of the organization, stating, “The AIA and its 89,000 members are committed to working with President-elect Trump to address the issues our country faces, particularly strengthening the nation’s aging infrastructure.” However, not all 89,000 members of the AIA do, in fact, commit to working with the controversial President-elect. As a result, many took to Twitter and other social media platforms to voice their discontent with the hashtag #NotMyAIA, which we’ve collected here.

Now, Scott Frank, the AIA’s Senior Director of Media Relations, has resigned from his post in response to the controversy. Architect’s Newspaper reports that Scott resigned due to the “AIA’s severe mishandling of the situation” and “total lack of accountability”. We reached out via email to the AIA’s Senior Manager of Media R...

NEXT CITY publishes an article by Bryan Lee on the latest riff between AIA and its members

2016-11-21T15:12:00-05:00

“You are not a profession that has distinguished itself by your social and civic contributions to the cause of civil rights, and I am sure this has not come to you as any shock. You are most distinguished by your thunderous silence and your complete irrelevance.”

"We have fallen short and Mr. Ivy, in this instance, does nothing to belie the concerns of the membership. It is all too easy for us to be cynical and skeptical at times like these, when the more precise tool (and one we are built for) is to be critical and creative. The AIA made a mistake and has apologized both publicly and privately, but apologies mean nothing without action. Now is the time to press the Institute to act. Act as an apolitical (not bipartisan) force for social good in the built environment. I wholeheartedly believe that to protest is to have an unyielding faith in the potential for a just society. As a member of the AIA, I am not removing myself from the conversation. Instead I will continue to stand and I will continue to protest, when necessary, in hopes of a better profession.

To that end, I encourage those within the profession to acknowledge the cultural implications of our work and become forceful advocates for true equity and design justice. I am calling on ...

Compared to AIA letters issued during Obama's election, CEO Robert Ivy's statement on Trump is far from "business as usual"

2016-11-18T19:47:00-05:00

Welp, that was fast. On yesterday's episode of Archinect Sessions ("#89: AIAWOL"), while discussing the recent fallout over the AIA's statement pledging support of President-elect Trump, Paul sent out an open call to listeners: send us any other statements made by the AIA in response to a prior presidential election. Within hours of posting the episode, the AIA responded with two statements: one from President Obama's election in 2008 (dated 11/24/2008), and one from his reelection in 2012 (dated 11/7/2012).

While all three statements appear, on their face, as form-letters expressing that the AIA will work with the President-elect insofar as their usual role demands, the 2008/2012 statements differ in a few key ways from the one AIA CEO Robert Ivy made in the wake of this year's election, provoking outrage among members.

For one, neither the 2008 nor 2012 statements are signed by any one person—they quote from the concurrent AIA President or CEO, but are not issued as if directly from...

AIA CEO and President issue "special message to members" in latest response to #NotMyAIA debacle

2016-11-17T20:46:00-05:00

After AIA CEO Robert Ivy's statement in support of President-elect Donald Trump's administration drew fire from AIA members and architectural organizations—resulting in the #NotMyAIA hashtag and threats to not renew membership—Ivy and AIA President Russell Davidson responded with a special apology video to try and assuage members. More details on the timeline of events can be found here.

The dissenting discussion and frustration with AIA's "spineless" response to the repudiation of a "business as usual" attitude continued on Twitter, and has apparently not fallen on deaf ears, now that Ivy and Davidson have issued yet another statement on the AIA's website.

Their complete letter, posted here on November 17, is as follows:

A special message to members

AIA CEO/EVP Robert Ivy, FAIA, and 2016 AIA President Russell Davidson, FAIA, November 17, 2016

The impassioned responses to the recent AIA press statement concerning the future presidential administration make clear that the experience of th...

AIAWOL: Dissenting architects and the #NotMyAIA fallout, ft. Katherine Darnstadt of Latent Design, on Archinect Sessions #89

2016-11-17T17:15:00-05:00

This week we're devoting our entire episode to the debacle that was AIA CEO Robert Ivy's statement in support of President-elect Donald Trump, and the ensuing fallout among AIA members and others within the architecture community. Joining us is Katherine Darnstadt, founder and principal at Chicago-based Latent Design, and the originator of the dissenting #NotMyAIA hashtag, tweeted in response to Ivy's initial letter.

To get the full background to the whole controversy, read our feature: Architects Respond to the AIA’s Statement in Support of President-Elect Donald Trump

Listen to episode 89 of Archinect Sessions, "AIAWOL":

iTunes: Click here to listen, and click the "Subscribe" button below the logo to automatically download new episodes.
Apple Podcast App (iOS): click here to subscribe
SoundCloud: click here to follow Archinect
RSS: subscribe with any of your favorite podcasting apps via our RSS feed: http://archinect.libsyn.com/rss
Download: this episode

...

AIA leaders release video apology for statement in support of President-Elect Trump

2016-11-15T12:31:00-05:00

Last week, following the election of Donald J. Trump, the AIA’s CEO, Robert Ivy, issued a statement in support of the President-Elect. The statement quickly provoked controversy, with many AIA members rejecting the sentiment and some even leaving the organization. We collected statements, responses, and tweets from architects here.

Later, Mr. Ivy released a response to criticism voiced by Architect Newspaper’s editorial team. Many found the statement equivocal, and not an adequate denouncement of the vitriolic, racist, and sexist rhetoric of the President-Elect.

Yesterday, Mr. Ivy, alongside the 2016 AIA President Russell Davidson, released a video apologizing for the earlier statement. In it, the two leaders of the organization take responsibility for the statement and the uproar it caused.

“Our world changed last Tuesday,” states Mr. Ivy. “Many of us, including me, were shocked and stunned and we’re still grappling with our feelings about what this election means for our country.

Unfo...

AIA Chicago responds to AIA CEO's statement in support of President-elect Donald Trump

2016-11-14T20:00:00-05:00

The AIA Chicago Board of Directors wants to assure our members that we do not support the recent statement made by national AIA on November 10, which prematurely expressed the support of AIA’s 89,000 members for an unarticulated infrastructure agenda made by the incoming presidential administration.

Chicago's AIA chapter has joined a growing list of local chapters, individuals and other architectural organizations who have expressed concerns over AIA CEO Robert Ivy's statement in support of the Trump administration. For a complete run-down of the debacle and its evolution into the #NotMyAIA hashtag, see our explainer.

The Chicago AIA's statement, written by senior board members, was originally published on their website on November 14. Its complete form is as follows:

To members of AIA Chicago:

The AIA Chicago Board of Directors wants to assure our members that we do not support the recent statement made by national AIA on November 10, which prematurely expressed the support of AIA’s 89,000 members for an unarticulated infrastructure agenda made by the incoming presidential administration. Further, we are committed to working with all of you to deepen our diversity and inclusion initiatives, and to continue the discussions that affect positive change on issues that are critical to...

Yale School of Architecture students respond to AIA's comments in support of President-elect Donald Trump

2016-11-14T18:37:00-05:00

On November 9, 2016, the American Institute of Architects resigned itself to a cowardly position of economic and political subservience with its support of President-elect Trump. The AIA’s refusal to take a principled stance on an incoming administration that galvanized support through hatred, divisiveness, and fear constitutes an abdication of its self-proclaimed responsibility to speak on behalf of architects and a contradiction of its own stated beliefs.

We, the undersigned students of the Yale School of Architecture, unequivocally denounce the AIA’s endorsement of the new status quo. For too long, our profession has been complicit in giving form to landscapes of inequality and discrimination, and has itself been plagued by a history of racial and gender inequity. The AIA’s immediate and unquestioning pandering to the Trump administration threatens a continuation of our troubled past and demonstrates a willingness to pursue financial gain at the expense of our values. With the pro...

Tamara Roy AIA, President of the Boston Society of Architects/AIA responds to #NotMyAIA

2016-11-14T18:23:00-05:00

Dear Mr. Ivy:

On behalf of the Boston Society of Architects/AIA I am writing to share our shock and disappointment with last week’s post-election statement expressing the Institute’s willingness to work with President-elect Trump and members of the 115th Congress. While we support the need for design professionals and AIA members to work together to move the country forward, and the country’s need to address failing infrastructure, this statement fails to acknowledge the serious contradictions between the Trump campaign and the AIA’s own mission and values. The conciliatory and congratulatory tone of last week’s message in response to the election is at odds with the very goals and values articulated by the AIA. We agree with the Architect’s Newspaper. It would be irresponsible and reprehensible to “ignore the role design and designers could play in instituting and perpetuating the inequality inherent in the racist patriarchy Trump’s ideology embodies.” We wish to reaffirm our commit...

Cheryl Noel, AIA of Chicago's Wrap Architecture responds to #NotMyAIA

2016-11-14T18:22:00-05:00

I believe one writes because one has to create a world in which one can live. I could not live in any of the worlds offered to me — the world of my parents, the world of war, the world of politics. I had to create a world of my own, like a climate, a country, an atmosphere in which I could breathe, reign, and recreate myself when destroyed by living. That, I believe, is the reason for every work of art.

I am writing in response to Robert Ivy’s post-election statement committing the AIA’s 89,000 members to working with Donald Trump. As an architect, as a woman, this AIA member makes no such commitment.

The fact that in 2016 the very thought of an intelligent, talented, overqualified woman holding the highest political office in our country was still so intolerable to most voters that a misogynistic, bigoted bully was able to beat her is absolutely soul crushing. Though I fully support the funding of long overdue infrastructure improvements—obstructed in large p art by Mr. Trump’s Republican colleagues—ƒMr. Ivy’s insensitive statement in such close proximity to the election result, that so many of us are devastated by, is offensive and represents the latest saddest example of architects willing to sell their souls chasing the next project fee. There are moments in time when we are presented with choices, choices that define who we are. Who will we choose to be?

Donald Trump based his...