While I think Christopher has a point, I would suggest there is a both/and solution (a reference which may date me). We need of-the-people grassroots involvement by architects in the civic and political realms across the board, working at all levels. At the same time, my hope is that the next great champion of architecture at the federal level will BE an architect. While Dick Swett was in the lower chamber not all that long ago, he didn't stick around long enough to get the seniority that Sen. Moynihan had, to be able to instigate the kind of paradigm shift that Leslie and others are talking about.
I love Christopher's point about the single piece of paper by the way.
If we had a Member of Congress or the Senate who was an architect - or hey, why not go wild and crazy; what about as many as two out of the 535? - then it would be a different conversation entirely. When the Administration, for example, decided again to go bonkers over funding "roads and bridges," our friend(s) in the House or Senate could remind them, well yes, that's nice, but a better way to stimulate the economy more quickly, and put money in the hands of more ordinary Americans, would be to focus on funding public BUILDINGS instead. When some knuckle-dragger tried to undo the Brooks Act they would be there to say, "I don't THINK so!"
Leslie brings up a great point. I expect that many reading the AAJ fora are involved in their communities, likely with close ties to local law enforcement. No politician ever went wrong being seen as supportive of - and supported by - police and sheriff's departments. Hopefully, one or two of you reading this will look in the mirror and decide, "Hey, I can do as well in Congress as the incumbent - maybe better!" and take the plunge. It's probably too late for 2012 but with the new maps it's not completely out of the question; for some seats there is an incumbent already filed but no challenger from the other party.
And then, some day, one of those architect/Congressmen (or -women!) will decide to run for President. After all, our last architect President was Thomas Jefferson. With everything from his support for the L'Enfant Plan to the Louisiana Purchase, he did pretty well by us.
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Eric Davis AIA, NCARB, LEED AP
President
Public Design Architects LLC
edavis@publicdesignarchitects.com www.publicdesignarchitects.com Oak Park IL
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Original Message:
Sent: 11-04-2011 15:00
From: Christopher Hirai
Subject: AAJ 2011 Conference: Who are the next political champions of good architecture?
The interesting thing to me is that Senator Moynihan's movement towards the establishment of guidelines really begain with a single sheet of paper. A one page report outlining how Architecture should reflect the spirit and character of the government. Granted that single sheet of paper was delivered to the President of the United States but still a siginificant first step in such a concise medium.
In regards to your question however I am not so sure it has to be a political champion. As we are a government for the people and by the people perhaps this is a movement that has to be made championed by the users of these buildings, that then carries up to the higher levels of government? I feel like Senator Moynihan really got things going and really put the ball in play, but its up to the rest of us designers and agencies (the clients and the facility users) to keep pushing.
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Christopher Hirai Assoc. AIA
Project Coordinator
Nacht & Lewis Architects
Sacramento CA
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Original Message:
Sent: 11-03-2011 21:36
From: Suzi Smith
Subject: AAJ 2011 Conference: Who are the next political champions of good architecture?
Leslie Shepard's plenary session on the late Daniel Patrick Moynihan was a tribute to the Democratic senator's enduring contribution to federal architecture through his authorship of the Guiding Principles for Federal Architecture. Mr. Shepard then posed the question: Who are the next political champions of good architecture? Moynihan penned his Principles some 14 years before he was first elected to the Senate. Perhaps architecture's next political champions are not yet political figureheads. Maybe the next political champions aren't people at all. Perhaps the institutions such as GSA and AOC have adopted the role of that political figurehead. What do you think? Do you observe political leaders in your community who are championing architecture beyond their communities? Or has architecture established a significant enough presence in government to advocate for itself?
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Suzi Smith Assoc. AIA
HMC + Beverly Prior Architects
San Francisco CA
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