Lone Johnny Calligraphy Leapfrog Group
We agree that the time is now to change the way we think and behave. . . . .
Elevate public awareness by learning how to speak the public’s language . . . . . .
Advocate for the profession by giving members clearer ways to explain themselves . . . .
Expand and share knowledge by leading an effort to discover and codify an architectural canon.
The Key Focus Area – Pursuing a discussion about what it is we think we are selling, and testing whether being the experts about the relationship between human beings and built environment might be the basis of a more effective marketing effort
Goals/Measures of Success – our goals are these:
Primarily, convince you and the profession that we have to change ourselves in order to reach a much greater percentage of America. I believe that is important not only for us but also for America. Design can and should be the future of the American economy. Architecture could lead the effort to make that happen. I think I know how we can do that, but I may be wrong. It may be impossible to keep our existing strengths while drastically increasing our role in the US. We will be searching for a way.
On a more immediate note, the goal is to begin to develop a list of architectural value contributions that everyone can understand, discover whether we can find 50 change network members who believe in this strategy (while at the same time hoping that they will modify the strategy in ways that make it stronger) and are passionate to make it go forward, and create a presentation for you in Austin that will allow you to decide whether to tell us to go forward or to cease and desist. We realize that this may also involve integrating some or all of our efforts into those of existing teams.
Wins-already achieved and/or planned – none already achieved, planned include the active and passionate involvement of 50 members of the change network, and the development of a strategy that you all will embrace in Austin.
Early actions—develop a concise description of this effort
Send this description and a request for contribution to the members of the change network, engage those who respond positively in an ongoing attempt to develop a consensus about a better way to be and a better way to market, and then partner with them in the development of an implementation plan and an information gathering plan
Approaches for leveraging the change network—well, I think I have already made that clear.
Timeline—September 21, complete the message to send to the change network, October 1, confirm that all of the change network members have received our message, October 7, resend message to those from whom we have not heard, October 15, confirm how many and which change network members are interested in participating in this effort, November 15, complete a discussion with the group about what we want to do and how we want to do it, December 15, receive information from the members of the change network, January 15, complete a presentation based on all of the work above.
Further Thoughts—Rome was not built in a day. Great changes must always begin with baby steps.
The culture that presently exists between the very good firms and the very good clients is not what we need to fix.
My personal goal is to convince the local guy who owns the muffler repair shop that an architect can do valuable things for his or her business, and to work with the local architect to make sure that he or she can and will do that.
In my own mind, we could begin fairly quickly to make it possible for architects to sell themselves as the experts on the relationship between human beings and the built environment. And we could fairly quickly begin to market that. From there, it’s up to all of us to make sure that we continue to get smarter and that we make sure our students are prepared to become those experts.
Having said that, I want to be clear that I do not know if it is possible. I think I know that Peter Zumthor and Peter Bohlin manage to do both. I suppose I think that we would be better off with the architects graduating within 1.5 standard deviations from the norm doing buildings that work even if not very often inspired. But please believe me that I remain unsure and am looking forward to the discussion.