Ed,
I really appreciate your comments here as they are not "outliers" and do reflect many of the same feelings that architects whom practice in the residential archetype have about the AIA. This is very unfortunate and to not recognize this situation would be blatantly rude and disrespectful. I am responding here not about the discourse you and Jon Dick are engaging in. I know Jon Dick personally and his heart and soul are completely rooted in making every effort to broaden awareness within and outside the AIA of what good architecture is. I am enjoying reading both your comments immensely. I feel you to care deeply about this situation based on many of your remarks.
However, my concern and effort to write this post is based on the hasty generalization in this comment:
"The AIA's own CRAN - who vows to be Style Neutral. While I applaud CRAN's "Style-Neutral" efforts, I have seen little tangible evidence in both AIA publications and award programs."
Ed, this is very vague and unfortunately I take umbrage with the disposition of your statement. To whom and what are you referring to regarding "tangible evidence". What are you really talking about here? Is your sole focus in this comment relating to design awards and juries and CRAN's impact on them within the AIA? Or, is there is broader underlying commentary here. If you are stating that CRAN's presence within the AIA has made no impact nor made any strides towards creating an environment within the AIA for the residential practitioner to find a home, than I would love to speak with you and educate you on what CRAN has done over the past eight years.
Yes, does CRAN want to help the Institute broaden its focus in the design competition you and Jon Dick are discussing - you bet! However, CRAN's focus has never been so singular in nature. In fact, its focus is based on three major goals within its mission statement: advocate, educate and support for the residential practitioner. I am going to give you the benefit of the doubt here as perhaps you have not had the opportunity to engage with CRAN, its members and perhaps even attend one of the annual Symposiums we have had for the past eight years. I think you would find a cadre of individuals such as yourself, filled with passion yet concern about the future of the institute, looking for fellowship with other residential practitioners to share and exchange best practices and most importantly, finding such a group of architects within the Institute whom through their own bootstrapping efforts, have made enormous impact in a positive way.
Ed, I am asking that before you leave the AIA, come find out more about what CRAN is, where CRAN came from and where CRAN is going. I am not guaranteeing you anything here Ed, I know better than to force you to drink the water at the well. What I do know is that there are groups within the Institute that you can align yourself with and from your comments, CRAN might be one of them. We are an intensely inclusive group on multiple levels, not just design style. The reason I can vouch for CRAN is that for myself, it was the group within the Institute with whom I could really align with and find a home. My exposure to CRAN came in 2010 in Miami and then in Austin at the CRAN Symposium. I chose to allow the possibility that this group with its humble early beginnings could really make a difference. Man am I glad I chose hope over anger, frustration and resentment towards the Institute. I am very proud to tell you that I am now serving as the 2015 CRAN National Chair as I write this comment to you. So much of my professional development within and outside the profession has occurred by my involvement with this group of individuals. If you would have told me this was going to happen before 2010, I would have told you needed therapy.
I completely appreciate your twenty years of involvement with the Institute and thank you for your service. You may think it all went under-appreciated yet it really did not. You may think it only benefited the big guy yet it really did not. I, like you, am a "little guy". Yet, I refuse to allow the size of my Architect-led Design-Build Firm to limit my contributions and hope towards a better environment for the Residential Practitioner within the Institute. Sometimes you just have to go through too many trials and tribulations to finally see some light towards redirecting your faith for another round on the track. If I can help you in any way towards broadening your current periphery with what is available for you in the Institute with CRAN, please contact me at your convenience. If you do choose to leave the Institute, I wish you nothing but the best for the remainder of your architectural career.
Additionally, please know there are no special doors to get into CRAN, it is a simple aperture that is open 24/7.
Respectfully,
James A. Walbridge, AIA
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James Walbridge AIA
President
Tekton Architecture
San Francisco CA
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Original Message:
Sent: 04-23-2015 22:02
From: Edward Shannon
Subject: Huffington Post coverage of Housing Awards
Mr Dick:
In response to your letter posted yesterday as to why I have come to the conclusion that the AIA has an "Avant Garde Agenda? Allow me to give you a few of my reasons. My conclusions come from being an architect in the residential sector , serving mostly middle class, suburban clients.
You state there were "Less than five" entered in production housing! The AIA competition committee be asking: WHY? I think I know why. Why bother spending time and money entering good projects, when they will likely never be recognized! The same goes for the lack of diversity in style! Many talented architects who have diligently served their clients probably ask: "Why bother?"
Now, in case you think I am just a disgruntled architect who has sat on the sidelines most of my career, I will let you know that I was active in the AIA for over twenty years! I served two terms on my chapter's board of directors. I served on many committees. IN fact, I chaired three of those committees: Design Awards, Education, and Scholarship. You see, I knew early on that architect's were fighting a battle. And I thought EVERY architect should fight the fight! But, I have come to realize that my hard efforts and money were really benefitting the bigger, more profitable firms, more so than the little guys, like me!
I have made the conclusion that the AIA just "doesn't get" residential design - or at least how it is practice by 85% of licensed architects out there. So, I have ceased being a member. As such, this will be my last post on this forum. I really hope the AIA can come around. I have given a lot to this organization, yet feel my efforts have been futile.
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Edward Shannon AIA
Architect
Imprint Architects
Des Moines IA
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Original Message:
Sent: 04-22-2015 20:23
From: Jon Dick
Subject: Huffington Post coverage of Housing Awards
Mr. Shannon,
As a member of the jury (representing CRAN), I appreciate hearing any and all critiques of the results of our deliberation. However, I believe it is rather presumptuous of you to conclude that the jury had an "avant-garde agenda". I'm curious to know how you came to this conclusion. Since it is in fact wrong. Most agree that cutting edge architecture receives a vast majority of coverage in the press. But it would be an error to blindly extend that preference to this jury.
For you to conclude that "the AIA is completely out of touch with (one of) the largest sectors of construction in the country!" is, in my view, unfair. The fact is, there were indeed very, very few Single Family Multi-Family Production Housing entries. If memory serves me correctly, there were less than five. And, I'm afraid those that did enter did not meet the standard of excellence. I can assure you the jury was very much style neutral and we too expressed concern there were not more entries that reflected a more subtle regional contextualism... in all of the categories. Our lengthy deliberations (amongst a varied group of jurors) were thoughtful, careful and measured.
I don't disagree that "there are examples of well designed production (spec) homes that show attention to detail and craft, while appealing to a main stream audience". We simply did not see any in the submissions. The only way for these types of projects to "be sought out and promoted" is for architects to submit them!!!
A more style diverse palette was not selected because the projects submitted were not as diverse as we had hoped. Although I would like to suggest to you that the winning "Old Briar" house is far from being avant-garde, nor are the five cottages at Marlboro Music.
I agree that there is a missed opportunity to connect the profession with the public, but it seems unfair to me to lay the blame for that at the feet of the AIA, unless you qualify your statement by saying the AIA member architects. They are the ones that need to submit their work. Otherwise how can we ever consider it?
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Jon Dick AIA
Architect
Archaeo Architects
Santa Fe NM
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Original Message:
Sent: 04-21-2015 14:05
From: Edward Shannon
Subject: Huffington Post coverage of Housing Awards
It saddens me that the AIA could award no winners in the Single Family Multi-Family Production Housing Category! I have to think that either there were few or no entries (Why bother?) or that the jury felt even the best examples in the country do not meet the avant-garde agenda of the AIA. It shows how completely out of touch the AIA is with (one of) the largest sectors of construction in the country! Surely there are examples of well designed production (spec) homes that show attention to detail and craft, while appealing to a main stream audience? Why could these not be sought out and promoted? And while the projects that did win awards display a high degree of design excellence, it is also sad that a more style diverse palette was not selected. This represents a HUGE missed opportunity to connect the profession with the public for the AIA!
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Edward Shannon AIA
Architect
Imprint Architects
Des Moines IA
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Original Message:
Sent: 04-17-2015 09:24
From: Scott Frank
Subject: Huffington Post coverage of Housing Awards
This message has been cross posted to the following Discussion Forums: Custom Residential Architects Network and Housing Knowledge Community .
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Hi all -
Passing along the first-ever coverage of the Housing Awards that ran on the Huffington Post Home section:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/16/most-beautiful-homes-2015_n_7079048.html?utm_hp_ref=huffpost-home&ir=HuffPost+Home
Please share via social media channels and pass along to anyone that you think might have an interest.
thanks!
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Scott Frank
Sr. Director, Media Relations
The American Institute of Architects
Washington DC
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