Embracing a holistic approach to the future of of architecture

by William J. Bates, FAIA

In my view, the future of architecture is limited only by the architect’s imagination and the public’s faith in our ability to drive lasting, meaningful, and positive change. As Darwin scholar Leon Megginson summarized, “It is not the strongest or the most intelligent who will survive but those who can best manage change.”

The AIA is working to ensure that the future of our profession is even more successful than our past. Our long-term vision is for architects to have greater creative opportunities as entrepreneurs and designers and to be seen as trusted partners and advisers for developers, legislators, and business and civic leaders.

To that end, we must first remember that we control the future of our profession. Key to that is embracing an expanded and holistic approach to the practice of architecture. Expanding our services and areas of expertise will allow us to lead broader public policy discussions, including zoning decisions and setting infrastructure spending priorities.

As we look ahead, the profession’s future will be framed by six key questions:

• What impact will technology have on our design processes? Will it continue to be merely a tool, or will artificial intelligence begin to assume a larger role in the design and creative-thinking process?
• How do we develop a professional demographic that better reflects the society we serve? What does the future path to architectural education and licensure look like? Who will be able to afford it?
• How can the architect of the future more effectively engage with communities of all economic strata?
• What new services must we offer to avoid being commoditized, as owners demand buildings in less time and at lower costs?
• How can we enhance the value of our design services in the eyes of the public, the construction and development industries, and our clients?
• How do we change the perception that we are merely a luxury service for the wealthy?
• How we answer these questions will in no small degree determine the long-term trajectory of architecture as a profession — and as an agent of progress.

I am more convinced than ever that the AIA is an essential part of our profession’s long-term success. The AIA’s ability to bring together allied professions to conduct research and to develop new means and methods will help architects realize their full potential as innovative leaders of the future. For example, the AIA remains an essential and respected advocate for the inclusion of the architect’s voice in public policy discussions about the built world.

The Institute’s comprehensive communications campaign ensures that the public, media, and lawmakers understand the full value of architects to their clients, communities, and country. The AIA’s public outreach efforts under the banner of “Blueprint for Better” have involved an ambitious media campaign to inform the public about the work that we do and make people aware of the positive change that design thinking can bring to our communities’ most complex challenges. Our Film Challenge has provided tangible examples of the power of architects to effect substantive change in communities.

The AIA’s advocacy effort keeps the architect’s voice at the center of the public policy discussion regarding the built world. The AIA has also built a reputation as a trusted adviser to policymakers and legislators at the municipal, state, and federal levels on key issues including resilient design, disaster recovery, sustainability, and preservation. We have also been engaged with components of the United Nations in promoting the New Urban Agenda.

Also, the institute continues to lead efforts to improve the equity, inclusion, and diversity of the workplace, with an immediate focus on stopping workplace harassment of all types and ending discrimination faced by women, minorities, and LGBT professionals.

For this profession to survive, to say nothing of thriving, in the years ahead, those who practice architecture must reflect society’s diversity. That change will take decades to achieve, which is why the AIA is focused today on creating a reliable pipeline of new, young, and diverse talent.

The AIA’s K-12 architectural awareness program spurs student interest early on, from all demographic backgrounds. We are also collaborating with the NAAB, NCARB, ACSA, and AIAS to make architectural education more relevant to the evolving demands of the profession. And our Architectural Foundation is providing scholarships to aid students with the significant financial burdens of architectural education. Fundamentally, the AIA is committed to building a robust awareness of architecture, from grade school to graduate school, to attract the best and the brightest minds regardless of race, gender, sexual identity, or socioeconomic background.

R. Buckminster Fuller accurately defined my objective for this past year as AIA President: “We are called to be architects of the future, not its victims.”