February 2009

Dear Friends of Public Architecture:

Last Friday, during the 30th Annual Interior Awards in New York, two of Public Architecture’s foremost leaders, John Peterson & John Cary, were jointly recognized with the Designers of the Year Award. Now in its 30th year, past recipients of the award include the likes of Ralph Appelbaum, Shigeru Ban, Shashi Caan, Michael Graves, William McDonough, David Rockwell, and Lauren Rottet.

“In an age where the desire to ‘give back’ seems to be a growing response to the weariness of excess, John Peterson and John Cary have emerged as leaders in the field. They have put socially-responsible design on the map, inspired a greater sense of purpose among those interested in practicing it, and--most importantly--offer a practical, organized approach to executing it,” noted editor Jennifer Busch in the January 2009 issue of Contract magazine.

+ Download a PDF of Contract magazine’s coverage (includes photos) [2.2mb]

+ Read Contract magazine’s online coverage of the award

+ View the award video [7 min.]

+ Read Public Architecture’s press release [PDF, 136kb]

Please join me in congratulating John Peterson and John Cary as well as the staff, board, supporters, and friends of Public Architecture on this significant recognition.

Tim Culvahouse, FAIA
Public Architecture Board Chair

Contents:
1. Large Firm Leaders Endorse The 1% Program of Public Architecture
2. The 1% Program Expands in January Thanks to Word-of-Mouth
3. Material Reuse Design Initiative Moves Ahead with Survey
4. Public Architecture Call for Volunteers
5. Structures for Inclusion 9 Conference Announced
6. Upcoming Events & Participation
7. Support Public Architecture

1. Large Firm Leaders Endorse The 1% Program of Public Architecture

In preparing their acceptance remarks for the Designers of the Year Award, John Cary and John Peterson secured significant endorsements from the following large firm leaders. Their support holds considerable weight with the award ceremony audience of designers, manufacturers, and vendors.

"I am asking you and your company to make a real commitment to this innovative pro bono design program. You can expect a big return on the investment and it is the right thing to do."
--M. Arthur Gensler Jr., FAIA, FIIDA, Chairman, Gensler


"We are both architects at HKS and members of our community. We know that design can change lives. HKS pledges 1% of our time to pro bono services through this innovative program to give back to our communities. We would challenge all designers and manufacturers to support pro bono design and The 1% program as a platform to give back to their communities."
--H. Ralph Hawkins, FAIA, Chairman & CEO, HKS, Inc.


"With Public Architecture's encouragement and help, Perkins+Will became the first large firm in the country to establish a pro bono policy that enables each of our offices to give back to their local communities. We are proud to be a participant and financial supporter of The 1% program of Public Architecture. However, much more help is needed. Therefore we strongly encourage similar commitments from our consultants, manufacturers, and vendors."
--Phil Harrison, AIA, CEO, Perkins+Will


"I am very proud of my firm and partners at Perkins +Will who have embraced The 1% program. It is a very positive way to engage and touch many of our team members who want to participate in doing good by sharing their knowledge and talents. The 1% program truly is the best platform I know to reinforce the 'value' that good design can bring to everyday life."
--Eva Maddox, FIIDA, Perkins+ Will | Eva Maddox Branded Environments


"HOK is proud to support the efforts of Public Architecture to improve our world through pro bono design. Creating better environments for our children, communities, and the organizations that support them requires more than even our best design services. By joining The 1% program, leading manufacturers can help us go the extra mile in providing high-quality environments and furnishing for people in need and those so deeply committed to helping them."
--Bill Valentine, FAIA, Chairman, HOK

2. The 1% Program Expands in January Thanks to Word-of-Mouth

The 1% program expanded in the month of January to include 14 new firms and 11 new nonprofits. Click here for a complete list of these new participants.

While The 1% has a presence nationally in all but a few states, a number of states lead the country in firm participation in The 1%. California leads with over one hundred firms participating in The 1%, while the state of Florida, whose AIA chapter is particularly active in promotion of the program, boasts 50 participating firms. New York, Illinois, and Washington are also home to large numbers of firms participating in The 1%.

Public Architecture is committed to institutionalizing pro bono work within the design fields, and bringing quality design to communities across the country. Many firms report first learning of The 1% from a professional colleague or their local AIA chapter. This underscores the power of word-of-mouth advertising to expand the reach of this important idea. If you are interested in expanding the presence of The 1% in your own community, email info@theonepercent.org for information and resources.

Visit www.theonepercent.org for more information.

3. Material Reuse Design Initiative Moves Ahead with Survey

With the support of a major grant from the United States Green Building Council (USGBC), Public Architecture continues to advance its Material Reuse Design Initiative through a comprehensive research project. Building on its previous work with ScrapHouse and the TAF Community Learning Center, the research project seeks to increase rates of material reuse and encourage its integration within the sustainable design agenda.

The effort moves this month into its next phase with a baseline survey of firms, contractors, deconstruction and reuse industry professionals, as well as municipalities. The survey seeks to assess existing knowledge regarding salvage and reuse, and to identify barriers that exist to the greater incorporation of material reuse within the building industry. We thank those who receive the survey in advance for their responses, as greater participation increases the efficacy of the data.

Following the survey, the research effort will turn to documenting – and ultimately publishing--case study projects incorporating salvage material or featuring design for reuse. Suggestions for possible projects are welcome.

Email info@publicarchitecture.org with any ideas or questions.

4. Public Architecture Call for Volunteers

Public Architecture seeks the involvement of volunteers to aid our efforts to create positive community change through design. Volunteers directly support Public Architecture’s activities, and have the opportunity to work with directly with our fulltime professional staff and other partners.

Skills desired range from design and rendering expertise to administrative assistance, research, and writing. Volunteer opportunities are available immediately and time commitments vary. Both in-office and remote opportunities exist. Interested parties should email info@publicarchitecture.org expressing interest and include a resume and, where appropriate, any available work samples. Volunteer positions are competitive and Public Architecture is not able to accommodate all those interested.

Public Architecture’s call for Summer Associate applications will also be announced later in the month. Please visit our website or see the March newsletter for further details.

Click here for a list of current volunteer opportunities.

5. Structures for Inclusion 9 Conference Announced

March 20-22, 2009 | Dallas, TX

Registration will open soon for the ninth annual Structures for Inclusion (SFI9) conference, presented by Design Corps in conjunction with the buildingcommunityWORKSHOP (bcWORKSHOP) and the architecture schools of Texas.

For the past eight years, Design Corps has worked with a local nonprofit organization or school to host SFI9. From its inception in 2000, the dual mission of SFI has consistently been to showcase design efforts that reach out to and serve a diverse clientele and to provide information on alternative career paths available to students and young designers. Public Architecture, in association with Urban Ecology, was proud to host SFI6 in 2006, and remains an annual supporter of this important gathering.

Click here for more information about Structures for Inclusion 9.

6. Upcoming Events & Participation

University of Arizona | Tucson, AZ | February 13, 2009
Invited speaker

Humanscale | Los Angeles, CA | February 25, 2009
Invited speaker, Showroom Seminar Series

Steelcase WorkLife Center | Santa Monica, CA | February 26, 2009
[Register]
Invited panelist, “Expanding Architecture: Conversations on Design as Activism”

University of Miami | Miami, FL | March 5-7, 2009
Keynote speaker, AIA National "Redefining the Architect's Role" conference

DePaul University | Chicago, IL | March 18-19, 2009
Invited panelist, Converge: Exchange Symposium

Steelcase | Chicago, IL | March 19, 2009
Invited panelist, “Expanding Architecture: Conversations on Design as Activism”

Structures for Inclusion 9 | Dallas, TX | March 20-22, 2009
Invited moderator

Humanscale | New York, NY | March 26, 2009
Invited speaker, Showroom Seminar Series

Click here for a complete list of upcoming and past Public Architecture presentations.

7. Support Public Architecture

Click here for 10 ways to contribute to our work.

Established in 2002, Public Architecture identifies and solves practical problems of human interaction in the built environment and acts as a catalyst for public discourse through education, advocacy, and the design of public spaces and amenities. Visit www.publicarchitecture.org for more information.