 March 2008 Dear Friends of Public Architecture:
I started Public Architecture out of a desire to address issues that have a profound impact on a larger segment of the community. It was clear that there are many problems of broad relevance and “clients” of varied backgrounds that were often underserved in current architectural practice. Emerging from the overwhelming positive reception with which our SoMa Open Space Strategy was received, Public Architecture was conceived to put architects in the position of “problem identifier” rather than only “problem solver.” We seized on the opportunity to help inspire the design profession and serve as a catalyst for public discourse through prototypical design projects that addressed needs and desires where both clients and financing needed to be imagined or sought.
Now after five years, we are taking our prototypical projects into the next phase. Public Architecture is folding the prototypical design projects into “public interest design campaigns.” We have always sought to have the projects exist not as singular efforts, but as place-specific yet prototypical instruments of broader change. Through a marriage of a prototypical project with a comprehensive advocacy and outreach initiative, we believe we can increase our capacity to fully realize this vision and have an even greater impact on the public realm. We will continue to share more about this transition in the coming months.
Also worth noting this month is that our other major endeavor, The 1% program, has just achieved a very significant milestone. We are pleased to announce that Cambridge Seven of Boston was our 300th firm to pledge to the program. Our 1% firms have pledged over 90,000 hours towards pro bono service annually, representing a substantial contribution to serving the public good.
With the recent expansion of The 1% program and launch of the design campaigns, we believe that Public Architecture can continue to have a positive impact on the profession and the design of the public realm. We look forward to not only sharing the development of these initiatives as the months progress, but also to engaging individuals, like yourself, in the process of shaping their success.
John Peterson
Founder & Chair
Contents:
1. The 1% Program Surpasses 300 Firms with the Addition of Cambridge Seven Associates
2. Design Campaigns Advance Public Architecture Projects
3. Register Now for Structures for Inclusion
4. Liz Ogbu Featured in Green Giants Campaign
5. Public Architecture Seeks Three Summer Associates
6. Recent Press
7. Upcoming Presentations and Participation
8. 10 Ways you can contribute to Public Architecture
1. The 1% Program Surpasses 300 Firms with the Addition of Cambridge Seven Associates
 The 1% Program saw tremendous growth in the last month due to Public Architecture’s participation at the American Institute of Architect National Grassroots Leadership conference and a handful of press articles that were released. The addition of over 25 new firms has brought the grand total to 306 firm participants offering upwards of $9 million dollars in services annually. Cambridge Seven Associates out of Boston, Mass. has been officially noted as firm number 300, bringing with it the addition of more than 50 staff members contributing more than 1,000 hours of service annually.
Nonprofit participants have showed no sign of stopping either with nearly 20 new registrants in February bringing the new total of nonprofit participants to 92. The notable growth in participating nonprofits in the past five months since first enabling nonprofits to participate in our “matching” program, demonstrates the real need to bring architecture and design services to nonprofits throughout the country. As Public Architecture’s network of 1% firms continues to grow, we will be able to increase our ability to support the organizational needs of registered nonprofits.
One of the most significant contributors to the growth of numbers of our participating firms has been word-of-mouth referral, so keep The 1% program on the tip of your tongue and help us spread the word. If you know of architecture firms or nonprofits who are not yet signed up, please direct them to www.theonepercent.org to join.
2. Design Campaigns Advance Public Architecture Projects
 Public Architecture has begun the transition of framing our “design projects” into “public interest design campaigns.” This change stemmed from a desire to better reflect the broad effect with which we viewed these projects and the engagement in public discourse that is often needed to make these projects a reality. Our design campaigns are conceived as a logical next step between the prototypical design projects we have long pursued and the type of robust advocacy and outreach initiatives that can educate and engage the public. We believe that, together, they provide a potent and comprehensive campaign for change, and reinforce our belief that architecture and design can responsively engage the complex social and cultural issues, engender positive social outcomes, and create healthier communities.
As changes in our website reflect, current projects have been retooled to be reflective of this new approach. New advocacy efforts, distributed through a variety of media and methods, will continue to be rolled out in the coming months to complement some of the innovative prototypical design efforts we have undertaken over the years. And new endeavors will now be pursued under the banner of public interest design campaigns. We look forward to exploring the potential of this new direction and to getting feedback on the best ways for us to do this.
3. Register Now for Structures for Inclusion
 Design Corps, in association with Harvard University's Graduate School of Design, announces the eighth offering of the annual Structures for Inclusion (SFI) conference series. Entitled "Systems for Inclusion," SFI8 explores the interface of design and systemic social action: Can design(ers) challenge globally networked systems of exclusivity and inequality? What are the relationships between design and political power, economic and ecological sustainability, justice and community?
Since the first SFI was held at Princeton in 2000, SFI conference series have focused on: 1) showcasing community-based design efforts that reach out to and serve a diverse clientele; and 2) providing information on alternative career paths available to students and young designers. The interdisciplinary group of students from Harvard University's Graduate School of Design and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who collaborated with Design Corps in planning SFI8 changed the name from "Structures" to "Systems for Inclusion" specifically to address how design interrelates to other fields such as public policy, environmental justice and social entrepreneurship. Speakers include designers, politicians, government officials, artists and students who have pioneered innovative methods for social change.
Click HERE to register for SI8.
4. Liz Ogbu Featured in Green Giants Campaign
 Steelcase, Inc. has launched a new campaign called “Green Giants.” Through the initiative, they seek to highlight efforts in creating not only sustainable environments but sustainable communities as well. It is a combination that Public Architecture has long sought to promote in its own work. We are pleased to announce that our design campaign manager, Liz Ogbu, has been selected by Steelcase as a featured Green Giant. A profile on her efforts and that of Public Architecture exist on the Green Giant website and a print ad in Metropolis this month. Sharing this honor with her is Cameron Sinclair of Architecture for Humanity and Peter Wedge of the Wedge Foundation.
Visit the Green Giant website at http://www.beagreengiant.com/ to learn more about the campaign, those profiled, and how you can become a Green Giant.
5. Public Architecture Seeks Three Summer Associates
Public Architecture will offer three summer program associates' positions this year. Both The 1% Summer Associate and Design Campaign Summer Associate require that applicants be in architecture programs, while the Nonprofit Operations Summer Associate role is geared to business or nonprofit management students. This is a great opportunity for students to gain experience working on design, advocacy, and management projects.
Applications will be accepted until March 14; applicants will be notified of our decisions by April 15th. Click HERE for details on the positions and application requirements.
6. Recent Press
Public Architecture garnered several articles over the past month that has increased the traffic to our website and helped grown The 1% program.
"Not Just for Grannies Anymore: The Case for Accessory Dwelling Units" [Read]
ArchitectureBoston, February 2008
"Architect John Peterson building goodwill" [Read]
San Francisco Chronicle, February 26,2008
“Public Space From Public Architecture” [Read]
Curbed SF, February 13, 2008
“Business and Nonprofit Leaders Kick Off Campaign To Boost Skilled Volunteering” [Read]
Corporation for National & Community Service, February 13, 2008
“Contributing to The 1%” [Read]
Guidelines for Improving Practice, Number 1 2008
"Building a Human-Centered Future: One Percent at a Time” [Read]
CoteNotes, Winter 2008
7. Upcoming Presentations and Participation
Grantmakers for Effective Organizations 2008 National Conference | San Francisco, CA |March 10-12, 2008
Invited participant to the “Funder Briefing: The Coming Pro Bono Boom"
OPEA Conference | San Juan, Puerto Rico | April 2-5, 2008
Keynote & Juror
Structures for Inclusion 8 | Harvard University | April 4-6, 2008
Invited panelist
Annual Luncheon for Non-Profit Executives | Milwaukee, WI | April 16, 2008
Invited participant
Pro Bono Roundtable | Chicago, IL | April 16-17, 2008
Invited participant
AIASF Social Sustainability Panel | San Francisco, CA | April 29, 2008
Invited panelist
AIA National Convention | Milwaukee, WI | April 16, 2008
Invited panelist
Click here for a complete list of upcoming and past Public Architecture presentations.
 8. 10 Ways you can contribute to 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.
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