November 2006
Dear Friends of Public Architecture:
October was Public Architecture's busiest-ever travel month, including presentations at a variety of conferences, firms, and schools in 8 cities and in almost as many states across the country. One of our more significant presentations took place October 14-16 during the fifth annual Summit on Sustainable Design, which united 100 top firm leaders for three days of thought and discussion in Santa Fe. The Summits are organized by a leading building industry group called the Design Futures Council (DFC).
 Public Architecture was privileged to be among the roster of speakers, which included senior designers and leaders from firms such as ARUP, Foster & Partners, HOK, NBBJ, SOM, and others. Our 30-minute presentation focused in large part on our 1% Solution program in addition to our community center project in Seattle, in partnership with Miller|Hull. The reception exceeded our expectations, sparking numerous conversations during and following the conference. We hope to announce the fruits of those discussions in the weeks and months ahead.
During the Summit, our own John Cary was inducted as a Senior Fellow of the Design Futures Council alongside nine other building industry and environmental leaders. The ten honorees for 2006 include: Harold Adams, FAIA, Past Chairman, RTKL
John Cary, Executive Director, Public Architecture
Steven Chu, PhD, Nobel Laureate & Director, Lawrence Berkeley Laboratories
Nigel Dancey, RIBA, Senior Partner, Foster & Partners
Clark Davis, FAIA, Vice Chairman, HOK
Martin Fischer, PhD, Director, Stanford Center for Integrated Facility Engineering
Al Gore, Former U.S. Vice President & Environmentalist
Bruce Mau, Principal, Bruce Mau Design
Ed Mazria, AIA, Founder, Architecture 2030
Gordon Mills, FAIA, CEO, Durrant Group At 29, John is the youngest-ever Senior Fellow by a matter of fifteen years. We believe this is a tribute to the relevance, potential, and growing recognition of Public Architecture--of which you and your good work are important pieces. Thank you for your continued participation and support.
John Peterson
Founder & Chair
Contents:
1. Public Architecture Design Project Update
2. 1% Solution Welcomes Five New Firm Pledges
3. Pro Bono Project Profile
4. Upcoming Lectures & Presentations
5. 2007 Rudy Brunner Award Call for Submissions
6. What You Can Do to Support Public Architecture
1. Public Architecture Design Project Update
 In addition to our active community center project in King County, Wash., a great deal of our time and attention is presently focused on advancing our day laborer project. This latest push coincides with an invitation to participate in an exhibition at the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum in New York. The exhibit, "Design for the other 90%" (working title), is expected to run from May 4-September 23, 2007. The station itself will be an aggressively self-efficient and sustainable project, existing primarily, if not entirely off the grid.
Ryan Associates, a leading construction company with offices in San Francisco and New York, has already agreed to build a portion of the first prototype of what we are now calling the "Day Labor Station." We are currently working to locate an actual day labor site, which can serve as a permanent home for the completed prototype after the exhibition ends. Ultimately, our Day Labor Stations will be deployed in locations across the country. Stay tuned for more information via a dedicated website that we are developing to promote this unique project and cause.
Financial and in-kind donations (particularly green/environmental/sustainable materials and fixtures) are needed to make this project a reality. Can you help? Please email Liz Ogbu today to offer your support liz@publicarchitecture.org.
2. 1% Solution Welcomes Five New Firm Pledges
 During the month of October, Public Architecture welcomed five new firms as 1% Solution pledges. Collectively, they have committed nearly 2,000 hours in the year ahead, raising our annual pledge total to nearly 40,000 hours.
The five firms include: Colorado Architecture Partnership (Colorado Springs)
John Shafer & Assoc. (Springfield, IL)
June Grant (Oakland, CA)
Open House Works, LLC (Swampscott, MA)
Rogers Marvel Architects (New York) We are presently in conversation with a range of firms, including HGA (Minneapolis), HOK (St. Louis), KKE (Minneapolis), MBH Architects (Alameda, CA), The Polshek Partnership (New York), Ratcliff (Emeryville, CA), SBRA (Boston), SOM (San Francisco), SRG Partnership (Portland, OR), and many others.
Is your firm part of the solution? Click here to pledge your 1% today.
3. Pro Bono Project Profile
 Our visit to Washington, DC, last Friday introduced us to one of the more inspiring pro bono projects that we have come across. The project was undertaken by The Catholic University of America Design Collaborative (CUAdc), a growing initiative directed by William Jelen, AIA, who responded to one of our earlier newsletters and invited us to visit. This past summer, prior to Bill assuming the helm, a design/build team of 3 teaching assistants and 21 students undertook a library redesign led by faculty members Luis Boza, Michelle Rinehart, and David Shove-Brown, AIA. The effort was part of the DC-based School Libraries Project, modeled after the renowned Robin Hood L!brary Initiative and another local project in DC.
The result is a transformed, totally revitalized library for the Stuart-Hobson Middle School, located in DC's Capitol Hill area. The project was recently recognized with the Washington Architectural Foundation's 2006 Pro Bono Publico Award, which we believe to be the only award program of its kind in the U.S. Click here to download a PDF (3.5mb) profile of the project.
Have you recently completed a pro bono design project or other effort that you would like to tell us about? We are constantly looking for examples of pro bono projects, including ones for an upcoming suite of print materials promoting the 1% Solution program and pro bono practice in general. Email us at info@publicarchitecture.org.
4. Upcoming Lectures & Presentations November 2, 2006
ACSA Administrators Conference (Scottsdale, AZ)
Panelist, "Collaborative Partnerships"
November 4, 2006
AIACC Desert Practice Conference (Indian Wells, CA)
Panelist, "Professional Failures: The Good News"
November 9, 2006
San Francisco State University
Panelist, Design & Industry Department 50th Anniversary Celebration
November 16, 2006
Build Boston Community Design Symposium [More]
Co-sponsor
November 16, 2006
Lawrence Technological University (Southfield, MI)
Invited lecturer Click here for a list of upcoming lectures and presentations.
We would like to extend a special thank you to our many hosts over the past month at Hampton University, the Charlottesville Community Design Center, Howard University, the DFC Summit on Sustainable Design, the 2006 NOMA Conference, NewSchool of Architecture, The Catholic University of America, the AIA National Associates Committee Annual Meeting, and Iowa State University.
5. 2007 Rudy Brunner Award Call for Submissions
Application deadline: December 18, 2006
 The Rudy Bruner Award is given to urban places that demonstrate the successful integration of effective process, meaningful values and good design. RBA winners are distinguished by their social, economic and contextual contributions to the urban environment, and often provide innovative solutions to our cities' most challenging problems. A distinguished jury, including Public Architecture board member Reed Kroloff, will confer one Gold Medal of $50,000 and four Silver Medals of $10,000 each.
For more information, visit www.brunerfoundation.org, call 617/492-8401 x184, or email application@brunerfoundation.org.
6. What You Can Do to Support Public Architecture
Wondering what you can do to 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.
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