November 2009
Dear Friends of Public Architecture:
Over the past month, nearly 200 firm leaders participated in an extensive survey about their experiences with The 1% program and pro bono design generally. A healthy 30% of The 1% firm participants responded, and we want to thank each of them for their time and contribution. One of those firms--Posen Architects, a 15-person firm led by Dennis Posen and based in West Orange, NJ--was randomly selected to receive an iconic ergonomic Freedom Chair, courtesy of our close friends at Humanscale.
 We are about to embark on our second annual offering of The 1% Nonprofit Survey. Along with 650+ firms, there are approximately 300 nonprofit organizations that have requested pro bono design assistance through The 1% program. As an incentive, our friends at Steelcase have stepped up to generously offer one of their beautiful Think Chairs. Like the firm survey, one winner will be chosen at random.
Both surveys were co-developed with and administered by Harvard Business School, which will be spearheading the data analysis in the coming weeks. We are extremely grateful for their leadership and insight as well as the participation of The 1% firms and nonprofits.
John Peterson, AIA
Founder & President
Contents:
1. The 1% Program Welcomes 13 Firms, 9 Nonprofits in October
2. Arts in Storefronts Program
3. Meet the Staff of Public Architecture
4. Volunteer Spotlight: Carla dal Mas
5. Partner Spotlight: StopWaste.org and Planet Reuse
6. Tonight: Public Architecture Co-sponsoring AIASF "Enlightened Spaces"
7. New Practices San Francisco Exhibition & Symposium
8. Upcoming Presentations & Participation
1. The 1% Program Welcomes 13 Firms, 9 Nonprofits in October
 Since our October newsletter, The 1% program has grown by 13 firms and 9 nonprofits, bringing the program to a total of 656 firms and 305 nonprofit participants. Click here for a complete list of new participants.
Public Architecture believes that architectural beauty isn't just in the look of things; it's the expression of who we are and what we value as a community. This month, The 1% highlights a colorful expression of beauty, designed pro bono for a distinct demographic.
New York-based Koko Architecture + Design is a creative partnership established by the husband and wife team of Adam Weintraub and Mishi Hosono. Their firm was named as one of ten "faces of the future" by the AIA New York chapter, and, this year, won the International Will Ching Award for Interior Design by the IIDA. Koko believes that design has the ability to improve our lives. This is evident in their work for Children's Aid Society Early Childhood Center and Imaginasium--a project made up of one part playground, one part museum, and one part classroom. For the facility renovation, their goal was not only to create a safe space for active play in an urban environment, but as importantly to create a space that was truly fantastic and unique. This experience is achieved through color, pattern, light and features that pique the senses, providing young children places of refuge and control. Through The 1% program, Koko Architecture + Design is interested to find other nonprofits with similar facilities needs.
Visit www.theonepercent.org for more information.
2. Arts in Storefronts Program
 Public Architecture’s staff recently attended the kickoff celebration for the Art in Storefronts Program, a pilot initiative of the San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Economic & Workforce Development in collaboration with the San Francisco Arts Commission and Triple Base Gallery. Located in four San Francisco neighborhoods, including the Mission, Bayview, Market Street, and the Tenderloin, the program temporarily places art installations in vacant storefronts. In addition to reactivating streetscapes that have been hard-hit by the economic downturn, the program promotes the work of local artists within their communities. Public Architecture commends and congratulates all parties involved for addressing the serious issue of vacancy blight head-on in a creative way.
Art in the Storefronts began on October 23, and will run through January 31, 2010. If you have the opportunity to check it out, be sure to pick up one of the very cool maps showing the location of the art installations throughout the four neighborhoods. The map was designed by Public Architecture partner and friend MendeDesign.
Click here for more information.
3. Meet the Staff of Public Architecture
For years, Public Architecture has relied on low-quality, amateur portraits of our staff, and rarely have we had a group portrait. Then, a remarkable architect and photographer, Carla dal Mas, volunteered to spend an afternoon photographing our team, both individually and as a group. Carla did a masterful job making us look good. We’re particularly proud of the group portrait above, which Carla shot in our freight elevator, of all places.
Click here to see all seven of our individual staff portraits.
4. Volunteer Spotlight: Carla dal Mas
 Public Architecture would like to thank and recognize Carla Dal Mas, a designer and photographer based in San Francisco, who generously donated her time to photograph our staff in recent weeks. The essence of Carla's photography is a keen sense for details that she uses to transform her portrait work, travels, and day-to-day observations into poetic imagery. She has a degree in Architecture and Urban Planning and experience in various project types such as community, housing, retail, interiors and urban design.
Carla is very enthusiastic about researching sustainable methods and materials, enhancing community experience through the built environment, and exploring the relationship between people and spaces through architecture, urban design, and photography. One of her favorite quotes, by Eliel Saarinen, reads: "Always design a thing by considering it in its next larger context - a chair in a room, a room in a house, a house in an environment, an environment in a city plan." The belief that architects must participate, inform and instigate social change led to her participation in the BCDC's Rising Tides design competition earlier this year. Moreover, she's continuously inspired by local nonprofits such as SPUR, Rebuilding Together, and Public Architecture, and Carla collaborates with them as much as possible.
Visit www.carladalmas.com to see Carla’s work and learn more.
5. Partner Spotlight: StopWaste.org and Planet Reuse
Public Architecture would like to acknowledge the efforts of two of many partners on our USGBC-funded Design for Reuse Primer project, StopWaste.org and Planet Reuse.
 Based in Alameda County, StopWaste.Org is a member of the advisory team for the Design for Reuse Primer project (other advisory team members include San Francisco Department of Environment, California Integrated Waste Management Board, and the US EPA Region 9). Over the last 15 years, StopWaste.org has provided invaluable guidance and access to resources to the general public, building and construction industry professionals, and other public agencies. We are proud to acknowledge that their exemplary stewardship was recently recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council’s Northern California chapter with its 2009 Community Service Award.
 Though not an official member of the Design for Reuse Primer team, Planet Reuse has been providing us with help insights in the areas of salvaged material identification and sourcing. Begun in 1998, Planet Reuse is a consulting and brokering company that links materials with designers, builders, and owners. Planet Reuse just recently launched a new website and newsletter, both worth checking out.
Meri Soll, Program Manager at StopWaste.Org, and Nathan Benjamin, Principal & Founder of Planet Reuse, will both be presenting at Greenbuild 2009 in Phoenix, November 11-14 (Sessions BL08 and PL08. The latter will include a presentation on the Design for Reuse Primer).
Click here to visit the Greenbuild website.
6. Tonight: Public Architecture Co-sponsoring AIASF "Enlightened Spaces II"
 November 10, 2009 | 6-8pm
Public Architecture is proud to co-sponsor the second edition of "Enlightened Spaces," an AIA San Francisco seminar series that focuses on how to make public spaces inspiring and engaging. The events feature panels of experts from diverse fields, which brings in a diverse audience, including over 80 attendees to the inaugural event earlier this year. Tuesday's event will focus on outdoor spaces and feature the following distinguished panelists:
Ila Berman, Architecture Program Director, CCA
Brenda McLaughlin, Managing Director, Antenna Audio
David Best, Artist
Leslie Pritchett, Public Art Consultant
Kevin Conger, Principal, CMG Landscape Architecture
Click here for more information or to register.
7. New Practices San Francisco Exhibition & Symposium
 AIA San Francisco and its Center for Architecture + Design are pleased to present "New Practices San Francisco," an exhibition on view now through January 29, 2010. New Practices San Francisco is the 2009, West Coast premiere of AIA New York's annual portfolio competition and exhibition. New Practices San Francisco is a platform for recognizing and promoting new and emerging architecture firms within San Francisco that have undertaken innovative strategies--both in projects and practice.
The exhibition features the work of the winning firms, including: CMG Landscape Architecture, Edmonds + Lee Architects, Faulders Studio, Kennerly Architecture + Planning, Min|Day, and Public Architecture. The honorable mentions are Axelrod Architects and Envelope A+D.
Click here for more information.
8. Upcoming Presentations & Participation
GreenBuild | Phoeniz, AZ | November 11-13, 2009
Invited panelist, "The Design of Resource Use in Place(s)"
Aspen Design Summit | Aspen, CO | November 11-14, 2009
Invited participant
Humanscale | Washington, DC | November 17, 2009
Invited speaker, "Design Smart Seminar Series"
Humanscale | Chicago, IL | November 18, 2009
Invited speaker, "Design Smart Seminar Series"
Click here for a complete list of upcoming presentations.
 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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