"The reasonable man adapts to the
world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world
to himself. Therefore, all progress depends upon the unreasonable
man." - George Bernard Shaw
I came across this quote recently in a book unrelated to the
practice of architecture, yet it spoke to me and I keep it tacked
above my desk for inspiration. What could it possibly mean for our
profession? It's really not about being unreasonable, but about
challenging the status quo, experimenting with new ideas and taking
some chances to make a real difference in our communities and in
our profession. If that means we have to be just a bit
unreasonable, then so be it!
AIA National is taking a new look at its brand, starting with
the theme of the 2008 convention: We the People. The AIA
proposes to move beyond health, safety and welfare and toward a
path that "demonstrates our inseparable position within the most
pressing issues of our time." In order to meet this lofty goal,
we have to move beyond best value, the balancing act between
the art, craft and business of architecture, and toward added
value, design that is so smart, thoughtful and inspiring that
it significantly influences communities and key players in society.
Let me give you a small example from my own experience:
My firm was recently asked to participate in a design
competition for a new headquarters for a high-profile think tank in
DC. Twelve firms were asked to submit qualifications, eight firms
were asked to prepare fee proposals and five firms were asked to
prepare design concepts - all without having the opportunity to
interact with the organization. Based on the design concepts, three
firms were asked to present in an interview. Just the other day,
our new client said to us, "Everyone else gave us an
office building. You gave us a dynamic and powerful image of who we
could become." This is what won the job. We took them beyond
what they could imagine for themselves - and that's added
value. Now, it's our job to challenge ourselves to make an
impact on the larger community and the key players who will inhabit
this venerable institution.
Image: Hickok Cole Architects
Image: Hickok Cole Architects
To kick-start our unreasonable journey, I assembled a panel of
leading architects to showcase projects that added value for their
clients and their communities in three sectors of the
profession: government, institutional and commercial. The
goal was to demonstrate how each project contributed more than its
share of the art, craft and business of architecture and influenced
entire communities through bold concepts that addressed larger
social issues.
Joan Goody, FAIA, Principal of Goody Clancy, presented The
Massachusetts State Transportation Building, a project that is
twenty-five years old and still kicking. This 900,000 sf government
office building became the catalyst to the redevelopment of an
entire community by its creative site planning, interactive social
spaces and ground-breaking strategies in sustainable design. The
architect in this instance went beyond the programmatic
requirements of the project to stretch the envelope of what a
government building could be. The result is a building that saved
tax-payers millions of dollars, provided high occupancy
satisfaction and succeeded in creating a whole new neighborhood.
The fact that it is still a popular place today is a testament to
its lasting influence on society.
Image: Goody Clancy
Image: Goody Clancy
Carol Ross Barney, FAIA, Principal of Ross Barney Architects,
presented a jewel-box of a building for the Jewish
Reconstructionist Congregation in Evanston, IL. In this project,
Ms. Ross Barney turned the program upside down, providing a
light-filled sanctuary on the top floor of the building. The
procession to this sanctuary became a metaphor for ascending into
heaven, and toward the light. In addition, the building was
cleverly built upon old foundations, saving the congregation
dollars on things unseen. Materials from the old building were
recycled to form visible portions of the new building, and site
trees that had to be removed were given new life as part of an
all-encompassing sustainable design concept. Her inspiration came
from an ancient motto of the congregation, "Tikkun Olam,"
which means "repairing the earth." Upon completion of the building,
the congregation withstood record-breaking freezing temperatures to
welcome the community into their new home.
Image: Ross Barney Architects
Image: Ross Barney Architects
At the urban end of the scale, Marilyn Taylor, FAIA, Partner
with Skidmore Owings & Merrill in New York, presented a bold
and controversial design for midtown Manhattan, on the banks of the
East River. This expansive, mixed-use project is a community within
itself, comprised of office, residential, retail, public parks and
recreation space, as well as a school. The architects envisioned a
mixed-income project for this high-profile location, which includes
affordable housing units. While the density of this project is
astounding, and required extensive community input and approvals,
its careful design provides beautiful, human-scaled public spaces
at the street and along the banks of the river. There is no doubt
that this project challenged the developer and the community to
think beyond buildings and toward an exciting urban vision.
Image: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
Having seen the impact of these three projects, it is reasonable
to assume that we as architects have not only the ability, but the
responsibility to move our profession toward added value in
ways that we have yet to imagine. Beginning with AIA National, we
must accept the challenge to "demonstrate our inseparable
position within the most pressing issues of our time" by
supporting this vision and by making it happen in our communitiess
and in our own firms. Local AIA chapters must find a way to support
added value in their regions. We can do this by:
- Interfacing with key policy-makers in local governments
- Coordinating efforts with related business organizations
- Becoming a resource for the press
- Highlighting member projects that improve communities
- Promoting the role of the architect in high-profile
projects
- Forming advocacy committees
At the level of our firms, we must provide added value to our
clients. We can do this by:
- Creating great design
- Producing great documents and details
- Making money for ourselves and our clients
- Getting involved in community organizations
- Volunteering our services for social causes
- Promoting our work and that of other architects
- Seeking new ways to add value for our clients and
communities
It is not necessary for us to become unreasonable in order to
make progress, but it will take sustained involvement, leadership
and a lot of passion for what you do.
"…Therefore, all progress
depends upon the unreasonable man."
Hiickok Cole Architects is an
architecture, interior design, master planning and housing firm in
Washington, D.C.
Please click here for a pdf of the
firm's continuing education session, on which this
article is based, from the 2008 AIA Convention in Boston.
