AIA Detroit is currently offering companies the opportunity to present a Continuing Education-certified webinar to our membership virtually through our Sponsored Webinar package. AIA Detroit has over 900 members and an enthusiastic design community. (more…)
From Dan Pitera, FAIA | Dean, Detroit Mercy School of Architecture:
NOMA Detroit and the Detroit Mercy School of Architecture have worked together to sponsor a studio that focuses on the annual NOMA National competition that will be judged at NOMA’s annual convention in October 2021. This year marks the 50th anniversary of NOMA, which makes this studio even more interesting because the site and the convention are in Detroit. The NOMA Studio is more than a class. It is in its second year and becoming a tradition at the School of Architecture. In many ways, it intentionally broadens the faculty that have a commitment and passion to the education of our students. We are truly excited to have Imani Day and Pierre Roberson teach the studio. They bring a wonderful energy and insight to the course content and the School at large. Thank you to NOMA’s leadership for having the vision to collaborate to make this studio come to life.
“Truly looking forward to engaging UDM students in the development of the 2021 NOMA Student Competition submission. I feel that it is important for underrepresented students to encounter significant and meaningful contact with professors of the same background throughout their education. It is my goal to help to jumpstart some careers and spark some long-term mentorship relationships, and also help to give these students early access into their professional network.”
~ Pierre Roberson
By Katherine Guimapang | Archinect Dec 21, 2020
The push for increasing the number of Black licensed architects has been an ongoing effort. Organizations like NOMA and individuals like Norma Merrick Sklarek, Paul Williams, Zena Howard, Phillip Freelon, Gabrielle Bullock, Curtis Moody, and many others have paved the way for a new generation of Black architects and architects of color to continue to make a difference within the industry.
However, when it comes to licensed female architects, specifically Black female architects, the disparity in numbers is quite evident. Katherine Williams and the Black Women in Architecture Network and individuals such as the late Barbara Laurie, Tiffany Brown, Kimberly Dowdell, Pascale Sablan, and young emerging designers like Morgan Medley of blackgirlsDraw has made it their mission to increase the number of Black female architects. They continue to raise the awareness of diversity and representation within the profession and make conscious efforts to connect other Black women and young girls as they dive into architecture.
During an interview in February 2019, Tiffany Brown of 400 Forward spoke to Essence Magazine. Together they discussed that Brown was “on track to becoming one of 452 licensed Black women architects in the United States.” A little over a year later during the 2020 NOMA conference in October, it was announced that the number of licensed Black female architects (currently living) reaching its 500th mark.
Thanks to NOMA’s collaborative efforts and the Directory of African American Architects, their mission has been to be a “public service to promote an awareness of who African American architects are and where they are located. The sole qualification for listing is licensure in one of the fifty US jurisdictions and their territories.”
“Reaching this milestone is one of the most significant in the history of American architecture,” said Kathryn T. Prigmore, FAIA, NOMAC, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C, CDT, founding collaborator of Riding the Vortex: African American Women in Architecture and Related Professions. “African American architects practice in all aspects of the profession, including at the pinnacle of some of the world’s most well-known and respected firms.”
While the story and contributions of Black female architects continue to grow and be celebrated, the industry’s future will continue to improve as long as there dedicated individuals willing to persevere and push through the adversity to create an opportunity for all.
To read the full article click here.
The Detroit Area BIM User Group is hosting a panel discussion on working remotely in a design firm. Collectively we are nearly a year into the COVID pandemic and many office-dwellers are still working remotely. We were all forced to adapt quickly, but who has re-evaluated their solutions since the pandemic’s early days of March 2020? The stop-gap measures that your company put in place – are they appropriate, workable, long-term solutions? Now is the time to discuss strategic use of technology to empower a location agnostic workforce. We are seeking panelists from companies of all sizes, and from all backgrounds (IT, architect, business leader).
Think you’d be a good fit? Email us at staff@aiadetroit.com.
Please join the AIA Detroit Board and membership at our 2020 Virtual Annual Meeting, taking place on Tuesday, November 10th, beginning at 6pm via Zoom Meeting. This meeting will include the annual report to the membership; the election of the 2021 AIA Detroit Board of Directors; and reflecting on this year and how that will affect the organization going forward.
We will also include a question & answer session with questions submitted by our membership through Eventbrite.
We hope you will attend! The Annual Meeting is one of the few times throughout the year that we, as an organization, can reflect on our progress and discuss the future of AIA Detroit with our members.
Those unable to attend the 2020 Annual Meeting may request an absentee ballot by emailing elections@aiadetroit.com with your name and AIA Member number by Nov 9, 5pm. Absentee ballots must be completed by 12pm on November 10th. (You must be an AIA Detroit Member in good standing to vote)
RSVP Here for the 2020 Annual Meeting
GET TO KNOW THIS YEAR’S SLATE OF CANDIDATES… (more…)
Please assist the Building Enclosure Council in selecting a new Director to serve on their board!
VOTE FOR THE BEC BOARD OF DIRECTORS OPEN POSITION HERE!
Voting must be completed by 5pm on November 5th, 2020.
GET TO KNOW THIS YEAR’S CANDIDATES… (more…)
Originally sent out by the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs on October 9th:
Dear Licensees of the Architect Profession:
The Bureau of Professional Licensing (BPL) within the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) would like to share the below message for informational purposes only.
We are aware of a scam targeting architect licensees. Therefore, our office would like to provide the following tips to avoid falling for one of these scams
Should you have specific questions regarding this email communication or would like to report a possible scam regarding licensees, please contact our office at BPLHelp@michigan.gov or 517-241-0199.
Sincerely,
Licensing Division
Bureau of Professional Licensing (BPL)
Reminder to Architects in the State of Michigan; As of February 20 the Board of Architects Revised Administrative Rules. The Majority of the changes are clarifying the Continuing Education requirements.
View the Revised Administrative Rules Here
Visit the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs here.
The Building Enclosure Council of Greater Detroit (BEC-GD) is accepting nominations for one (1) Board of Directors position for a two-year term starting in January 2021. Self-nominations are permitted. Candidates are asked to submit a statement of interest, headshot, and professional resume to becgd.events@gmail.com.
Nominations will close at 6PM EST on September 25, 2020.
MISSION
The Building Enclosure Council of Greater Detroit is part of a national network founded jointly by the American Institute of Architects and the National Institute of Building Sciences to foster effective performance of building exteriors.
By providing a forum for all construction professionals, each Council serves to share objective building enclosure information of interest to the local design/construction community. The Greater Detroit Council is a non-profit with no dues or membership requirements, and is affiliated with the Detroit Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA Detroit).
Black Lives Matter.
AIA Detroit stands in solidarity with the protests that justly call for an immediate end to police brutality against Black people. We condemn the systemic racism that plagues our society and accounts for the senseless killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Aiyana Stanley-Jones and countless other Black victims who came before them.
For many of us, we became architects to make the world a better place. We cannot expect to be catalysts for more equitable communities without first acknowledging the need for accountability and the need to listen and learn from individuals who have first-hand experience with racial injustices.
In her May 31st statement, NOMA National President, Kimberly Dowdell urged us “to consider what’s happening right now as an American problem that we must all face together” and to leverage our positions of privilege to help marginalized communities.
It is an honor to work in Metro-Detroit, a region with rich architectural history and incredible diversity in people and cultures. It is also a region with a legacy of racial tension and activism. As such, AIA Detroit believes it is our responsibility to take action to better serve the community we call home and to empower our communities to harness design as protest and progress.
GOING FORWARD, AIA DETROIT IS COMMITTED TO:
• Advocating for local policy changes that dismantle design tactics that criminalize engagement in the public realm, and that improve and better-protect the health, safety and welfare of the public, especially Black people.
• Amplifying the voices of Black people, providing a public platform for honest discussions about racial injustice in order to educate our members and inspire more empathetic design.
• Devoting more resources in our organization’s professional development and youth mentorship efforts that specifically benefit Black people and other people of color.
• Partnering more closely with local organizations who focus on empowering Black people and other people of color in the design community and making lasting change for our profession
YOU CAN GET INVOLVED TODAY.
If you are looking for a way to get involved and make an impact, consider the following:
• Volunteer with or become a member of a local organization that is committed to the elevation and recognition of Black people and their inclusion in the design profession: NOMA Detroit, Noir Design Parti, 400 Forward, DESIGNCONNECT, NAWIC Detroit, and Design Core.
• Donate to those working to progress racial equality through the justice system: Detroit Justice Center, Black Visions Collective, NAACP Legal Defense Fund, and the ACLU.
• Vote in every American election. All Michigan voters have the right to vote by mail, so be sure to exercise your First Amendment right at every opportunity.
We recognize that these are just the first steps towards an equitable practice and profession. We are confident in the passion of our design community, and the dedication to become active voices in the fight for change, with the ultimate goal of creating stronger, inclusive and equitable communities.
From the AIA Detroit Board of Directors