Thompson E. Penney, FAIA, president and CEO of the Charleston, S.C.-based firm LS3P Associates Ltd., became the 79th president of the AIA December 6 during ceremonies held at Union Station in Washington, D.C. Penney succeeds Gordon H. Chong, FAIA.

A shift toward empathy
In his inaugural speech, Penney spoke of a changing social and cultural environment, one in which people reevaluate what is truly important in their lives. This shift in perception means that people are beginning to expect more from their built environments. “We have an opportunity—unique in our professional lives—to reach out, to make the connection in the public’s mind between their growing hunger for value and what we architects do,” Penney said.

He called on the audience to think about architecture as based on empathy and caring, with the power to provide design solutions that do, in fact, have greater value and deeper purpose. “We have an opportunity, not only to celebrate the poetry of our work, but to elevate the human spirit,” Penney said. “We also have an opportunity, and I would say the responsibility, to offer proof about how design enriches life.”

A major research agenda
Penney said that proof will come from scientific research illustrating how design and architecture measurably affect human behavior. “Winston Churchill is often cited for his observation that ‘we shape our buildings ... thereafter they shape us,’” Penney said. “But how, and in what ways?” He announced that the AIA would support a major research agenda to explore these questions, with a goal of quantification of the value of design in verifiable ways our clients and the public understand and trust.”

Penney discussed creating a body of scientific knowledge, based in neuroscience, that proves how the brain interacts with designed environments. Such research is beginning to occur at places of learning such as the Salk Institute, where scientists have launched the first efforts to measure the impact of the physical environment on the brain. “This research holds out the promise of a day when architectural design may be scientifically informed, and the impact could be as great if not greater than the impact that the understanding of physics had on structural and acoustical design in the 20th century,” he said.

The new president believes that design is one of the most visible signs of our core values as individuals and as a society, and that providing scientific proof about the real-life effects of a building on its inhabitants would create a new perception of architecture and design. “We could design education into our schools, curing into our hospitals, and dignity into low-income housing,” declared Penney. “We all know this in our hearts, but we are less sure when we try to make this case empirically to our clients and the public.”

Longstanding leader
Penney has been active in the AIA since his student days. He earned a bachelor of arts in 1972 and masters of architecture in 1974 from Clemson University. In 1990, he was elevated to the College of Fellows and over the years has received numerous state, regional, and national awards for design excellence. Under Penney’s leadership, the 150-person LS3P has grown to become a well-known regional firm with offices in Charleston, S.C., and Charlotte. Engineering News-Record recognized LS3P as one of the fastest rising in the top 500 design firms in the U.S.

Throughout his career, Penney has served in various leadership positions within the Institute, including: president, AIA Charleston (1981); president, AIA South Carolina (1994); and South Atlantic Region director (1998–2001). He served two terms as the president of the Clemson Advancement Foundation for Design + Building and, in 1999, received the university’s Distinguished Service Award, Clemson’s highest alumni honor.

Investing in the future
Joining Penney at the AIA helm is the “Class of 2005,” 15 new directors on the AIA Board. They bring with them a long-range strategic plan for the Institute for 2003–2005 and a supporting operating plan of programs and projects for 2003–2004. The plans are heavily based on member input from diverse populations of the AIA.

Also joining the leadership of the AIA is the new executive committee of the College of Fellows: Chancellor Sylvester Damianos, FAIA; Vice Chancellor Betsey O. Dougherty, FAIA; Secretary Lawrence J. Leis, FAIA; and Bursar Ted P. Pappas, FAIA.

Finally, the Board’s outgoing Class of 2002 retired in style, performing a “rap” of farewell for 2002 President Gordon H. Chong, FAIA, at the AIA’s annual Fun Night festivities, and then presented a $12,000 check of personal funds to the American Institute of Architecture Students.

Copyright 2002 The American Institute of Architects. All rights reserved.