AIA LeadersAIA Leaders

Architects stand at a threshold that demands increased awareness of our place in society and the way we present ourselves to the world. Recognizing this fact, AIA President Jeff Potter, FAIA, and Robert Ivy, FAIA, announced a year-long initiative at Grassroots to explore the perceptions, beliefs, attitudes, needs, and value of architects entitled “Repositioning Architects and the AIA.” At the conclusion of this process, the AIA hopes to embark on a comprehensive plan to advance the position of architects and bolster the national dialogue about the central role that architecture plays in our everyday lives.

To guide us, we engaged a world-class branding and communications partnership with Pentagram and LaPlaca Cohen to determine how the Institute can reflect and improve current client and public perceptions.

Over the course of the next year, we will be seeking not only your opinion as leaders of AIA Components, AIA members and non-members, as well architecture students and faculty, as well as architects who have migrated to other fields. We’ll also reach out to clients, perspective clients, and the public in order to gain a greater level of insight, especially from those who don’t see a need for (or understand how) an architect or architecture fits into their life.

In the April 13^th issue of AIArchitect, we will introduce the repositioning initiative and alert you about an upcoming survey to capture insights from members. We will use the survey results to determine if gaps exist in the perception about who architects are, what they do, and what opportunities should we pursue (or not) to close these gaps and ensure the ongoing relevance of our profession.

This forum (Knowledge Resource Discussion) is intended to provide for an open-ended, broad dialogue as a source of input to this investigation. We are seeking your thoughts and opinions and will be posting questions or statements intended to help prompt discussion.

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