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Peyton Boyd, AIA
McKinney-Boyd Architects, Abingdon, Virginia
Since early in 2000 I have been involved with Believe in Bristol,
an umbrella organization formed to bring together representatives
of key revitalization projects being planned for my hometown, the
“twin city” of Bristol, Tennessee, and Bristol, Virginia.
Projects in various stages of planning and execution include an
urban creek walk, a new public library, restoration of the train
station, and construction of a farmers market. A sense of optimism
and excitement at the possibility of reclaiming downtown as the
true heart of the city exists among the community activists
involved in the various projects.
As a founding member of Believe in Bristol, I have tried to make
“quality of life” issues part of every conversation about
the future of Bristol. During strategic planning sessions I lobbied
successfully for the inclusion of “design excellence” and
“livable community” planks in the organization’s
Statement of Core Values.
To enhance awareness of design excellence and to advocate its
importance in the ongoing discussion of a preferred future for the
community, I proposed the establishment of a design symposium to be
held in downtown Bristol. Recognizing that a great deal of public
and private development could result from the creek walk and other
downtown projects in the coming decades, I wanted to find a way to
promote the very best architecture, landscape architecture, and
urban planning for Bristol. Working with a small group of
hard-working volunteers I chaired the Bristol Design Symposium in
2001 and 2002.
We obtained major grants from the Virginia Foundation for
Architecture to underwrite both symposia. The local chapter of
Associated General Contractors funded distribution of the
AIA’s “Communities by Design” booklet to symposium
attendees. Other funding came from corporate sponsors (we targeted
firms with a vested interest in downtown revitalization) and from a
modest registration fee.
Drawing on my relationships with staff members at the AIA National
Component we identified, extended invitations to, and secured
commitments from nationally known speakers. For the first
symposium, a general theme of downtown revitalization was adopted.
The keynote speaker was John O. Norquist, at that time mayor of
Milwaukee and a former public member of the board of the AIA. In
2004, Norquist became President and CEO of the Congress for the New
Urbanism, where he will continue to have a prominent place in
national discussions of urban design and educational issues.
In 2002, we chose historic preservation as the symposium focus, a
timely topic because of the renewal of public interest in the
historic architectural fabric of downtown Bristol. We engaged
William Murtagh to deliver the keynote address. Dr. Murtagh was the
first Keeper of the National Register of Historic Places, and is
held in well-deserved high regard in the preservation
movement.
Because it is difficult to develop a format with equal appeal to
all members of a potential audience, we have experimented with how
the program is presented. In 2002, for example, we opened with an
evening keynote address and reception. The next day we had
individual speakers and a panel discussion in the morning and a
walking tour of downtown after lunch. The 2004 symposium dealt with
regional growth issues, and the dynamic between big box suburban
development and downtown viability.
I worked with our local AIA components to certify the symposia for
AIA learning units—a good way to increase attendance by
members. I am also in discussions with the Southwest Virginia
Higher Education Center in Abingdon, Virginia, about ways to expand
the appeal of the symposium to a broader audience.
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