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Marshall E. Purnell, FAIA, Inaugurated as 2008 AIA President
1st African-American AIA president’s agenda focused on fostering alliances, advancing sustainability and furthering diversity within the profession
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For Immediate Release |
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Washington, D.C., December 18,
2007 — Marshall E. Purnell, FAIA, a principal at Devrouax + Purnell
Architects and Planners PC in Washington, D.C., was inaugurated as
the 84th president of the American Institute of Architects (AIA)
during ceremonies held on December 15th. He succeeds RK Stewart,
FAIA, and will represent the more than 83,000 AIA members in the
coming year. Purnell was elected at the AIA 2006 annual convention
in Los Angeles, and has served as AIA first vice president this
past year.
His inaugural speech highlighted the need for collaboration among
design professionals, developers and politicians to best address
challenges such as urban sprawl, deteriorating schools, affordable
housing, transportation infrastructure and public health, safety
and welfare with a sustainable perspective. He also called for
forging stronger alliances with professional organizations,
community leaders and product manufacturers to further common
causes.
Purnell added, “We have to take a serious look at who we are
as well as the rising generations of young women and men in this
country who would and could and should consider architecture as a
profession. We must be more representative of the society we seek
to serve. We must actively, creatively and with an unshakable
commitment to succeed, pursue this diverse representation. We must
pursue it not simply as a moral, but a professional
imperative.”
Noteworthy projects that his firm has designed include the
Washington Nationals baseball team Nationals Park, Washington, D.C.
Convention Center, Martin Luther King Memorial, MCI Center (now
Verizon Center) and PEPCO headquarters.
Purnell's leadership within the AIA has spanned several years
having served as Mid-Atlantic Regional Director from 2003-2006, as
well as serving as president of AIA / Washington, D.C. in 2003. His
contributions to the architectural profession were recognized with
his investiture in the American Institute of Architects' College of
Fellows in 1991.
About The American Institute of
Architects
For 150 years, members of The American Institute of Architects have
worked with each other and their communities to create more
valuable, healthy, secure, and sustainable buildings and
cityscapes. AIA members have access to the right people, knowledge,
and tools to create better design, and through such resources and
access, they help clients and communities make their visions real.
www.aia.org
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