Art, history, and religion
Brutalism and the AIA’s headquarters
Brutalism is an architectural style characterized by rigid geometry, heavy massing, and its chief material, poured concrete. It is an expression of Modern architecture in the 20th century that privileges function and form equally, and Brutalism has also become an expression—or perhaps a symptom—of post-World War II urban renewal in England, France, Belgium, Japan, and the United States. As a term, it was coined by the architects Alison and Peter Smithson as what they called a design "ethic" (rather than an aesthetic) to functional and inexpensive housing in the 1950s, but it was popularized by the architecture critic Reyner Banham as "New Brutalism." Semantics aside, Banham identified three characteristics of what he saw as an architectural movement: a clearly articulated structure, a preference for raw and unfinished concrete with evidence of its wooden formwork, and a memorable and recognizable overall form of the building. The name Brutalism, itself, is an anglicization of béton brut, or raw concrete, used by Le Corbusier to describe his own 1952 apartment project Unité d'Habitation in Marseilles, France.
AIA headquarters renewal aims to model sustainability, equity, and innovation
AIA headquarters renewal aims to model sustainability, equity, and innovation
U.S. building infrastructure needs 21st century upgrades
It’s critical to prioritize buildings: homes, schools, hospitals, offices, and civic centers. Tell Congress to include “buildings” in the infrastructure package.
Act nowSocial impact
A'21: Tackling environmental discrimination with Dr. Robert Bullard
Dr. Robert Bullard, the father of environmental justice, encouraged architects to address the urgent environmental issues of our time.
Social impact
A’21: Selling sustainability to your clients
In a keynote panel, current and past recipients of AIA's Architecture Firm Award share the sales pitches that moved the needle from "not in my budget" to "gotta have it!"
How To
2021 Healthcare Design Awards
The year's best healing spaces, presented by the AIA's Academy of Architecture for Health
Career and the profession
A’21: Staying open for business during uncertain times
David Haresign, FAIA, and Barbara Campagna, FAIA, share reports from the trenches on surviving and thriving during the pandemic.
AIA EVP/CEO Position Summary
The search to recruit a successor to EVP and Chief Executive Officer Robert Ivy, who will retire at the end of 2021, is underway. AIA’s Board of Directors, led by 2021 AIA President Peter Exley, FAIA, has retained the executive search firm Spencer Stuart to assist with the search.
2020 Year in Review
2020 was a year of challenge, transition, and achievement. Together, AIA members navigated a once-in-a-century global health crisis that reordered how we live, work, and learn. We persevered through one of the worst economic recessions in modern memory and, against the backdrop of a polarized nation, helped our communities respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Career and the profession
AIA business meeting streamlines organization, advances strategic goals
AIA's annual meeting sparked debate about the Institute’s governance structure, prioritized investment in underserved communities, and emphasized a more diverse pipeline for the profession.