Of, By and For the People

On 09.25.17, members of AIANY’s Civic Leadership Program are hosting the first of two public events, Of, By, and For The People: Grassroots Movements and Policy Transformations, at the Center for Architecture. With an intense focus on civic action in the United States today, “Of, By, and  For The People” will feature practitioners from across the country whose work operates in a manner that broadens our understanding of what it means to be a Citizen Architect.

AIANY’s civic leaders will be joined by Esther Yang, Design Director at the City of Detroit Department of Planning and Development and Former Deputy Director, J. Max Bond Center on Design for the Just City; Dr. Feniosky Peña-Mora, Professor and Former Dean at Columbia University’s School of Engineering and Applied Science and Former Commissioner of the NYC Department of Design and Construction; Ron Shiffman, Professor Emeritus at Pratt Institute School of Architecture and Co-founder of the Pratt Center for Community and Environmental Development; Suzanne Nienaber, Director of Partnerships at the Center for Active Design; and Jack Matthews, AIA, Former President of AIA San Mateo and City Council Member and Former Mayor of San Mateo, California.

“Of, By, and For the People” will highlight the remarkable efforts of this group of leaders whose work operates at the forefront of civic action. Conversations will address how collaborative design impacts communities, as well as how new processes are helping architects to better represent the interests of those they serve. The panel will also examine how designers can expand their current contributions to civic life in terms of engaging with elected representatives, influencing policy, and impacting communities.

The Civic Leadership Program was founded with the mission of cultivating deeper civic engagement and responsibility among emerging architectural professionals. Through mentorship and programming, the core mission is to cultivate an enduring culture of advocacy with the intent of sowing lasting benefits for our profession, communities and nation.

Registration is still open; continue here.

Pulse Points

• Registration is still open for “Public Spaces, Social Movements,” on 09.29.17. The annual conference, organized by local chapters of the American Planning Association, American Institute of Architects, and American Society of Landscape Architects, will explore contemporary issues associated with the civic commons and discuss ideas for the future of spaces for public protest. To learn more and register, continue here.
• Registration is open for the Hyper-Efficient Building Workshops, AIANY and Urban Green Council’s in-depth training on the design of hyper-efficient buildings and compliance with Local Law 31/32. The two-day workshops are limited to 25 participants and open to all architects, designers, engineers, and construction trade professionals. The next workshops are being held on 11.07.17 – 11.08.17 and 11.28.17 – 11.29.17 at the Center for Architecture. To learn more and register, continue here.
• On 09.14.17, Mayor de Blasio announced a first-of-its-kind initiative to mandate new greenhouse gas emission requirements for the city’s largest buildings. AIANY, the Urban Green Council, the Real Estate Board of New York, and 32BJ SEIU have previously released the 2017 Green Building Roadmap, which recommends critical green-energy policy for New York City.