NAT I O NA L O R G A N IZ ATION OF M IN ORITY A R CHIT ECT S W I NT E R 2 0 1 7
2016
NOMA DESIGN EXCELLENCE AWARDS
Co ntent s
1 President’s Message 2 Executive Director’s Message
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Editor’s Message 2016 NO M A P resid ents’ M eeti ng
6 Professional Design Competition Winners
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NOMA Conference St udent Per s pect ive
1 2 Student Design Competition Winners 17
‘ I Am an Architect , I A m a Negro’
2 0 Mapping African American Influence in L A Arch i te c tu re 2 6
Diver s it y and Inclus i o n
2 8 Per m anent Suppor t ive Hous ing 3 2 2 0 1 5 -2 0 1 6 NOMA Offi c e rs
On the cover: Moody Nolan, Inc. Centurylink Technology Center of Excellence Monroe, LA For the article, Celebrating a Giant,Howard Sims: 1938–2016 in the Fall issue, we inadvertently left off the name of our editor/writer. We apologize to Sharlita Green, NOMA for the oversight.
NOMA Magazine | No 15 | Winter 2017 | Edited by: Yu-Ngok Lo, AIA, NOMA, CDT, LEED AP, NCARB | Designed by: Lou Moriconi
P res i d ent’ s M es s a ge NOMA President Bryan W. Hudson, AIA, NOMA
This year I’ve come to realize that a love affair with NOMA was destined to be! Although we are a couple of years apart in age we were going to meet. We were born at a time when there was a need for change. That change is still needed today. My parents are the reason that I am here now. It was my late father Amos W. Hudson Jr. that put this arranged marriage together and ultimately knew what was best for me. My mother Virgie that kept me focused. NOMA is that young woman and we’ve been inseparable since. As I looked at attendees throughout the conference I see the faces of her children that have enhanced and grown my relationship. Walking through the hotel prior to the conference I reflected on the conferences of the past, hoping this one would rival previous events. I think that we’ve done that again. Thinking about the bright young students that trekked across the country to attend reminded me of my trip to LA. My classmates had design competitions for individual studio projects and portfolios. Now we’ve developed one of the most sought after and unique design
competitions in the country! The caliber of work and a jury to match is nothing short of amazing. We plan to invest more in our students which are the life blood and future of NOMA. I know we’re on the right path. This year’s conference brought new ideas programmatically which again made for a different experience. Professionals like Drake Dillard – NOMA, AIA and R. Steven Lewis – NOMA, AIA whom I met all those year ago made a huge difference in planning the conference. Students then and professionals now Carla Flagg and Ruben Jacobs fell right in place to make it all flow together; Life blood in motion. It’s the mentoring that NOMA provides that allows these things to take place. The Adept Group (Nicole Singleton – Executive Director) was up to the task of working with us on their first full conference. There are many more folks that I call NOMA lifers to thank than I can list here. Our selection of keynote speakers provided attendees with an insight to the profession that is much needed for the coming years.
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Looking back to Los Angeles 21 years ago, I attended my first full NOMA conference. The year at the Chicago Conference, I volunteered as a student. The year prior Chicago hosted the event where I volunteered as a student. In L.A. I was able to fully immerse myself in all of the seminars and events. To say that the conference was legendary would be an understatement! It was there that I got to interact with the founders and their wives: Wendell J. Campbell( June), John C. Chase (Drucie), Harold L. Williams (Betty) and Jeh V. Johnson (Norma). As a student I could only marvel at these four black men architecturally representing the four regions of the United States. How could I not be impressed and awed at the same time? What’s funny is the fact that each of these men readily introduced themselves to me with ease as if they were my uncles at a Photo: Tony Smith family reunion (except Mr. Campbell whom I met back in Chicago). It was that experience at the L.A. conference where I realized what NOMA really represents: Family!
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Lastly the Awards dinner was an otherworldly experience! From sitting in the audience as a student to even sitting there as a board member; the seriousness of the moment escaped me… Heck Kevin was going to pass the NOMA STAFF to me! This was my rite of passage to carry “THE STAFF” and lead this organization for the next two years. Please don’t drop the staff I repeated to myself… When it was placed in my hands I instantly felt the weight of forty plus years of struggle. 21 years ago NOMA got real to me; it was here that I began to see the possibilities of the future because at one point each of the founders I met I saw as a potential career end game. Presidency did not appear on my radar but lessons taught by Wendell J. Campbell Jr and James R. Washington eventually put me on the path. I have been able to grow up literally in this organization in so many ways. I think every student here deserves the same opportunities that I had; however, these students have to step up to the folks and tell us who you are. I am proof of what that child looks like that was raised by the village. This years conference was an amazing one and also a time for reflection and planning. See you all next year in in Houston, Texas, home of NOMA founder, John C. Chase!!! Sincerely, Bryan W. Hudson, AIA, NOMA NOMA President
E xe c u ti ve D i re c to r’s Message Executive Director Nicole A. Singleton, MBA, MAC
Dear NOMA Members and other Stakeholders, It has been a pleasure serving beside so many great volunteer leaders and members throughout 2016. This has been an amazing year for The National Organization of Minority Architects. Together, we launched numerous new programs, added new chapters across the country, and implemented an online member portal that increases our ability to communicate with each other. Additionally, NOMA experienced record-breaking numbers in membership, conference attendance, and financial reserves. The increase in numbers better equips the organization to increase its impact and reach in promoting diversity and inclusion in the design community. We want to extend special thanks to the outgoing National NOMA officers, who contributed countless hours and their untiring efforts to taking our organization to higher levels. I especially thank our 2015 – 2016 NOMA President, Kevin Holland, for his unprecedented vision and leadership. He strategically and masterfully led our Board and entire organization into unchartered waters. Under his guidance, the organization accomplished great feats! For example, position statements were issued; a national office focused on the executive and operational management of the organization was put in place; and, expanded support for our chapters was offered in the form of leadership webinars.
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The 2016 Annual Conference and Exposition was a great educational and networking opportunity for all who attended. If you didn’t, you missed an amazing experience. The SoCal NOMA Chapter planned an extraordinary event, and numerous sponsors/exhibitors helped to ensure that this conference was second-to-none. Likewise, the 2017 Conference Planning Committee is working tirelessly to produce another stellar conference. Visit our website (www.NOMA.net) for information. The management office looks forward to our future with NOMA’s incoming administration. As always we are committed to supporting the organization’s executive, operational and administrative needs. We will continue to work in conjunction with the NOMA National Board to ensure the organization’s mission and strategic objectives are accomplished. If you haven’t done so already, note this is the season to renew your membership with NOMA. Your support and involvement are needed to make a continued impact. This can be done online, via mail, or by calling the National Office. Should you have any questions or need more information about how you can best get involved with NOMA, do not hesitate to reach out to our office or me personally.
All good wishes, Nicole A. Singleton, MBA, MAC NOMA Executive Director executive@NOMA.net (202) 568-6682
E d i to r ’ s M es s a ge Editor-in-chief Yu-Ngok Lo, AIA, CDT, LEED AP, NCARB
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elcome to the Conference issue of the NOMA magazine! The 44th NOMA International Conference and Exposition was an extraordinary event. It was hosted in my home city, Los Angeles. It was exciting for me to meet and welcome my NOMA friends and colleagues from across the country.
As always, this issue would not be possible without the help of my fellow editors. I would like to give special thanks to Kwesi Daniels, who did a great job on reporting the conference events such as the Student Competition and the Chapter Presidents’ Meeting. I would like to thank Sharlita Green for her continuous contribution. We inadvertently, omitted her name as the editor/writer of the article “Celebrating a Giant, Howard Sims: 1938-2016” in the last issue and would like to apologize to her for the oversight. We would also like to thank Kevin Holland, Nicole Singleton, and Bryan Hudson for the support given by NOMA National. Finally, I would like to recognize Lou Moriconi, our graphic designer for his continued great work.
Sincerely, Yu-Ngok Lo, AIA, CDT, LEED AP, NCARB Editor-in-chief
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The theme of this year’s conference was “Express Yourself”. In this issue, we are featuring some of the unique stories highlighted at the conference, including the recap of one of the keynote speeches by the Chief Executive Officer of the Los Angeles Skid Row Housing Trust, Mike Alvidrez and the exciting map produced by our SoCal NOMA members with the financial support of Gruen Associates, pinpointing the locations of projects designed by African American Architects here in Los Angeles. We also tried something new this year by inviting the host chapter, SoCal NOMA, to contribute an article discussing the planning of the conference and some of the challenges they faced throughout the process. We are hoping to bring readers to the backstage and to recognize the tremendous effort of the SoCal NOMA Conference Planning Committee. Los Angeles is an exciting city; I hope that you all enjoyed the stay and hopefully, we will see everyone next year in Houston!
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2016 NOMA Presidents’ Meeting Kwesi Daniels
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The NOMA presidents’ meeting is an opportunity for the presidents of each respective NOMA student and professional chapter to come together to discuss ways to improve their operations. On Thursday, October 13, 2016, the presidents met at the national conference in Los Angeles. Roll call and minutes of the previous meeting were read by Daya Tayor, National Secretary. The focus of the meeting was organized around ensuring all chapters are aware of the resources available to assist in their sustained growth. The meeting began with the announcement that as of September 30th NOMA membership is at 743 persons and INOMA specifically has experienced a 61% growth in one year. The University of Notre Dame started a chapter with 30 students and one (1) professional chapter and at least three (3) student chapters have been activated this year. Growth like this will ensure the continued solvency of NOMA for years! President Kevin Holland opened by discussing the chapter awards as being one of the best ways in which NOMA supports the on-campus and community work of each chapter. Since only one student chapter submitted for the award the competition was very light this year. More chapters were encouraged to apply for the award. Executive Director Nicole Singleton discussed a number of initiatives which NOMA has developed in order to provide greater support to the entire organization. She was excited to discuss the chapter development training sessions which have been sched-
uled to help chapters prepare for NOMA 2016 and beyond, webinar series which have been organized to help practitioners grow professionally, and an online database which has been developed for the purposes of archiving NOMA history and chapter documents. In the spirit of increasing awareness of architecture among the youth and rising architecture students, four programs, Project Pipeline our signature architecture summer program, the Harvard Career Discovery Program, ACT-SO, and the Engineering Ministries Inc. were presented. All presidents were encouraged to spread the word within their local regions. Below is a brief description of each program based upon information from their respective websites. Project Pipeline “…is a National Initiative established in 2006 by The National Organization of Minority Architects. Project Pipeline is hosted in eleven cities, has taught over one thousand students, and has logged over seven thousand five hundred volunteer hours and over one hundred sponsors. Students are introduced to the people, professions, and ideas that make up the architecture and design profession. See the website at http:// www.noma.net for additional information. Harvard Career Discovery Program “Open to any high school graduate who is 18 years of age or older with an interest in design or planning. A high level of academic skill is necessary to take
Kwesi Daniels is a sustainability professional whose life’s passion is creating sustainable communities. He has developed his abilities in design, project management, and financial feasibility analysis through more than a decade of teaching, architecture, affordable housing development, and community service experience around the country. He earned a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Tuskegee University in 2002, a Master of Architecture degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2003, and a Master of Science in Sustainability Management from Columbia University in 2013. He is currently a Ph.D. candidate in Urban Geography at Temple University, conducting urban sustainability research.
full advantage of {the] program.” See the website at https://careerdiscovery.gsd.harvard.edu/ for additional information. Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics (ACT-SO) is a youth program through the National Association of the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) which is “designed to recruit, stimulate, and encourage high academic and cultural achievement among African-American high school students. ACT-SO includes 29 competitions in STEM, humanities, business, and performing, visual and culinary arts. Almost 300,000 young people have participated from the program since its inception.” See http://www.naacpconnect.org/pages/what-isact-so for additional information about the program. Engineering Ministries Inc. “a non-profit Christian development organization made up of architects, engineers and design professionals who donate their skills to help children and families around the world step out of poverty and into a world of hope. They offer internships for engineering and architecture students that have completed at least their third year of major related studies.” See http:// www.emiworld.org/index.php CHAPTER DEVELOPMENT Local student chapters expressed concerns with keeping their chapters alive. Great advice was solicited by the professional chapter presidents on ways to keep continuity after students graduate. The top three points of advice were: 1. Connect with a local chapter 2. Ensure you have an advocate as an advisor 3. Ensure the college office has a copy of the charter The meeting concluded with a special acknowledgement of the VIP’s in attendance at the conference: Herb Wesson, LA City Councilmember, District 10; Lamar Johnson, the Midwest Director of Gensler; Bill Bates, National Vice President of the AIA; Dr. Kermit Baker, AIA Chief Economist; George Bandy Jr., Vice President of Sustainability at Interface and Chair-Elect of the USGBC Board of Directors; Tonja Boykin, Chief Operating Officer, Skid Row Housing Trust; Bruce Lindsey, President of the American Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA).
The National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) is pleased to invite you to its 45th Annual International Conference & Exposition Westin Galleria Houston Houston, Texas, October 11 – 14, 2017
P ro fes s i o n a l Desi g n Co m p eti ti o n Wi nners
DESIGN EXCELLENCE CITATION
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UN-BUILT CATEGORY International African American Museum Charleston, SC Moody Nolan Inc Curtis J. Moody, FAIA, NOMA Co-Designer with Antoine Predock, FAIA
UN-BUILT CATEGORY Tanzania Beekeeprs Asali & Nyuki Sanctuary Dodoma, Tanzania Jaklitsch / Gardner Architects Mark Gardner and Stephan Jaklitsch
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DESIGN EXCELLENCE HONOR
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P ro fes s i o n a l Desi g n Co m p eti ti o n Wi nners
DESIGN EXCELLENCE CITATION BUILT CATEGORY District of Columbia Public Schools/ DGS Paul L. Dunbar Senior High School Washington, DC Moody Nolan Inc Curtis J. Moody, FAIA, NOMA Co-Designer with Ehrenkrantz Eckstut & Kuhn Architects
BUILT CATEGORY Centurylink Technology Center of Excellence Monroe, LA Moody Nolan Inc Curtis J. Moody, FAIA, NOMA
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DESIGN EXCELLENCE CITATION
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P ro fes s i o n a l Desi g n Co m p eti ti o n Wi nners
DESIGN EXCELLENCE HONOR BUILT CATEGORY The Connor Group Corporate Headquarters Miamisburg, OH Moody Nolan Inc Curtis J. Moody, FAIA, NOMA
N OM A Co n feren ce Stu dent Persp ecti ve Bolade Richardson, Tuskegee University
Through NOMA and Tuskegee alum, I was awarded the opportunity to attend the 44th National Organization of Minority Architects Conference. After initiating a fundraising campaign in September, I reached my financial goal of $800 within 9 days. It was through their generous donations that I was able attend numerous seminars, make connections with both professionals and students, and explore the magnificent city of Los Angeles. To my astonishment, my campaign happened to be shared amongst a network of 241 Facebook users 72 times. I was able to cover my flight expenses from Atlanta to Los Angeles, book hotel accommodations, and register for the conference. As a graduating senior who will be earning his Bachelor’s degree in Architecture in May, I eagerly took advantage of the various seminars. Ranging in topics that explore cultural identity through the architecture field, I was prepared with information that will later help me for both professional practice and graduate school. There were three seminars that particularly engaged my interests, Anchoring the African Diaspora, 360 Degrees of Separation, and Map the Gap: Visualizing Sociospatial Inequity. Led by Howard University professor, David Sledge, Anchoring the African Diaspora challenges the cultural associations of Africans in the United States, the Caribbean, and Brazil, while simultaneously signaling a recognition of the universal global aesthetic. 360 Degrees of Separation led by one of my donors, Joel Avery, spoke about the advancement of technology through the scope of 3 emerging realities: virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality. Through a series of case studies, Avery analyzed the immersive experiences, which could be created using purely real-world content, purely synthetic content or a hybrid of both. With my interests in computational design, I believe meeting Avery was a perfect opportunity to share my interests in research while discussing current technologies. While in discussion, Avery introduced me to Jon-
athan Moody, President of Moody Nolan in Columbus, Ohio. Moody reflected upon my interest in learning computer languages. With expertise, Moody offered me a strong sense of perspective. He showed me that as challenging as a task may seem, it’s still possible to complete. Map the Gap: Visualizing Sociospatial Inequity led by students of Harvard Graduate School of Design, Marcus Mello and Lindsay Woodson, provoked my interests in addressing institutionalized racism in the United States. After collecting data in ten US cities, they were able to share the inequalities through development, education, and employment. In addition to the Conference seminars, the Exposition and Grad School College Fair was an extremely valuable experience. I was able to share my interests while grasping a better understanding of firms and grad school taken into consideration. I learned about the many firms available around the nation. Of the many graduate schools, I had the pleasure to meet with University of Pennsylvania, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Southern California Institute of Architecture. Charles R. Brown, Adjunct Lecturer at Washington University in St. Louis, introduced me to the lists of graduate programs, fellowships, and scholarship opportunities available. I am grateful for attending the NOMA 2016 Conference and feel it was truly worth the experience. I learned new solutions and best practice strategies that can be implemented in our schools and firms. In addition, I gained a valuable networking experience. After holding several discussions with various industry experts, I have been provided tips and useful information for my particular interests in practice and graduate school. Special thanks to those who supported my campaign and those who I have connected with during the Conference. I look forward to a brighter future due to your considerate efforts. Thank you to the following NOMA members and Tuskegee University Department of Architecture Alumni for sponsoring my experience! Paquita Wiggins Bryan Hudson Joel Avery Kenneth Casey
Mariel Stevens Christopher Brooks and 2 Anonymous Donors
Born in Bronzeville, Chicago, Bolade is a 5th year architecture student at Tuskegee University, the Robert R. Taylor School of Architecture and Construction Science. He has been involved with various research projects including a series of joint projects in Japan and completing the MIT 2016 summer research program. He is expected to received his Bachelor degree in May 2017.
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2016 Report
The NOMA 2016 Conference served as an excellent platform for architecture students, such as myself, to network and share information with licensed architects and design professionals. In addition to the networking opportunities, the Conference offered insight on industry correlations and trends through insightful seminars.
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S tu d ent Des i gn Co m p eti ti o n Wi nners Kwesi Daniels
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The Barbara G. Laurie student design competition is the annual event in which architecture schools from all over the country converge around a single social issue, to produce a design. The submissions are great and illustrate the talent among minority students within the schools of architecture. The process begins with the university liasons developing and issuing a design brief for the schools to integrate into their curriculum. Over the course of a year, students along with their faculty sponsors conduct research, site visits, and interviews to develop the most engaging design for the client. The competition concludes with the submittal of presentation boards and a model and oral presentations by the team. This year we received 20 awesome submittals for the design of an African American Cultural and Conference Center located in historic Leimert Park in Los Angeles, CA. The purpose of this year’s conference was to provide an opportunity for the Leimert Park community to receive the architectural expertise of NOMA students around the development of a vision for a new center. The competition consisted of two rounds. For the first round, students were required to give a five minute oral presentation. Following the presentations, the judges deliberated and selected five (5) teams to move onto the final round. During the final round the five teams who advanced were given 20 minutes to provide the judges with additional insight into their design concept. Upon conclusion of the presentations the jurors selected the top winners. See below for the top three rankings and honorable mentions: 1st Place: Georgia Tech 2nd Place: University of Florida 3rd Place: University of Virginia Honorable Mentions: University of Michigan and the University of Buffalo The great thing about the student design competition is it is more than just a competition. We provide our students the opportunity to evaluate their work against other schools around the country; we provide our visibility for students with top architecture firms; and we allow students to receive design feedback from industry leading architects. Our competition is more than a competition, as university liason Gabrielle Riley, noted our compeitition is “crafting the architectural minds of the future” around social justice! We would like to thank the judges for their dedication and service to this year’s design competition. See below for a brief description of the jurors:Carl Mor-
gan (Civic), Steven Ehrilich (Architect), Pascale Sablan (NOMA representative), Sherrie Franklin (Civic); Bill Bates (AIA Incoming President), and John Enright (Educator) During the competition, I had the privilege of speaking with the dedicated volunteers who assisted with the competition and gained deeper insight into what NOMA President-Elect, Bryan Hudson, University Liaison Gabrielle Riley, and Jurors Bill Bates and Sherrie Franklin thought about the student presentations. Bryan Hudson, President-Elect, NOMA KD: So I am speaking with Bryan Hudson the incoming president of NOMA and the question is “What is the value of the student design competition to the NOMA organization”:
.. lifelong partnerships, friendships, mentoring, you can’t put a price on it. – B ryan Hudson,
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President-Elect, NOMA
BH: That’s a good question especially coming from the stance of being the incoming president incoming president. It’s huge from a growth standpoint for students to actually be able to engage professionals while they are still in school. No other organization provides a platform where students can receive insight on what they are going to be doing doing for the rest of their life. Cash prizes are great but lifelong partnerships, friendships, and mentoring, you can’t put a price on it. It’s great to see we’ve grown from only 3 competition entries 3 years ago to over 20 entries at some of our other conferences. This year we had 20 entries. I think it’s one of the many things NOMA does right. It helps us develop our kids in what can be a harsh, cutthroat environment I am excited to see how far we’ve come. I knew this was a great organization from the start but I didn’t envision this kind of progress. The practitioners who come in as jurors are exposed to a level of talent that
1st Place Georgia Tech Over the years, firms such as, Perkins and Will, HOK, Gensler, have come in specifically to meet these students, it’s like oh, we need you at our office. For example, Jason Pugh, student at Howard, helped put together the competitions after I left. Now he’s a licensed architect and Midwest VP. Now the opportunities that come with these majority firms, we achieve them by having young brothers like him out representing for us. I mean if that answers the question, that is the value. Top to bottom everybody involved wins. Architecture is all about competition and as a group like NOMA, our primary focus is to provide opportunities for our students. I have a firm, I’ve hired a couple of folks that I have met through the organization but, I’m not a Gensler. My scale is small. Gensler has 46 offices in the United States. That’s easily, they could hire every competitor across the country. So do the other companies want to follow suit, take the opportunity, who knows, but it’s there. It’s something that was not there before. So that’s the value. BH: Maybe this ain’t for you KD: I mean everything from as little as getting the license, to completing AXP, to competing in competitions, is always about you gotta keep driving. BH: It is not a perfect world, it is not a forgiving world, but we give you an opportunity to grow and to develop. And you take the opportunity and do what you will. If this is something that’s like ok, architecture, I’m going interior design, or I’m going to industrial design, or I’m going to urban planning, this is still the jump off to figure that out. You can find your strengths and weaknesses by being in this room with your peers. You can find out who’s on top of their game or what you need to do to emulate them especially if they are winners, It’s like a best practice opportunity, so, just food for thought.
Bill Bates, FAIA, 2015-2016 AIA Vice President (Judge) KD: So can you speak on the value of the NOMA Competition and particularly as a judge and what it says to you as you are looking at the projects that the students submitted?
It is very impressive and they are doing a good job. – B ill Bates, FAIA, 2015-2016 AIA Vice President
BB: Well you know I think it is just a great process, the submittals are very professional and I have been impressed for the two years that I have been a judge for the competition and the students take it very serious. I notice that they come to the locations and visit the sites- they really did a lot of research and they understand the context of the project and the problems that they are trying to solve. It is very impressive and they are doing a good job. KD: As a judge, what is probably the most difficult thing about judging these projects? BB: They are all so well done that it’s tough to pick winners because they all done so well and you can tell how much work has gone into each- but the toughest part is sort of weeding out the ones that really shine. We just finished doing the first round and have to do the short list right now and it takes a lot of work and you have to short list things that you don’t really have the full depth of understanding. Then you have to go
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they don’t normally see, especially from students of color. So when they come in, it’s always great to see them have their aha moment— this is what these students are doing! Where were they? How did this come about? Yes, we are talented!
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into the second round where the the ones that are on the shortlist really get the chance to give you more of the insight into the project. That is where you really get a sense of how well they have done. KD: Awesome, thank you so much! Sherrie Franklin, Urban Design Center (Judge) KD: Tell me briefly what this experience has been for you as a community person. What I was told is you received designs for this project and now you have another round of designs [from NOMA]. So I would love to hear your feedback on what this particular process has done for you as the community liason of NOMA and pushing for the work of revitalization. SF: My name is Sheree Franklin and my company is Urban Design Center. We are providing pro-bono consulting service to the 20/20 Vision Initiative to
...it was really a great job of understanding the community. – S herrie Franklin
Urban Design Center
help drive the revitalization of lemert park village. We had come up with various different objectives. One of them is to revitalized the parking lots to create more cultural spaces and give the opportunity to the community to have more cultural retail spaces. Having NOMA organize the student competition for design is extremely inspirational and it is going to be the impe-
tus for moving the vision forward. To have such talent and creativity and innovative people, the students have really captured the essence of what the people of Lemert Park Village would like to see happen and it is beyond appreciated, it is wonderful. KD: Wow, can you speak to your expectation prior and then what you [thought] when you walked in and participated in the judging process? How were your views shaped, particularly, by student work? SF: Before coming I did not know how many students had actually participated, so I was overwhelmed by the level of interest from around the country and then I wasn’t sure in terms of the depth of presentations and the knowledge of the community, how they would be able to capture given that not all of them are here but they have done a fantastic job of figuring out how to connect how to assess, how to understand what Leimert park is about, who are the people and I thought that was very interesting because it shows that you don’t have to be present to understand. You can have connectivity, you can have understanding of different people just by putting yourself out there and learning and trying to read about what people are about and figuring out how to find some commonality between what you are trying to design or assess and the people who you are assessing. I thought it was really a great job of understanding the community. KD: Thank you so, much, I really appreciate your feedback! This is awesome! Gabrielle Riley, University Liaison, West (Competition Organizer) KD: Speak about what students go through and the kind of cost that are incurred. We know that it is pro-bono work, but what kind of commitment do students and schools give to the competition? GR: Some of the schools who are not local, they provide travel for the students to fly to the site and check out the site and it may be part of their studio exploration, especially once it is incorporated into their curriculum.
3rd Place University of Virginia KD: So they actually incorporate it into the curriculum? GR: Yes!
GR: Yes! The majority of the schools here, I would say probably 75% of them, this is their studio project or one of their studio projects. KD: Who is all represented? GR: We have twenty different school represented this year.
It’s a perfect pipeline to get graduating students into positions around the country – G abrielle Riley
University Liaison, West
KD: Do you know the twenty? GR: We have Woodbury, Cal Poly, Tuskegee University, Clemson University, University of Florida, Kent State, Kansas State, Lawrence Tech… KD: So basically we are not talking about local no name, quality programs, we are getting tough programs in the country. GR: Top programs in the country and some of the schools, they provide funding for the students to come out here. KD: Are these first year students?
KD: So, we are getting students who are actually going out into the workforce tomorrow. GR: Correct. Some of these are fifth year students who are graduating and then there are employers here also who are looking for talent, who come looking for talent and they are sitting in these presentations and they get that value added and that is why they come to [the NOMA] conference. This is a major recruitment area. I know there are several people that I looked at last year that I went back and told my firm about. KD: That’s hot! So when we have the conversation about how do we increase the minority population in architecture, this is a venue that does that. GR: [It’s a] perfect pipeline… GR: And then let’s talk about how those hours spent can be used toward [AXP] development. KD: WOW! GR: Yep, so they get to use those hours towards licensure. KD: So, if the student doesn’t already have NCARB, if they have already signed up with AXP then they can use this. GR: Yes! When I came into Tuskegee that was something that was setup for me when I was in my 5th year, right before we rolled out, because that was when most people could start getting [credit] for internships. We setup our NCARB profile and it was paid for and I paid the remaining after I graduated. But they paid the initial fee that would get me started and then I paid the remaining after graduation KD: How much did that type of process assist you in continuing to be on a path toward licensure? GR: Had that not been encouraged, I could have been much farther along [in my career] and not known about it.
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KD: [for clarification] The design competition for NOMA gets incorporated into the studio curriculum!
GR: The range, not typically first year. I see second year on up for most of these projects and some of these are graduate students.
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GR: So basically, whoever is their student advisor or the person who is tracking their hours, the advisor if they are a registered architect they could approve those hours. KD: That’s’ wild! So, can you speak about the compensation for the winners? GR: Last year Perkins and Will was the sponsor for the student design competition and they provided a stipend of $3000.00 for the winners which was Lawrence Tech last year, to defend their title hear in LA. This year Graphisoft is our sponsor and whoever wins
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KD: So if we had NCARB here, during their presentation we could have set-up a profile if they did not already have one and go ahead and add those hours.
the student design competition for 2016 will be able to come to next year’s conference with their $3000.00 travel stipend for any of the student members. So, it goes to the school and not actually the student members. KD: It goes to the school? GR: Yeah, it goes to the school or the NOMA Chapter. KD: Is that the winner or the top five? GR: It’s the winner of the top 5. So you have to place #1. Whoever places #1 that is your title and you get to come back to defend your title, travel expenses paid. KD: Thank you!
‘I Am an Architect, I Am a Negro’ Dr. Paul R. Williams’ triumph over racial prejudice Kwesi Daniels ‘ Negroes-
WAKE UP! The emancipation which was given you was only an opportunity. Real emancipation lies in your own intellectual effort!’ –Dr. Paul R. Williams
Robinson. As he explicitly stated in his 1937 article, “I Am A Negro”, for American Magazine1. “I AM an architect… I am a Negro” This acknowledgement presents a reality which is often overlooked, Dr. Paul R. Williams was an activist. He devoted his life to racial activism through his architecture. Looking at his body of work which spanned five decades and resulted in over 3000 buildings, it is a marvel by anyone’s standard, and an even greater feat for an African-American architect who was refused work strictly because he was black. The deaths of unarmed black men, women, and children by police, the conclusion of the two term presidency of Barack Obama and the election of Donald Trump has elevated the conversation of race in America to its highest precipice in many years. Given this climate, an analysis of his article I Am a Negro seems most appropriate, especially given the continued acknowledgement of his 1 Paul Williams, “I Am a Negro,” Ebony November 1987
Compton Imperial Housing complex was a proposal for an affordable housing complex. Dr. Williams spent considerable time seeking to address the social need for affordable housing. The proposal was built as Nickerson Gardens. Source: Paul R. Williams Project
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Dr. Paul Revere Williams was a trailblazer, a man of many firsts. He was the first African-American to become a registered architect in California, the first African-American to become a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the first African-American to become a fellow in the AIA. In death, his reign continues. In 2017, he will again remove a door which has remained closed to African-Americans- the Board of Directors of the AIA has voted to posthumously award him the 73rd AIA Gold Medal for his tremendous contribution to the architecture community. Dr. Williams was known as the architect of the stars, designing homes for notable celebrities like Zsa Zsa Gabor, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, and Frank Sinatra. His commissions also included significant structures for the African-American community. He designed the 28th Street YMCA, one of the first YMCA’s for African-Americans; the Second Baptist Church in LA, the first African-American Baptist Church in Los Angeles; and many buildings on Howard University’s campus with Hilyard
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accomplishments posthumously. Although his words were written almost 80 years ago his strategy of success in the face of racial prejudice retains the wisdom of experience. His words can embolden all aspiring architects of color with the tools to use architecture to dismantle the walls of racial prejudice, one project at a time. “Deal with me, and with the other men and women of my race, as individual problems, not as a race problem, and the race problem will soon cease to exist!... I developed a fierce desire to ‘show myself.’ I wanted to vindicate every ability I had. I wanted to acquire new abilities. I wanted to prove that I, as an individual, deserved a place in the world.” Dr. Paul Williams’ conscious journey into architecture began following a foreboding message from his high school counselor. When Williams stated he was interested in becoming an architect his counselor stated, “You have ability-but use it some other way. Don’t butt your head futilely against the stone wall of race prejudice.” These words were aimed at instilling in him the counselor’s “well-meaning” limitation that the pursuit of an elite profession like architecture is too aspirational for a person of color. Rather than fold under the weight of the limitation, which was being imposed upon him he took that moment to consciously defy the counselor’s advice- at that moment he married himself to architecture and all of the unknown variables awaiting him strictly due to his race. “ If I allow the fact that I am a Negro to checkmate my will to do, now, I will inevitably form the habit of being defeated… [If]… prejudice is ever to be overcome it must be through the efforts of individual Negroes… Therefore, I owe it to myself and to my people to accept this challenge.”
His early career as an architect is an example of the tenacity which is required to prosper in a field in which minority architects continue to be under-represented. Between 1912 when he graduated from high school and 1921 when he became a registered architect, he pursued many avenues to sharpen his skills. He learned architecture through his participation in design competitions, membership with the Los Angeles Architectural Club, and apprenticing in an architecture office. His first formal education in architecture did not begin until 1916 when he attended the University of Southern California. He succeeded during that time by perfecting the skills which he could control and pursuing every avenue which was not restricted to him due to racism. He participated in numerous residential design competitions. Although his early entries did not win, his work was either published or received honorable mention for his superior drafting and rendering skills. His attention to detail and focus on producing high quality residential designs earned him the respect of many wealthy clients. By 1927, visitors to Los Angeles were requesting to have him reproduce his expression of Spanish Colonial style architecture elsewhere, recognizing his work as “a wonderful improvement on their prototypes in Spain.” “ …I believed that if I could shock, or startle, or in any way induce those white people to regard me, not as ‘just a Negro,’ but as Paul Williams, an individual Negro, I might then be able to sell my ability… I could not compete successfully for big jobs; consequently, I tried to make the most of small house design.” Perfecting the residential design was Dr. William’s gimmick for entering into the world of high commissions and subsequently changing the view of the “Negro” through his individual efforts. Rather than reject residential commissions as being too small to
occupy his time, he embraced them and “labored over the plans for a $15,000 residence as diligently as he [later labored over] the plans for a huge mansion.” He notes that he accepted the challenge of prejudice because it forced him to be better. It instilled in him invaluable skills which were cherished by his clients, like the ability to work within tight budgetary constraints and the skill of salesmanship. For example, he “spent hours learning to draw upside-down” so the clients who were more concerned about his race than his ability to design could sit across the table from him, rather than leave and find another architect. This was his strategy to close the deal!
Dr. Williams chose to tackle racial prejudice by confronting it through his own individual abilities, with the belief that his efforts could be magnified to become a reflection of all of our abilities. His views were not globally accepted at the time, however, the success of his strategy was respected. A September 1937 edition of Crisis Magazine2 noted Dr. Williams had succeeded in being “regarded as an individual Negro, above the level of the Negro stereotyped in the public mind”, however, it also noted that although his success was exemplary, “there are several millions of decent, hon2 Roy Wikins, “A Good Architect,” The Crisis 44, no. 9 (September 1937)
Dr. Paul R. Williams is a monument to the impact we can all have by “casting down our buckets where we are”. This often quoted phrase by Dr. Booker T. Washington is exemplified by the works of Dr. Williams. Dedicate ourselves to perfecting the talents which are rooted inside of us and employ those talents in service of the spaces which we have direct control over. Change is achieved in many ways and may not occur in our lifetime. Committing ourselves to illuminating the abilities which we all possess can reduce the illogical emphasis which is assigned to race. Dr. Williams firmly believed this and devoted his life to discovering the truth of his belief. In 2017, he will be awarded the AIA’s highest honor, the Gold Medal. This honor is awarded to individuals whose legacy of work has had a perpetual influence on the theory and practice of architecture. It will be awarded to an African-American architect for the first time in its 70 year history. Given Dr. Paul Revere William’s commitment to dissolving racial prejudice, this award confirms more than the quality of his architectural structures, it pays homage to the ability to use architecture as a medium to highlight our intellect and diminish the prejudice of racism. “ Virtually everything pertaining to my professional life, during those early years, was influenced by my need to offset race prejudice…‘White peopleWAKE UP! A race is beginning to stir beneath your feet and to demand a place in the sun- its place, mind you, not yours!’ –Dr. Paul R. Williams
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“ …[It] was more than a trick, for as the room developed before [the client’s] eyes, I would ask for suggestions and for approval of my own ideas. I became a full partner in the birth of that room as I filled in the details of the drawing.”
est, industrious Negroes who deserve much better than they receive” and “do not have even a bootstrap by which to try to raise themselves.” Their argument was one of respect for Dr. Williams’ mettle and a call for action in our society which would make Dr. Williams the norm as opposed to the exception to the rule.
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A Post-Paul Williams Profession
Mapping African American Influence in LA Architecture By Jason E. Morris, Assoc. AIA
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hile attending the 2016 AIA National Convention in Philadelphia Debra Gerod, FAIA, a partner at Gruen Associates, was presented with a tote bag containing a plethora of items from the convention. While attending conventions and conferences we are often presented with the customary token of appreciation but without giving its contents too much immediate attention. She too assimilated to this common practice and went home with a bag full of goodies to which she would later explore in more detail. She later delved into her bag of treasures and discovered a map, given to all attendees of the conference, that featured various buildings from around the Downtown area. Why can’t we do this here... and feature work by African American architects in the Los Angeles area? She thought. With the map in hand and excitement beaming, she approached me with her proposal and detailed her vision for the project. She enlisted me to lead the efforts of the project, and I too with excitement accepted the offer. With the addition of Shaellen Franco, a summer high school Intern at Gruen Associates, the project was underway.
During our first discussions with regard to the project we laid out or goals and many ideas. Among those ideas was one resounding theme; to provide recognition and visibility to African American Architects, many of them who worked in Los Angeles for decades without getting due recognition for the work they had contributed to the profession. With this Map we wanted to convey that ‘African American architects exist, they are here, and they are doing good work in Los Angeles’. The same tote bag that was the catalyst for the project also became a metaphor for some of the difficulties experienced by African American architects in the profession as a whole. At times African American architects have been relegated to the position of the “overlooked convention tote bag” and forgotten and set aside for future consideration. With this map we set out to identify and recognize some of the un-
sung heroes of the Los Angeles architecture scene… and Paul Williams, FAIA. Oh yes, the Los Angeles-Born Paul Revere Williams, probably the most famous African American Architect known to date; a name that is nearly synonymous with blackness and architecture and who at the time had not yet been awarded a very deserved AIA Gold Medal. Paul R. Williams worked primarily in the Los Angeles area for decades and made a name for himself with his aptitude for design and even more so with his long list of A-List celebrity clients. He designed homes for household names like Lucille Ball, Frank Sinatra, And Bill ‘Bojangles’ Robinson; and in doing so embodied the term “Starchitect” in a most literal sense. “Earning accolades in architectural competitions and the respect and encouragement of his employers, Williams opened his own practice and became the first African American member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) in 1923.”9 When considered in the context of the 1920s-40s architecture scene Williams’ Success was truly astounding. At the time, Architecture positions were predominantly occupied by white men as were the clients who hired them. Williams paved a way for others seeking to enter the profession but who may not have fit the typical profile of most architects of their time. In the decades following Williams’ prolific career many young African American architects were motivated to pursue the profession of architecture as a result of his work and notoriety. They beheld his career as a beacon which called them to the ranks of the profession by providing them with hope that they too could be successful architects despite their race, background or gender. Following Paul Williams, Los Angeles saw the rise of other successful architects and also many barriers to the profession overcome. Los Angeles witnessed the rise of the likes of Norma Sklarek, FAIA who made history by becoming the first black woman architect
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in the nation and was the first black woman to be inducted into the College of Fellows8; Harold L. Williams, FAIA who became in 1957 only the 9th black architect to be licensed in California, and who made tremendous inroads in the public sector2. Cary K. Jenkins, AIA and James E. Sillcott, AIA graced the neighborhoods of South Los Angeles with their work on the King Drew Medical Center. Jack Haywood, AIA and Vince Proby, AIA made their indelible mark on Los Angeles with the African American History Museum helping to further
the education of the public on Black History. And there was Robert Kennard who in 1957 started the Kennard Design Group and later formed minority focused programs such as “Minority Architecture and Planning [MAP], a precursor of the National Organization of Minority Architects�1 What many of these talented architects found, in the 1950s 60s and even the 70s was that for African Americans, achieving success in the profession of
architecture was not an easy task. African American Architects were scarce and firms that were looking to hire them were even more scarce. In an LA Times Interview Robert Kennard reflected that “he sent out so many resumes, got invited to so many interviews and was rejected for so many jobs that he made a vow to [never close the door to any student]”. Unfortunately Kennard’s experience was not unique.
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In 1961, at the height of the Civil Rights Movement, then President John F. Kennedy issued an executive order that sought to mend the diversity gaps that proliferated throughout the country. The Executive Order asserted that “government contractors ‘take affirmative action to ensure that applicants are employed, and employees are treated during employment, without regard to their race, creed, color, or national origin’”5. This was later followed by a 1965 Executive Order signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson that further expanded “affirmative action” throughout the country. In the years that followed, initiatives and laws were passed nationally that provided mandates for diversity and requirements intended to promote opportunity and inclusion of women and traditional minority groups. Though many of these programs remained controversial, minority and women architects received notable benefits. As a result of the Civil Rights Movement and the nationwide push for affirmative action that followed, many Black architects working in Los Angeles were able to capitalize on these mandates and land important and often high profile projects developed by public agencies, who were bound to comply with affirmative action statutes. Many African American architects had worked for decades at predominantly white firms where they felt that their talents were often under recognized and undercompensated. As the
business climate for minority architects improved in the public sector, the city saw a wave of minority and Women entrepreneurs who seized the opportunity to make a name for themselves. Notable early California architects such as Robert Kennard, FAIA who started Kennard Design Group in 1957 and who continued to years of influential architecture in Los Angeles and Harold L. Williams, FAIA who in 1968 was hired by the City of Compton to design the Compton City Hall, found more opportunities were previously there were few. In a 2015 Los Angeles Times Article written in response to his passing that year the author points out that “such jobs were rare for black architects” and quoted Williams as stating that he was determined “to bring [the] community [of Compton] quality architecture”6 African American architects were among many other underrepresented groups that benefitted from affirmative action policies. Many policies enacted under the premise of preference toward “traditional minority groups” or groups that have had a history of disadvantage or discrimination, included Asian Americans, Women, and disabled persons, religious minorities, and immigrants. After more than three decades of affirmative action expansion, voters began to lose their appetite for the increasingly popular programs. As African American and women entrepreneurs discovered newfound success, non-minority groups began to view and characterize these programs as unfair7. In 1996 California voters in response to changing sentiments regarding affirmative action passed Proposition 209, which amended the state constitution to ban affirmative action in public agencies including the award of public contracts. The proposition requires that “[t]he state shall not discriminate against, or grant preferential treatment to, any individual Photo: experiencela
or group on the basis of race, gender, color, ethnicity, or national origin in the operation of public employment, public education, or public contracting.”3 In 1996 when the proposition was passed there were activists on both sides of the law with concerns about how success or failure of the law might negatively impact opportunities for minority groups. In the years following the passage of Proposition 209 Los Angeles, in spite of the law, spearheaded various initiatives to infuse more diversity into hiring, university admissions, and contract awards in the city; though most of these programs have been found to be ineffective and often times described as “dysfunctional”4
Opinions as to how we overcome opportunity and diversity gaps are as varied as the demographics of the communities and groups we hope to benefit. If the desire to diversify the profession of architecture is universal then how, together, do we begin to influence change? The beginning of change is understanding but true enlightenment comes with empathy. Though we must seek to understand where we have been, where we are, and what we seek to achieve, we must also endeavor to be enlightened by the circumstances of the less fortunate; because empathy is a shared pain that once felt by All creates a shared ambition to cure it. Together, we can affect change and create a profession where the diversity of its members mirrors the diversity of its constituency. This was the goal of the effort to highlight African American Architects working in Los Angeles; to affect change and to educate. We sought to enlighten the public about the struggles and the triumphs of marginalized groups within the profession. We desired to recognize the pioneers; those who have paved the way for today’s African American architects who, as others did before them, serve as role models for the next generations. These are the Paul Williams’ of today, in that they will provide to the next generation the impetus to pursue professional careers as stewards of the built environment. We need to reach the architects of tomorrow... today; and posit to them that they too can be the leaders of tomorrow, without regard to their background or without fear of a seat at the table being denied them. The Map of Los Angeles Buildings by African American Architects served to highlight featured buildings located in and around Los Angeles where African American
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Underrepresentation of African Americans in architecture firms across Los Angeles has been markedly behind the inroads made by other professional fields. According to The Directory of African American Architects there are only about 100 African American architects in Los Angeles County; accounting for 1.4% of the roughly 6,000 practicing10,11. This all in a county where African Americans represent around 10% of the population12. In 2013 Bloomberg News released an article with the headline reading Whites Get 92% of Contracts in Post-Affirmative Action Los Angeles. James Nash, the author of the article, notes that based on the city’s 2012 mandated diversity scorecard “More than a decade after Los Angeles started [taking steps to circumvent] California’s affirmative action ban, firms owned by white men won 92 percent of the $2.1 billion in contracts awarded by the city, though they’re just 14 percent of the population”4. This same trend is observed at the state level where currently only about 200 of the roughly 16,000 architects in California are African American; representing approximately 1.3% of Architects in a State where they account for
6.2% of the population10,12,13,. The disparity that can be observed from these numbers begs the question… Where do we go from here? What can we do about it?
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Architects were significant contributors. As a “living document” a database of such projects will be maintained for the use and education of future generations. The printed maps were distributed to attendees of the annual National Organization of Minority Architects Convention as well as hosted on the local AIA Los Angeles web page. We have received overwhelming support for the project and plan to continue our effort to recognize underrepresented architects in Los Angeles and reach out to the next generation. The Map project was lead and sponsored by Gruen Associates and co-sponsored by AIA|LA and SoCal NOMA, Printing services for the project were graciously donated by ARC Document Printing Solutions.
5) “A Brief History of Affirmative Action.” UCI Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity. The Regents of the University of California, 6 Oct. 2016. Web. 21 Dec. 2016. http://www.oeod.uci.edu/aa.html.
Works Cited
10) “African American Architects - California.” Directory of African American Architects. Ed. Directory of African American Architects. Blackarch.uc.edu, 2016. Web. 21 Dec. 2016. http:// blackarch.uc.edu/directory/daaa-list.php?state=CA&type=1&gender=.
1) Mcg, Robert. “Robert A. Kennard, 74, Is Dead; Architect and Mentor for Blacks.” The New York Times. The New York Times, 29 Mar. 1995. Web. 21 Dec. 2016. http://www.nytimes. com/1995/03/30/obituaries/robert-a-kennard-74-is-dead-architect-and-mentor-for-blacks.html. 2) Williams, Dr. Betty Smith. “:HAROLD LOUIS WILLIAMS, ARCHITECT (1924-2015).” :HAROLD LOUIS WILLIAMS, ARCHITECT (1924-2015). National Organization of Minority Architects, 2015. Web. 21 Dec. 2016. http://www.noma.net/article/251/happenings/news/harold-louis-williams-architect-1924-2015. 3) Bleich, Jeffrey, and Todd Gluth. “Prop 209: Steps That Government Agencies Can Take to Ensure Equal Opportunity in Public Contracting, Education and Employment.” SF Bar Association (2007): n. pag. The Bar Association of San Francisco. Munger Tolles & Olson LLP, 2007. Web. 21 Dec. 2016.
6) Groves, Martha. “Harold Williams Dies at 90; Architect Designed Compton City Hall.” Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, 28 July 2015. Web. 21 Dec. 2016. 7) Brunner, Borgna, and Beth Rowen. “Cite Timeline of Affirmative Action Milestones.” Infoplease. Infoplease, n.d. Web. 21 Dec. 2016. http://www.infoplease.com/spot/affirmativetimeline1.html. 8) “Norma Sklarek.” Biography.com. Ed. Biography.com. A&E Networks Television, 02 Apr. 2014. Web. 21 Dec. 2016. 9) “About: Paul R. Williams, Architect.” Paul Revere Williams, American Architect. Ed. The PRW Project. The PRW Project, 2016. Web. 21 Dec. 2016. http://www.paulrwilliamsproject.org/about/ paul-revere-williams-architect/.
11) Department of Consumer Affairs. “California License Lookup Webpage.” California DCA. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Dec. 2016. http:// www2.dca.ca.gov/. License lookup database used to determine the number of architects in a specific locale. 12) “Census Quick Facts: Los Angeles, Ca.” Census.gov. United States Census Bureau, 2016. Web. http://www.census.gov/quickfacts/ table/RHI225215/0644000,06. 13) “Number of Licensed Architects (US).” DesignIntelligence. DesignIntelligence LLC, 2016. Web. 21 Dec. 2016. http://www. di.net/almanac/stats/number-of-licensed-architects/.
4) Nash, James. “Whites Get 92% of Contracts in Post-Affirmative Action L.A.” Bloomberg.com. Bloomberg, 9 May 2013. Web. 21 Dec. 2016.
Jason E. Morris, Assoc. AIA is a project manager at Los Angeles based firm Gruen Associates. As an Associate of the firm he specializes in managing large-scale Luxury Retail projects for exclusive high-end brands such as Louis Vuitton, Jimmy Choo, and Salvatore Ferragamo. Morris currently serves as Associate Director on the AIA Los Angeles Board of Directors; and with his involvement in the SoCal NOMA chapter has taken special interest in increasing diversity in the profession and improved opportunities for minority-owned architecture firms. He was recently awarded by the AIA California Council the 2016 Associate Award. He received a Bachelor of Architecture Degree from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.
Diversity and Inclusion The foundation of it all Rachell Morris / ZGF Architects LLP
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n 2013, I embarked on a journey as part of a Diversity Task Force with 14 other colleagues at ZGF Architects LLP (ZGF). At the time, I had no idea of the profound impact an education in Diversity and Inclusion would have on me. After all, I had spent a number of years functioning in a Human Resources capacity, with an emphasis on culture and the employee experience. I knew what was involved in creating work environments that are built upon mutual respect and opportunity for all, but what was missing from my education was the foundation for why it was so critically important. Through training, I came to see Diversity and Inclusion as the basis for why, the fundamental building blocks—the foundation.
I began to think about diversity as a celebration of uniqueness, interconnected with inclusion—the intention-
ality of reaching out and removing barriers, so that all employees have the opportunity to achieve their fullest potential. I then started to think about the communities for which architects design—vivid, colorful tapestries of complexions, genders, disciplines, roles, educational backgrounds, generations, religions, cultures, sexual orientations, perspectives, ideas, etc.—and I couldn’t ignore the powerful impact that such diversity infuses into our design process. At its best, our profession is a reflection of the diversity of the communities we serve. An empirical study conducted by University of Chicago researchers showed that because people see problems and solutions from different perspectives, that teams with more diverse sources of information generate better ideas. Business case or not, diversity can lead to innovation.
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ith this insight, I realized that I was beginning to actually apply what I had learned as a member of ZGF’s Diversity and Inclusion Advocacy Group (DIAG), the aforementioned Diversity Task Force’s official name, to every aspect of my life and work. Diversity and Inclusion became the foundation for every program I implemented, every policy I helped to shape, every conversation I had with newhires during on-boarding, every person I mentored, and every moment I spent in the community. Learning to think about diversity in the broadest of terms, to exclude no one, was an educational first-step. Once I understood diversity as being “all people”, and that within any circumstance there is always a dimension of diversity in play, I asked myself if that is where a conversation about diversity should end, or where it should begin. We cannot change what we don’t acknowledge—but what if we aren’t discussing some of the challenges facing the profession, such as race and gender, because it makes us uncomfortable? We have a responsibility to take action when we observe disparity, inequity, or under representation within our profession—action is the next step.
While I had been a member of SoCal NOMA for some time, learning about Diversity and Inclusion, and gaining a greater awareness of some of the challenges facing the profession, became the catalyst for my increased involvement. NOMA has shown great advocacy for increased representation of minorities in Architecture. As such, one fulfilling community outreach effort that ZGF has been a part of is NOMA’s Project Pipeline, a summer camp that exposes middle and high school students to architecture and engineering over three days of interactive camp activity. In previous years, ZGF volunteered at the camp, but this year, the firm’s participation was a little different. After being contacted by Duane Williams, one of my fellow NOMA members, who shared that the grandmother of a camp-goer had inquired about the possibility of her grandson shadowing design professionals in an Architecture firm immediately following the camp (an offering that didn’t exist at the time), ZGF created a three-day Shadowing Program. We brought the 15-year-old student, Nicholas Wilborn, into our office and gave him an introduction and overview of projects. We exposed him to everything from conceptual design and renderings, to construction administration. He toured two ZGF projects under Construction, observed two Owner/Architect/Contractor meetings, and even spent time in our Model Shop. We hosted one Project Pipeline student in 2016, whom we’ve invited back because we’d like to continue to support his interest in Architecture as a potential career, and we are planning to increase the number of Project Pipeline students that we host next year.
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n response to the lack of minority representation in Architecture, ZGF recognizes how much influence we can have by exposing students of color to the profession. Through the Project Pipeline experience, this Shadowing Program was created. We thought we were educating the student, but we were also learning through the process. One of my ZGF colleagues, Jenny
Rachell Morris is a Principal at ZGF Architects where she manages operations and human resources in multiple offices on the East and West Coast. Over the last 14 years, her responsibilities have involved leading the growth of the Los Angeles office, supervising the administrative staff, and serving as liaison for firm wide Principals and Partners. Rachell is committed to enhancing the workplace and enriching the culture of the firm. It is with this conviction that she established ZGF’s Diversity and Inclusion Advocacy Group (DIAG) in 2013. Rachell has led the implementation of numerous people-focused initiatives, many of which have promoted a positive cultural change within the firm. Rachell graduated from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and Hispanic Studies.
Apostol, observed the student with his grandmother shadowing other team members in the studio, and she sent me a message asking how she could get involved. She became an active NOMA member that day. ZGF also participated this year in the planning, fundraising, and execution of the 44th Annual NOMA Conference in Los Angeles.
In addition to being a NOMA member and volunteer, my role at ZGF includes recruitment, so the NOMA Conference also provided an important opportunity for me to meet many talented students and recent graduates. Subsequently, ZGF hired Christopher Locke, one of the Designing In Color seminar presenters. If it was not for NOMA’s programs, we might not have otherwise known about this talented young graduate. Being part of such a Conference—where students, architects, design professionals, and clients come from across the country in celebration and support of
In addition to the under representation of minorities in Architecture, there are certainly other challenges facing the profession, and a lot more work to do. When I reflect on my nearly 15-year career in Architecture as a woman, as an African-American woman, and as a non-Architect, I would be remiss not to acknowledge that each of these wonderful dimensions of diversity has come with professional challenges. While a Diverse and Inclusive profession ensures that all are valued for what they contribute, we still see the reluctance of this profession to acknowledge non-Architects as “professionals”, in spite of the sometimes lifelong contributions and commitment these individuals have shown to building practices. Yet, despite years of hard work, having been educated at some of the best schools, having a depth and breadth of knowledge, and the ability to offer unique expertise that has quantifiably contributed to the success of leading architectural firms, non-Architects in Architecture do not yet receive broad recognition in this profession. Architecture is becoming more multi-disciplinary, and as we continue the work to create an inclusive profession, I remain optimistic that the disciplines which significantly contribute to the design process will too, be recognized as true collaborators. If we can acknowledge the potential impact of our own unconscious bias, and be willing to work together to address the challenges, even when they make us uncomfortable, we will be an even stronger profession for it. Diversity and Inclusion is not fleeting, but rather the foundation of a professional culture, necessary to truly deliver excellence in design.
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Employees from ZGF’s Los Angeles, Portland, and Washington, DC offices participated in the NOMA Conference.
minorities in architecture—is a reminder of what is needed within the profession.
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Permanent Supportive Housing
What we have learned in the past 25 Years... and where we go from here Mike Alvidrez WINTER 2017
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There are thousands of Eds who still struggle to survive on the streets of Skid Row, throughout Los Angeles and across the entire nation. We identify them as “chronically homeless” – individuals who are homelessness for years at a time (in Ed’s case, over 25 years) and have a combination of disabling medical and mental health conditions that make it almost impossible for them to access housing independently. A February 2016 study found that LA County spends over $1 billion a year caring for and managing homeless people. The majority ($577 million) went to health needs, another $294 million was for benefits and food stamps, and another $41 million was for law enforcement costs – including arrests by the Sherriff’s Department, jail stays and probation for homeless people. A similar study conducted by the Economic Roundtable seven years ago found a similar breakdown of County costs, but identified that those costs decreased by 80% once homeless individuals were able to access permanent supportive housing. Skid Row Housing Trust, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded in 1989, embraces permanent supportive housing as a practical and evidence-based approach to ending chronic homelessness – an approach that both saves lives and saves the public millions of dollars. Our mission is to develop and operate permanent supportive housing for individuals who have experienced homelessness, prolonged extreme poverty, poor health, disabilities, mental illness, and/or addiction so that they can lead safe, stable lives in wellness. Today we have a portfolio of 26 properties with 1,848 apartment homes in and around Downtown Los Angeles,
and each property is staffed by on-site case managers and property managers whose primary aim is to ensure the long-term health, wellbeing, and stability of each resident. This year almost 2,000 formerly homeless and low-income individuals called a Skid Row Housing Trust apartment home. Approximately 67% of our residents are African American; 18% are Hispanic/Latino; 13% are Caucasian; and 2% are Asian or identify as mixed race. 75% are male; 24 are female; 1% is transgender. Our residents’ average age is 53, and their physical age could be anywhere from 10 to 20 years older due to the time they have spent living on the streets. The average monthly income of our residents is $580, with the primary sources of income being General Relief, Supplemental Security Income, earned income, and Social Security Disability Insurance. We owe it to people like Ed to reflect on significant moments and movements that have shaped permanent supportive housing’s evolution over the past 25 years and to thoughtfully consider, “where do we go from here?”
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Some of Skid Row Housing Trust’s evolution was shaped, often aggressively, by external forces; some was the result of our willingness to pioneer innovative solutions to homelessness. Below are five major lessons that have shaped Skid Row Housing Trust’s work:
Supportive services are as important as Housing When Skid Row Housing Trust was founded in 1989, we were focused on preserving affordable housing stock in Skid Row. The Trust acquired and rehabbed existing Single Room Occupancy (SRO) properties in Skid Row and then rented out the apartments to low-income individuals. At that time General Relief was $424 per month, enough for low-income individuals to afford a very modest rent that was sufficient to fund the Trust’s ongoing operations. Resident turnover during those early years was extremely high – close to 50 percent annually – and we struggled to retain property management staff that lacked experience serving individuals with mental illness and addiction. By 1992 we recognized that case management services were needed to help our residents stabilize their lives and maintain housing. We hired handful of
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ight years ago Ed Givens was identified by the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health as one of the top 50 homeless individuals most likely to die on the streets of Downtown Los Angeles’ Skid Row. After being referred to Skid Row Housing Trust’s Cobb Apartments, Ed was able to address the underlying conditions that led him to be homeless, maintain his housing, improve his health and mental health, and reconnect with family and community. If you met Ed today, you would never know that he was once in such a vulnerable situation; his story is a testimony to the transformative power of what we call the permanent supportive housing model – a combination of subsidized housing and comprehensive supportive services.
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case managers to work out of offices at our properties, and we partnered with a number of community-based organizations to which our case managers would refer residents for benefits advocacy, mental healthcare, and other services.
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Market changes can be both threats and opportunities In 1992 General Relief was cut to $221 a month – where it remains today – destabilizing our residents’ primary source of income and making our existing business model insupportable. We secured sponsor-based Shelter Plus Care (SPC) rental subsidies in massive quantities as a way to quickly fix our operating deficit and to allow prospective residents to be able to afford our housing. The SPC subsidy required that we provide a matching level of supportive services to our residents, which triggered a lot of strategic thinking among our staff and leadership about the root causes of homelessness and the services beyond case management that were needed to prevent and end homelessness. This pivotal moment was a serious threat to our bottom line, but ended up catalyzing our efforts to heighten supportive services at our properties.
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There should be no barriers to permanent supportive housing Skid Row Housing Trust was an early adopter of Housing First, an approach to ending homelessness in
which homeless individuals can transition directly into a safe and permanent home with an array of voluntary supportive services without barriers such as mandatory sobriety, treatment, or requirements to complete programs. Research demonstrates that this approach is effective in promoting housing stability, particularly among people who have been homeless for long periods of time and who have serious disabilities or disorders, including addiction.
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Design should be at the heart of permanent supportive housing Between 1996 and 2003 Skid Row Housing Trust evolved a great deal in its approach to supportive housing development. We shifted our focus from preservation to new construction, with a studio unit typology, and embedded social services and community spaces in each property to encourage positive social interactions and facilitate community building. We encouraged service providers to work on-site at our properties and began to design services spaces where medical, mental health, recovery, benefits, advocacy, and other services could be provided to our residents. Partnering with renowned firmed like Brooks + Scarpa, Killefer Flammang Architects, and Michael Maltzan Architecture allowed Skid Row Housing Trust to push the barriers of permanent supportive housing design to create neighborhood landmarks and facilitate healing and community both within and beyond a buildings’ walls. The design of our buildings challenges common perceptions of subsidized housing and allows our residents to escape the labels that so often
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accompany low-income tenants of housing projects. Good architecture has elevated the conversation about ending homelessness from a negative perception to an aspirational solution.
Housing is Healthcare In recent years the local medical community – and in particular the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services – realized that the best prescription they could write for a homeless patient was a referral to supportive housing. In 2013 Skid Row Housing
Trust completed Star Apartments, designed by Michael Maltzan Architecture, which was designed specifically to house homeless patients who were high utilizers of the County’s emergency rooms and hospitals who were unable to get well back on the streets. In exchange for housing their homeless patients, DHS agreed to fund on-site case management and other supportive services at Star Apartment in order to ensure their patients’ long-term stability. Since that time we have expanded our partnership with DHS to include three of our other properties, and a DHS clinic is housed in one of the Star Apartments commercial spaces to ensure immediate access to care for our residents as well as the homeless residents of Skid Row.
Mike Alvidrez is the Chief Executive Officer of Skid Row Housing Trust, a nonprofit that has been preserving, developing, and managing permanent supportive and affordable housing to prevent and end homelessness for more than 25 years. Driven by hands-on experience working in Downtown Los Angeles’s Skid Row neighborhood, he pioneered the development of permanent supportive housing to help those facing the toughest challenges to stability and wellness. Mike joined the Trust as a Project Manager in 1990, one year after the organization was founded to preserve affordable housing in Downtown Los Angeles. In 1995, Mike led the effort to create the Trust’s Property Management Company to better assist formerly-homeless residents who struggle to stay in housing. Mike became Executive Director for the Trust in 2004. During his tenure, the Trust has become a nationally recognized provider of permanent supportive housing that is on the forefront of building and program design. By creating beautiful buildings with on-site supportive services, the Trust alters both how people view our residents and how our residents view themselves. Under Mike’s leadership and guidance, the Trust has set the standard for providing homes and improving the quality of life for our most vulnerable neighbors. As an advocate for affordable and permanent supportive housing, Mike prioritizes sharing the strategies and solutions the Trust has developed. He is active within the Southern California Association of Nonprofit Housing and National Alliance to End Homelessness, and leads the Trust’s participation in numerous coalitions and conferences. Working with a wide variety of local business and community groups, Mike endeavors to bridge divides so that the entire community can focus on implementing real, proven, and lasting solutions to homelessness. A native Angelino with a Master’s degree from UCLA’s School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Mike previously worked for Community Corporation of Santa Monica. In his spare time, Mike is an avid gardener and cyclist.
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20 1 5 - 2 0 16 N O M A Offi cers
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