Vol. 20, Issue 01 2022
YAF Chair’s message:
Design for the future with CARE I am excited and honored to chair the Young Architects Forum this year and celebrate 30 years of YAF with our upcoming YAF Summit 30 event: Mission 2130. This application-based, in-person event is designed to explore what the world could look like in the year 2130 and distill out actionable steps young architects can take today, to help ensure a prosperous world for the future. If you think that sounds like a BHAG (Big, Hairy, Audacious Goal), you are correct — but how else can we catalyze change? The year 2130 may seem impossible to imagine. Will humans live in megacities? Will we live underwater? Will we live on another planet? We may not be able to predict what the future holds, but we can do our part to ensure it is a prosperous place for all who will be here by designing for the future with CARE. C Be creative in your career evolution The world needs creative minds to find solutions to problems both large and small. How can we use our architectural education in non-traditional ways? If we consistently utilize design thinking to creatively solve problems outside of the built environment, how would that change the role of the architect? What impact would that have on the perceived value of the architect? What if we applied design thinking to our careers as architects and ‘flipped the model up-side down?’ What would that look like? How could that change the ways our profession addresses the current and future needs of the workforce? A Be adaptable with action We need to take action to make change, but action does not have to be on a large scale to make an impact. As the saying goes, “Don’t let perfection be the enemy of the good.” Little wins add up and can bring unanticipated ripples of change. If a client does not want to entertain the idea of LEED or sustainable features as a whole, collaborate with the design team to find other methods of using building resources efficiently or specifying water-efficient fixtures. These adjustments may seem inconsequential compared to a netzero building, but this is still change that will make a difference. R Be responsibly revolutionary You (yes, you — the person reading this) have the power to make change happen. You do not need to be a principal at a large firm or the architect on a multimillion-dollar
hospital project. Great ideas can come from anyone, and your perspective may unlock other ideas that had not been thought of yet. There are still times when sustainable elements of projects are considered revolutionary ideas. I encourage everyone to continue to bring up these ideas with co-workers, firm leaders, and clients until they become a standard practice. E Be empowered by empathy Change for the sake of change can have negative consequences and even well-thought-out ideas can have unanticipated impacts. I will never forget hearing Renee Cheng, FAIA, talk about bike lanes and how this common sustainable design strategy was perceived negatively by a community. We cannot assume something will be good for a community simply because it is successful by our standards. Our work as architects directly affects the daily lives of people living in and around our buildings. By taking some time to better understand the communities we are working in, we can create a valued sense of place. During 2022, the Young Architects Forum will continue to explore innovative ways the practice of architecture can help our environment and build a welcoming sense of belonging within our profession. I hope you will join us as we work together to design for a future with car Resources:
YAF 2022 Priority Overview YAF Mission 2130 BHAG
Jessica M. O’Donnell, AIA
O’Donnell is a project architect at Kitchen & Associates in Collingswood, New Jersey, where she specializes in multifamily housing. She is a 2022 AIA Young Architect Award winner and the 2022 chair of the YAF.
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