Winning the lottery, requires buying a ticket

““You can’t win the lottery, if you don’t buy a ticket”. ”

— Julia Donoho, AIA, Esq.

At the AIA Women's Leadership Summit in Seattle, there was advocacy; taking action to drive positive change for equitable practice and representation. Julia Donoho, AIA, Esq., in her presentation about leading the campaign to nominate Julia Morgan for the AIA Gold Medal summed it up pretty well; "You can't win the lottery, if you don't buy a ticket". 

That message was already on our minds prior to the summit and in early discussions with the WIA/Equity Alliance Group of the AIA Diversity & Inclusion Council.  There was the discussion that AIA National Convention in the past has been lacking educational programs that addressed equitable practice and overall diverse representation on the panels groups. Applying the theory that you have to "Be in it, to win it", we asked everyone to submit an AIA Convention seminar or workshop program during the call for proposals earlier this summer. There were 10 proposals submitted with 2 phases of peer review. At each phase, there was great collaboration and strategic thinking about panelists for each program to increase the strength of the individual submissions. We are happy to report that 7 out of the 10 have been accepted as AIA convention programs for 2016 in Philadelphia!

Here are the 7 and their respective abstracts of each program for your reference:

1. EQxD Hackathon : Architecture And...The Era of Connections
2. EQxD What's Flex Got to Do with Success
3. EQxD Negotiation is your Power Tool
4. Establishing the Business Case for Women in architecture
5. Moving the Needle: Achieving Equity starts with Architecture Schools
6. Attract, Engage, Retain, Promote: Recommendations for Equitable Practices in Architecture
7. Future Firm Culture: Defining a Path to Success

Here are the abstracts of each program for your reference:

EQxD Hackathon : Architecture And...The Era of Connections

One of the most unique and talked about ½ Day Pre-Convention Workshops is back! Join us for a new EQxD Hackathon this year. In Architecture AND the Era of Connection, we will explore the intersection of Design and Tech with a diverse panel of industry leaders and entrepreneurs to explore the practice innovations and future opportunities related to the business of Architecture in the new digital economy. The second half of the workshop will feature the popular "mini-Hackathon" format for groups to explore and develop a real plan of action that will have positive impact on the profession. (What is a Hackathon?) Very similar in format to a design charrette, this rapid prototyping format will leverage your Design Thinking skills to propose actionable initiatives and best practices for innovating equitable practice and exploring future business models for the profession. (Submitted by Rosa Sheng, AIA)

Equity by Design: Win-Win Strategies for Work/Life Flexibility

Establishing a healthy integration between work and life positively impacts business bottom lines by: providing access to a wider talent pool; increasing employee satisfaction, engagement and productivity; and reducing costly employee turnover. Meanwhile, the architectural profession commonly demands long, and often unpredictable, hours spent in the office. In this panel discussion, we will explore successful strategies for both firm leaders and employees to develop infrastructure that promotes and rewards results over the “Culture of Busy”. (Submitted by Lilian Asperin-Clyman, AIA)

Equity by Design: Negotiation is your Power Tool

According to the 2014 Equity in Architecture Survey, negotiation skills are sorely lacking in our profession. The survey found that less than 35% of all respondents, regardless of gender, negotiated their current salaries. Those who had negotiated salary increases experienced similar rates of self-reported success, and successful negotiators of both genders made more money on average than their non-negotiating counterparts. Successful negotiation is a well-honed skill that requires a deep understanding of all the potential factors that influence positive outcomes. At this session, we will discuss and learn strategies for achieving success in negotiations. (Submitted by Lilian Asperin-Clyman, AIA)

Establishing the Business Case for Women in architecture

This seminar begins with trends of women in architectural school, practice, and leadership positions. We will then identify root causes of what holds women back, or causes them to leave the profession; explore the business case for integrating women into leadership positions; and define actionable items firms can implement to raise women into leadership roles. Panelists will discuss personal experiences with attaining leadership roles, overcoming barriers, and views on the importance of women in a thriving practice.(Submitted by Amy Kalar, AIA)

Moving the Needle: Achieving Equity starts with Architecture Schools

The number of women and minorities attending architecture school has steadily increased, yet the comparable percentage of professors, department heads, heads of schools and deans of colleges that are women or minorities has not increased in years. Come hear from several Deans and Department Heads that have broken through this barrier as they describe what it means to their university, to their students and to the architectural profession. (Submitted by Nicole Dress, AIA)

Attract, Engage, Retain, Promote: Recommendations for Equitable Practices in Architecture

While women graduate with architecture degrees at a rate equal to men, they still make up only 20% of practicing architects; and today’s emerging professionals, regardless of gender, demand new approaches to work-life integration and career development. This session uses research-based recommendations and tools developed by Iowa Women in Architecture to help firms attract, retain, and nurture diverse talent pools, and to aid individuals as they move through their own career paths. (Submitted by Ann Sobiech Munson, AIA)

Future Firm Culture: Defining a Path to Success

Every architect is seeking a good firm culture that nurtures personal and professional success. But defining the necessary ingredients for a positive firm culture can be elusive. How do you as an individual influence the mood and energy of your firm? Your success and happiness as a professional may depend on your thoughtful decision to join a firm that best fits you culturally as well as your skills. ((Submitted by Nicole Martineau, AIA)

In the months to come prior to AIA National Convention, we will continue to engage, promote and advocate for attending these seminars and workshops to move the needle towards equitable practice. This will include documentation of the events and providing the best information to participants prior to and after events as we continue to build a network of champions for change.

If you have an approved program at AIA National Convention that is focused on the topic of equitable practice that is not represented here, please let us know and we will add you to the list of workshops and seminars.

Conscious Inclusion: #BUILDYOUrtribe

by Neelanjana Sen 

When I became aware that architecture is the profession I would like to pursue, names of architects and the buildings they were designing got picked up by my mind radar more frequently. The names I learnt about were mostly men, amazing architects - and I started dreaming of being an “amazing architect” myself. Growing up in India I had noticed girls being brought up slightly differently from the boys, but I never faced that in my family. I was never told I was any different - so when it came to wanting to be an architect it didn't even register to me that all my idols were men and I didn't have a woman role model to look up to. I didn't think about this until much later in life - almost well into my first job in architecture.

As I stepped into the practice of this profession I felt it was hard to find women role models who had a positive attitude towards the profession, were amazing architects, and had family and children as well. I felt you cannot have both - a woman had to choose either architecture or family & children. But I wanted to have both, find  a work-life balance, be a positive contributor to the profession and be the best architect I could be. I have met some awesome women architects but never engaged in a conversation which would help me understand Why it seemed difficult to do both. Last October when I attended the Missing 32% symposium the survey results gave me hard facts and helped me fill in some answers to the “Why.” For me the pinch points and glass ceiling in the profession as brought forward by the survey opened questions regarding socio cultural perceptions. The image we build of an architect gets circulated and ultimately feed the understanding of masses on who can do a certain kind of work. It’s a loop.

Sen noticed her young son's favorite books about construction had no female characters. 

On the point of perception I would like to share a story that made me realize that each one of us is responsible to build biases, stereotypes and construct an image of what society or a profession is. My 4 year old son loves everything to do with construction. He loves the book “Goodnight, Goodnight Construction site.”  One day as I came back home from my construction site and mentioned to him where I was - he got really upset. He said in his own way that I could not be a girl and also go to the construction site. Puzzled I asked him why he thought that way. He referred back to his book where all the trucks who worked hard in the construction site were boys! I quickly realized the need to change some of the “he’s” to “she’s” when I read the book to him next.

I have wondered how else are we unknowingly constructing an image where women are absent from a certain scenario? We need to consciously make people aware of the diverse talent pool of this profession and the fact that gender is not criteria for exclusion.

The hackathon was the next step forward to engage in the conversation of how to disrupt the loop of traditional thinking patterns that have built biases. It was also a challenge to myself to think differently--break my personal inbuilt bias of working in a certain way. During the hackathon I realized I have to drop my guard and be open to information. Think about it hacking in a way was what we architects and designers were trained to do. Problem solving, designing an out of the box unique solution is something we have all done during our architecture education and in our professional practice. Tony Fadell the originator of the iPod talked about  the fact that “As human beings, we get used to "the way things are" really fast. But for designers, the way things are is an opportunity …”  Acknowledging the way things are in the profession should be considered an opportunity to hack. During the hackathon I also realized that dropping my guard is contagious. This contagious spirit can build a community of positivity where everyone is willing to take the risk to come up with a unique solution. I also discovered that hacking for a solution involves identifying the root problem that is often hidden under layers of information. These are the concepts I would like to practice everyday. I would like to bring it back to my workplace and communities I interact with to engage in conversations about equity and bias.

As we continue to build the tribe of women and men acknowledging the root issues in our profession, I hope we will identify many more women architects who can be role models to the next architect in making. I thank the hosts and the sponsors of the EQxD hackathon for encouraging the spread of conscious inclusive thinking and dialogue which I could be a part of.

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READ MORE ABOUT WE310 EQUITY BY DESIGN HACKATHON RECAPS

1. #BUILDYOUrtribe – Equity by Design Hackathon 2015 Winners
2. When Working Hard Hardly Works 
3. Promotion and Advancement: How to champion the Pull.
4. We need to Hack more!
5. I am not an Architect
6. How does going to a Hackathon make re-entry easier?
7. Interrupt workplace bias, be a "Change Agent"
8. Reflections from the EQxD Hackathon Jurors
9. Conscious Inclusion: #BUILDYOUrtribe

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What's next for EQxD?

Join us in San Francisco at AIASF on June 11th for our next EQxD "U" Workshop "What's Flex got to do with Success?" (Win Win Strategies for Work/Life Flexibility) Meet the panelists, and participate in small group break-outs to "hack" what works for flexibility in the modern workplace. This event is relevant to all AEC professionals! 6pm-8:30pm. 

Reflections from EQxD Hackathon Jurors!

An Interview by Lilian Asperin Clyman

Still buzzing from the energy at the first-ever AIA National Convention Hackathon, four of us gathered at Studio 7 to deliberate and select the winner. Our criteria for evaluation included: Relevance to EQxD, User Experience, Impact & Metrics and Pitch. It all happened very quickly, yet the bonds that formed prove that it’s content and emotion that bind at a core level.  We all agreed; this was an experience we will all cherish as one-of-a-kind. Now that we have had time to catch our breath, curiosity around a few reflections was impossible to contain.  See below for a few more inspiring words from our Jurors.

Hackathon Jurors from left to right: Obiekwe “Obi” Okolo (OO), Melinda Rosenberg (MR), and Curtis Rodgers (CR)

What surprised you most about the Hackathon?

(OO) The range of ages that were present in the room that day and even further at the happy hour. It was exciting to see that the opportunities for improvement are recognized across the age barriers.

(MR) The excitement over the event and how close to heart it was to everyone.  Most folks were feeling the same level of frustration over many of the same issues and why these issues have gone unaddressed for so long.  Side note, the flexibility folks wanted it in their benefits as well as their schedules. I loved that the topic of “flexibility” has fearlessly expanded beyond “schedules” to propose that it encompasses “benefits” as well.

(CR) The energy at the happy hour showed that there was a strong momentum growing, and there was the potential to create an annual event.

What did you find most memorable about the winning scheme?

(OO) I really appreciated the potential for growth. The more they talked about it the more I saw it in my head. Social Media, Collective media, features, merchandise. It could really be like the F*** Cancer movement (lock it up). Or an incubator for post/pre arch career entrepreneurs.

(MR) The ability to have results immediately in regards to Meaning and Influence (people connecting) by creating “#buildyourtribe."

(CR) That they went through a process.  They first defined the problem they wanted to solve:  building support for change, and then thought how to come up with the best tool for connecting with new employees: social media.  It wasn’t complicated; they just arrived at a logical solution that is certainly worth piloting.

Hackathon Jurors Melinda Rosenberg, Obi Okolo and Curtis Rodgers listen to EQxD Hackathon groups solve problems and develop their ideas!

When you wore the hat as juror, what were you aiming to sharpen the focus on?

(OO) Something new. Architects have this oddity of a condition where they can be very creative in the built environment but struggle to design non-vanilla solutions in any other avenue. Likely the reason why the winning team were mostly made of nontraditional career track entrepreneurs.

(MR) World peace, then, as an HR leader, to gain a better understanding about what I can improve upon to make a more enjoyable professional work experience to share w/my Partners and staff.  To walk away w/a better knowledge of what frustrates folks and how to address them.

(CR) I wanted to see the scope the team took on to be realistic in scale.

What advice do you have for the participants post Hackathon?

(OO) Maintain momentum. If you don’t take your idea and run with it, I WILL!!

(MR) Keep hacking, keep involved, don’t make this a one-time event, if you believe in it, keep spreading the message.

(CR) Don’t stop, keep meeting with your teams.  Even if you work on another idea, you’ll have something to show and an experience to build from- you’re exercising a useful skill.

Which aspect of the experience will you cherish the most? Conversely, which is the area of greatest improvement we can consider for the future?

(OO) Just the entire process. I love hackathons and I love the potential that it could be adopted by architecture as a wat FSU (F*** S*** Up) a bit. I think the next step is growing. I want to see more Firm Principals in the audience. More people in general. I’d love to see it become two days. I’d love for the finalist teams to present in front of the entire happy hour crowd? I just want to see this grow! I’d also be so down with being involved!

(MR) The collaboration that lead up to the 3 minute presentations, walking around and listening to folks wanting to make things better through the lens of equity. Looking ahead, I would encourage everyone to keep the conversation going and continue to celebrate diversity in the workplace – it’s a critical differentiator in our new work environment.

(CR) The presentations were great; seeing the different teams try vastly different approaches was really interesting.  For the future, I hope we can have engineers and programmers from the exhibition vendors participate, or some simple tools available to the teams for building prototypes.

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READ MORE ABOUT WE310 EQUITY BY DESIGN HACKATHON RECAPS

1. #BUILDYOUrtribe – Equity by Design Hackathon 2015 Winners
2. When Working Hard Hardly Works 
3. Promotion and Advancement: How to champion the Pull.
4. We need to Hack more!
5. I am not an Architect
6. How does going to a Hackathon make re-entry easier?
7. Interrupt workplace bias, be a "Change Agent"
8. Reflections from the EQxD Hackathon Jurors
9. Conscious Inclusion: #BUILDYOUrtribe

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What's next for EQxD?

Join us in San Francisco at AIASF on June 11th for our next EQxD "U" Workshop "What's Flex got to do with Success?" (Win Win Strategies for Work/Life Flexibility) Meet the panelists, and participate in small group break-outs to "hack" what works for flexibility in the modern workplace. This event is relevant to all AEC professionals! 6pm-8:30pm. 

We need to Hack more!

by Matthew Gaul    

Without a doubt, the most significant event of the whole AIA National convention in Atlanta was Equity by Design (EQxD) Hackathon ½ day event. Unique to the convention we were going to do something, on the spot, to improve the profession. The whole afternoon was a microcosm of what I have experienced since I attended my first EQxD meeting a year ago. What I got out of it was a real sense of what it will take to move the profession forward and an even stronger sense of optimism that we will get there.

Why I went:

First stop: a selfie at the front door.

Like all EQxD events and meetings I’ve been to, the Hackathon was about awareness and action. Action is the key to causes. Architecture is keen to action when it comes to external things like the 2030 Challenge for sustainability, but we’re ironically inactive about our own internal challenges.

At the Hackathon, we set out to focus internally, not on our desires about design as architects are regularly accused of doing, but on our self-worth and conduct. Frankly, it is still a significant thing for the profession to stand up out of our sandbox of beautiful designs, to grapple with real human issues. I believe doing so helps us realize our true value and prepare for a Post-Green world, when being sustainable will be as much of a concern to the public and the profession as being accessible and ADA compliant. When we get there, we’ll be left with our one common denominator: our fellow humans for whom we design. After all, Architecture can’t sustainably focus on sustainability because we’ll get there, and when we do, we’ll be left with our one common denominator: our fellow humans for whom we design.

I also wanted to be there to be one of the men in the room. Everyone has potential for implicit bias, groupthink, and ignorance. Research shows us that diverse groups make more intelligent and equitable decision through a reduction in assumptions and increase in experiences and awareness. So, by participating help mitigate these factors in myself and others.

How it went:

It was hard. Not in the typical architecture-is-hard because the problems are complex and take a long time to develop solutions. It was hard because we didn’t have a long time to figure things out, and we couldn’t use our typical problem solving methods. We were actively figuring out what our methods could be while using them to solve our group’s chosen equity issue, and then presenting in a way that we were totally unaccustomed. And that’s the essence of a hackathon.

In the end, this was the most focused, participatory, and fruitful four hours of the whole convention. Don’t get me wrong; other convention activities had the same high qualities, but none produced original work on the spot and drew upon their participants to act in the present and future in quite the same way. We all left with a feeling of community, ownership, and responsibility.

What I take away from it:

“A pocket full of change.”

Equity in Architecture and improving the value proposition/understanding of architecture is going to be a lot harder and more complicated than I thought. It isn’t just a matter of sharing information, straightening up, rallying others to action, and changing what others do or think. There is a lot of hard work in figuring out how and what we are doing to change ourselves as a profession and how others perceive us.

Personally, I will make it a point to draw on others more. (It won’t be just to spread the good word of equity, but it will also help shape the bricks that we will use to build a better profession. It is my hope that AIA National does the same.

There is a real value in every single person’s time and energy, because they can shape the course of events and the profession that shapes humanity’s built environment.

And who wouldn’t want a part of that?

Read more of Matthew's thoughts on the importance of equity in architecture from an excerpt of his EQxD Hackathon scholarship essay below. 
 

“I believe that Architecture fundamentally needs to raise its internal and external valuation to reflect the importance of architecture in the daily lives of people, society, and the future of humanity. This improvement of valuation has to start with better, more equitable practices within the profession. Once we value ourselves better in this way, provide greater opportunities to our members, and retain more talent, we can better communicate our value to society, and achieve a level of regard and compensation that will enable us to produce our best work.”

— Matthew Gaul

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READ MORE ABOUT WE310 EQUITY BY DESIGN HACKATHON RECAPS

1.  
2. #BUILDYOUrtribe – Equity by Design Hackathon 2015 Winners
3. When Working Hard Hardly Works 
4. Promotion and Advancement: How to champion the Pull.
5. We need to Hack more!
6. I am not an Architect
7. How does going to a Hackathon make re-entry easier?
8. Interrupt workplace bias, be a "Change Agent"
9. Reflections from the EQxD Hackathon Jurors
10. Conscious Inclusion: #BUILDYOUrtribe

---

What's next for EQxD?

Join us in San Francisco at AIASF on June 11th for our next EQxD "U" Workshop "What's Flex got to do with Success?" (Win Win Strategies for Work/Life Flexibility) Meet the panelists, and participate in small group break-outs to "hack" what works for flexibility in the modern workplace. This event is relevant to all AEC professionals! 6pm-8:30pm. 

Equity by Design: AtlAIAnta! Convention Recap

by Rosa Sheng

The AIA Convention in Atlanta was a refreshing and unexpected surprise for many with amazing keynote speakers, programs, networking events and opportunities to explore the city. The convention app this year was a great way to get a sense of what was happening elsewhere. The convention theme was IMPACT! and each day, the keynote speakers (featuring Former President Bill Clinton, Welby Atidor, and Julie Dixon) did not disappoint in bringing the message home. In order to advance, we must be seek to change the profession to be more innovative, more diverse in our collaboration, more equitable to represent the populations we serve and become better ambassadors for the value proposition for Architecture.

It was time for many firsts. The profound impact of social media allowed many of our events, such as the first ever Equity by Design Hackathon #EQxDHack15 (WE310) at an AIA Convention to be successful at conveying the message of the equity movement, but also having fun along the way, making new friends and creating connections beyond gender, age, and cultural backgrounds. Our audience in all 3 workshops (WE310, FR117, FR420) where the Equity in Architecture data was presented, consisted of diverse backgrounds and positive participation. There were men and women, new and seasoned, multicultural ethnicities, from all over the nation; the common thread was a desire to see our profession thrive with a commitment to action and the pursuit of equitable practice. All of this is a hopeful indication of the representation we would like to see for the profession in the near future.

Also notable was that many of the people that we had reached out to and met thru social media came together to meet for in person for the first time. It was an interesting conversation about re-inventing the traditional norms of networking (golf outings, fundraising dinners, etc) where many of those in the "social media" architecture and design community that had been conversing for years were meeting in person for the first time.

Yet another first, 2 galleries that recognized equity challenges and women in architecture. They were located near each other and facilitated the Equity discussion at convention. The Equity in Architecture early findings infographics were on display outside of B308 with healthy traffic and positive reception. The AIA Houston WIA Exhibit had a traveling gallery version that also had many visitors and discussion. 

The newly elected AIA National officers show promise not only for representing a diverse Board, but also carrying through with the change that the institute needs to remain relevant and impactful in the future. The officers are Thomas Vonier, President-elect for 2017, Stuart Coppedge, Treasurer. Jennifer Workman, L. Jane Frederick, and Anthony Schirripa will serve as Delegates at Large. Additionally, Don King, Thierry Paret, and Deepika Padaam will join them as elected Board members from the AIA Strategic Council. Robert Ivy mentioned Equity by Design: The Missing 32% Project research study as an inspiration for the AIA 2015 Diversity Survey. The early results of the AIA Diversity survey will be presented at the AIA Women's leadership summit in Seattle on September 18: Celebrating Women Leaders, Promoting Cultural Change. 

An overwhelming majority voted for Equity in Architecture Resolution 15-1 at AIA National Convention in Atlanta

Perhaps the most exciting outcome of the convention was the success of advocacy for Resolution 15-1 Equity in Architecture that was co-authored with Julia Donoho, Frank Pitts and myself; co-sponsored by AIASF, AIACC; and supported by the AIA National Board of Directors, Strategic Council, AIA Diversity Council and Big Sibs. The list of supporters goes beyond this base, to all the 4117 AIA delegates who voted in support of the resolution. We are deeply grateful of the solidarity for equitable practice and excited for the work ahead. 

The following Storify link captures the highlights of the 4 days.

Other Sources for AIA National Convention Coverage:

Archispeak Podcasts - 3 special AIA convention episodes. Episode 60 includes a recap of EQxD Happy Hour.

Architect Magazine - Equity by Design: The Missing 32% Project Releases Complete Findings on Women in Architecture

Architect Magazine Video- Promoting Equitable Practice in Architecture

 Architectural Record -  AIA Passes Equity Resolution: Now What?

Meet our EQXD HACKATHON Scholarship Recipients!

by Rosa Sheng, AIA

We are really excited to announce our 5 Scholarship winners for WE310 Equity by Design: Knowledge, Discussion, Action! Hackathon on Wednesday, May 13, 2015. Special thanks goes to our generous Equity by Design / AIA Convention event sponsors: Autodesk, McCarthy Building Companies and WRNS Studios for providing this opportunity for the future leaders of our profession.

Melissa Daniel

Former AIA Diversity and Inclusion Council member, Melissa Daniel is passionate about changing the culture of the architecture profession. She spent the past three years as chair of the Women in Architecture Series serving AIA|DC, DCNOMA and AIA|NOVA WIA Committee. She was selected in 2012 for the Emerging Architect Award by AIA|DC, 2013 Young Architect of the year by DCCEAS and 2014 Leading Women under 40 by Maryland’s The Daily Record.

“The goal [of attending this hackathon] is to take the knowledge and apply it to the AIA|NOVA Women in Architecture committee. ”

— Melissa Daniel

Matthew Gaul 

Matthew is a junior designer at BAR Architects, Chair of Bay Area Young Architects, a contributing member of Equity by Design, a son of good people, and a husband to an intelligent and passionate wife. He is learning a lot from all of his roles. He hopes to make the world a better place.

“ Attending this Hackathon will better equip me to pursue Equity as the leader of my firm’s Equitable Practice group.”

— Mathew Gaul

Morgan Maiolie

Trained as an architect with an emphasis in urban design, Morgan Maiolie’s passion lies in designing within the complexity of ecological and urban systems. After working in a sustainable building research lab, urban renewal agency, and architecture firm, Morgan left traditional practice to pursue freelance design in a collaborative and creative co­working environment.

“I see great value in a hackathon to develop equitable practices in architecture and I am personally motivated to be a part of that discussion. My experience remains difficult to talk about with my immediate architecture community and a forum dedicated to the topic with people equally ready to begin that conversation would give me a much-needed structure to begin.”

— Morgan Maiolie

Karen Robichaud

Karen leads the online engagement strategy at Payette and since joining the firm in 2012, developed staff on-boarding programs, a clear voice for the firm and strategies for success. Additionally, Karen leads discussion groups, exploring how firms can incorporate social media to their marketing strategies and educate firm leadership.

“Post Hackathon I plan to bring the exercises, lessons learned and messages shared back to my firm and my local AIA chapter. By adding another, well-informed and active voice to the project, I can help move the conversation forward as an individual and from a firm-wide perspective.”

— Karen Robichaud

Neelanjana Sen

With 350,000 sf. of built work Neelanjana has interest in micro and macro aspects of planning and design. Her background in Physics, Visual Arts and Architecture informs her understanding of both aesthetic and technical aspects of built form. A graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute she received the AIA Henry Adams award.

“How we apply that ability to change into our thinking pattern and bring creative response from within us is the challenge. I want to attend this workshop to understand how to question my thought and develop the alternate. I believe small and subtle interventions can bring big change.”

— Neelanjana Sen

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EQxD Hackathon in ATLAIANTA!

From Silicon Valley to Atlanta, we are excited to bring this energizing, innovative and fun learning opportunity to AIA National Convention. What is a Hackathon? To find out, join us for this special pre-convention workshop on Wednesday 5/13 1-5pm WE310 Equity by Design: Knowledge, Discussion, Action! Full details and registration information available here.

Read past blogs about the EQxD Hackathon experience:

Learning from Silicon Valley

Anatomy of the EQxD Hackathon

Meet the EQxD Hackathon Jurors!

Perfecting your Pitch!

PERFECTING YOUR PITCH!

by Lilian Asperin Clyman

As part of our recent EQxD monthly meeting we organized a break-out session to explore what makes a pitch great. It has been four days since that event, and today I am testing my memory to recall which teams were most effective in conveying their insights.  This is exactly the difference between a great and not so great pitch.  Are people still thinking and/or talking about it days, months and years later? And if so, why?

Intense Curiosity

The greatest problem solvers identify an area of need and devote deeply focused time to discovering everything about it through their own lens. In so doing, they are able to work through the layers of commonality and get to a new insight. This curiosity spark is the basis of breakthroughs and pivots. The hallmarks of change emerge when you identify it, name it, pin it up, and keep staring at it.

Piercing Content

Solutions are for people and the more universally resonant you can be, the more people “gotta have it”. In other words, sift through  long enough to find your “I believe” statement.  At all times, you and your team must be able to say “Why” this matters and every decision you make is in service of this belief.  If you are clear, people will follow.

Get to A-Ha

So what? Always ask yourself why your proposal is relevant.  Our goal is to arrive at solutions that can transform real life experiences of professionals in our industry.  Is there a specific demographic you understand exceptionally well that you can empathize with, and therefore impact? Translate your individual insight to transform a shared goal. People need to get it.

Catchy Message

“Just do it”. “Got milk?” “Think different”. “Architecture Matters”. Appeal to as many senses as possible and have an element of surprise.  Use every available tool to explore how you can be original AND succinct. Words. Images. Beats. Songs. Touch. Smell. Movement. Interpretive dance. Consider how you thread each essential element of your idea purposely so as to build a crescendo in your audience. Remember, humor and authenticity will always create a bond among people. Make it memorable.

Say it with your heart and with your mind.

EQxD Hackathon in ATLAIANTA!

From Silicon Valley to Atlanta, we are excited to bring this energizing, innovative and fun learning opportunity to AIA National Convention. What is a Hackathon? To find out, join us for this special pre-convention workshop on Wednesday 5/13 1-5pm WE310 Equity by Design: Knowledge, Discussion, Action! Full details and registration information available here.

Read past blogs by Lilian Asperin-Clyman about the EQxD Hackathon experience:

Learning from Silicon Valley

Anatomy of the EQxD Hackathon

Meet the EQxD Hackathon Jurors!

Perfecting your Pitch!

 

Anatomy of the EQxD Hackathon

by Lilian Asperin Clyman

Hackathons provide an energizing and alternative method to discover, unleash, and create through proximity, design thinking, and technology.  It’s what happens when you incubate passion with talent and suspend fear. It’s a mash-up for risk-taking that leads to transformational results.

Time is a fascinating influence in Hackathons.  Perhaps an irony we are nostalgic about is that more time equates to better results.  Discard that – we are not looking for perfection, we are looking for bold innovation.  Ask "Why Not?” five times in a row to identify the core of your disruptive idea.

Why Hack?

I have always believed that those who are meant to meet find each other in due time. Hackers find themselves gravitating towards other folks who share a passion or something (or approach) you have been pondering for a while. At Equity by Design we seek data that informs our activism. We are looking to form affinity groups of people who resonate with a finding from our survey and have a yearning to influence different outcomes.

TED Talk by Catherine Bracy: Why Good Hackers make Good Citizens

Flipped Classroom

For the AIA EQxD Hackathon, you will have homework but other than that, all you are required to do is come refreshed and ready for a solid day. In borrowing the modern concept within Higher Education, we will introduce you to key data from our Survey and brief summaries from the content sessions we organized for our Symposium via the Flipped Classroom model. It’s a packet of information for self study, which will serve as the foundation you need to be prepared to work with a team. In this packet you will find a summary of the Goals, Format, Organization for the Hackathon, Survey Data, a graphic depicting “Life of an Architect” - a visual narrative of a sample professional journey, a range of topics ripe for “hacking”, and a helpful set of guidelines for crafting an effective and engaging message to depict your proposal.

Time Will Fly

It’s ok to anticipate a little chaos. Suspend wanting to know what and when and linger longer in why and how with your teammates. These are the ingredients of your first exercise: Diverge and Converge. Leverage the diversity of your group to consider the points of view of your audience. The most transformational hacks will get at the root of a real need. Go for quantity of ideas, then Deliberate and Discard. Adopt the mindset of why your idea matters and get ready to “sell” it. Develop and Clarify. Many great ideas die at the vine because they are not communicated well or succinctly. Be strategic in how you design your presentation.  

There will be a Winner

You will have 5 minutes to make an impression to invited jurors during Happy Hour. In anticipation of this milestone for the day, we are sharing the criteria for evaluation.  Think of this as your pitch to venture capitalists - people who can help you  realize your idea. Please keep these in mind as you read the Flipped Classroom packet, engage in the Hackathon, and present.

User Experience: human-centered insight                                     5 points

Impact: innovation; relevance and impact on profession       5 points

Metrics: plan for action, deployment and evaluation               5 points

Pitch: quality and uniqueness of message/creativity              5 points

Diverse voices are needed to shape the future of our profession. Hope you can join us; we need to hack more!

Don't forget to register for AIA Convention by April 15th to get the advanced convention admission pricing. If you are a student, emerging professional or young architect interested in attending the Hackathon and Happy Hour, submit for the Scholarships donated by our EQxD Hackathon Workshop Sponsors: McCarthy Builders, WRNS, and Autodesk by 4/20.

Next Blog: Meet the Jurors!

Learning from Silicon Valley

Anatomy of the EQxD Hackathon

Meet the EQxD Hackathon Jurors!

Perfecting your Pitch!

Equity by Design 2015 Events: SF + Beyond

Already 1 month into 2015 and Equity by Design has had its own blizzard of activity! BSA AIA hosted us on January 12th with an energized full room of attendees (and about 18% men!) and thoughtful discussion about equity in professional practice. With such a great start to the year, we haven't stopped; our AIASF local EQxD committee has been prioritizing our initiatives for the coming year. Here are the main events both locally and nationally to propel the Equity by Design movement. 

EQxD "U" 2015 Workshop Series [SF]

You asked and we listened! Featuring the "Best of" breakouts from the Equity by Design Symposium on October 18th, we are bringing back 4 of the top sessions with longer durations that occur throughout the year. Workshops will take place on Thursday evenings at AIASF, 130 Sutter Street, SF.

At each Workshop in the series, we will present the results of the Equity in Architecture Survey in a panel format focused on one of the 3 major knowledge sessions: Hiring & Retention, Growth & Development, and Meaning & Influence. Small group Break-outs will follow with more time to discuss the findings and work on actionable outcomes that apply to your workplace situation.

We suggest registering early as space is limited for each event to optimize interactions. You can register for individual sessions or the entire EQxD "U" Workshop Series. 2015 Sponsors of Equity by Design will receive tickets to each event based on sponsorship levels. For more information about each event, including pricing and ticket reservation, please go to that workshop's event page.

• March 12 - Satisfaction: Workplace Innovations to Attract, Develop and Keep Talent [HR]
• June 11 - What's Flex got to do with It? Work, Life and Everything in Between [HR]
• August 13 - Collaborative Negotiation is your Power Tool [GD]
• October 8 - Architecture And... [MI]

EQxD National & Global Outreach Events

• February 27 - Equity by Design presents at AIANY Center for Architecture (8am-10am)
• February 27 - Powerful /AIA Los Angeles (Survey Findings presented) 
• March 5 - WIA DC -Redefining the Passion via Skype
• March 18 - 2nd International Congress on Architecture and Gender (Lisbon, Portugal)
• April 15 - AIA Large Firm Roundtable (Survey Findings presented)

• May 13 - EQxD: Knowledge, Discussion, Action! AIA Convention Atlanta (WE310 1-5pm)
• September 17-18 - AIA Women's Leadership Summit, Seattle
• TBD - AIA Cincinnati
• TBD - AIA Wisconsin Convention

A Journey to Principled Design

By Jaya Kader, AIA 

Last December, during the week of Art Basel, Design Miami and numerous other Art fairs and events in the Sunshine City, I helped Caroline James put together a panel of women who practice architecture, titled “Principled Design”.  Sponsored by the AIA Miami, Miami Center for Architecture & Design, Women in Architecture Miami, and Harvard GSD Women in Design, the event was successful in weaving into an already established Harvard Alumni Program Weekend. 

The panel delved into a lively discussion on the various life experiences that architects bring into their practices and addressed such concepts as “principles, aesthetic aspirations, social concerns, joint creativity, range and structures of practice, and forms of collaboration.”   I was touched by the deep conversations that ensued as Caroline probed the panelists’ minds with questions such as:

• What values do you bring into the design process, such as beauty or social concern?
• Are there moral principles in design practice? 
• Are there ways that those values translate into how you practice, such as the acknowledgment of joint creativity and collaboration?

Principled Design participants: (Front Row, L to R): Louise Braverman, Lourdes Solera, Marilys Nepomechie, and Caroline James. (Middle Row): Nati Soto, Elizabeth Camargo, and Jaya Kader. (Back Row): Carie Penabad and Arielle Assouline-Lichten 

Personally, the panel was a culmination of a two-year journey that helped me transition from being a sole practitioner in a home office, to opening a studio that is now an architectural practice of seven and growing.  There were many stations visited during this journey, and in hindsight, it is not surprising that most of them had to do with gender issues.  It is interesting that this personal/professional transformation coincided with significant events that have revealed and addressed the glaring gender issues in our profession and society at large.  For the first time since I graduated architecture school in 1988, I am finally able to weave the two most integral and essential components of my life; being a mother of four and an architect (indeed an “Archimom”) into one conversation.  For years I juggled these two roles, always downplaying one while I was engaged in the other, without clarity or synthesis.

Although I did not meet Caroline James until September 2014, I had reached out to her since I learned about the petition to the Pritzker Prize on behalf of Denise Scott Brown.  Caroline, along with Arielle Assouline-Lichten had spearheaded the petition in March of 2013, while they were students at the GSD and members of Women in Design. Understanding the implications of the petition and its subsequent refusal from the Pritzker Jury was my first call to action as a woman architect.   Up until that time, I, as well as other women architects of my generation with whom I have had these conversations, have operated with what I now call “blinders”; happy and grateful to do the work whenever it was possible, overlooking any distractions that would put our jobs in jeopardy.  But the events that followed made it impossible to continue to wear the “blinders.”

Credit: Julia Morgan Papers, Special Collections, California Polytechnic State University

Last year, Julia Morgan became the first woman to receive the AIA Gold Medal posthumously, honoring her prolific practice that spanned several decades during the first half of the 20th Century.  I had never heard of Julia Morgan, despite years of education at top institutions of higher learning.  I was privileged to attend the AIA Convention in Chicago and witness Beverly Willis' passionate speech following the Gold medal award.  For those not familiar with Beverly Willis, she established the Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation (BWAF) in 2002 with the mission of, “changing the culture of the building industry so that women’s work, whether in contemporary practices or historical narratives, is acknowledged, respected and valued”.  An audience of thousands gave her a standing ovation at the convention, as she stated some hard truths regarding gender in architecture.

Beverly Willis delivering her speech in honor of Julia Morgan.

Outside our profession there have been parallel conversations that affect women in all fields.  Recent publications such as Sheryl Sandberg's “Lean In”, Debora L. Spar's “Wonder Women” and Anne Mary Slaughter's famed article “Why Women Can't Have it All” in the Atlantic, have changed the landscape of gender issues across professional and leadership fields.  And still there were those with whom I tried to engage in needed conversations around equity and inclusion, who dismissed my concerns as “problems of women from my generation.”  “The new generation of women (the so called ‘millennials’) just don't have your issues”, I was told by some.  So I wondered...  But shortly thereafter, there was Emma Watson's HeForShe 2014 campaign speech at the UN, one that clarified for everyone not only that the gender issues are ever present in 21st century western society--for women of all generations--but also highlighted a certain urgency to address them.

The last event that confirmed my call to action was my attendance at the third sold out symposium hosted by The Missing 32% Project titled "Equity by Design: Knowledge, Discussion, Action!" in San Francisco last October.

Equity by Design: Knowledge, Discussion, Action on October 18, 2014. 

The conference was a transformative experience. As I heard speakers and witnessed the data from the early findings of the Equity in Architecture Survey first hand, I finally understood how difficult the system is set up for women to succeed in our profession.  I was most captivated by the keynote speaker, Stewart Friedman, a Wharton Professor, whose research and scholarship have contributed a new framework for the work/life balance conundrum. His work is helping us imagine a world beyond any preconceived notions of gender roles. Speaking about principles, the subject of our Miami “Principled Design” Panel, Friedman contends that AUTHENTICITY, INTEGRITY AND INNOVATION are the essential tenets to lead a life of purpose--the kind of life we all want.  Authenticity, he explains, demands that we stay true to our values which help clarify our vision.  Integrity allows us to respect the whole person, our environments and those around us. And innovation allows us to continuously search for new and creative ways to approach the work that we do. With these tools at hand, we should then map a future vision where our personal goals are in-sync with making significant contributions to our community, society and world. “Whatever your passions are”, he said, “CONVERT THEM TO SOCIAL VALUE”.  Which brings me back to the Women in Architecture Panel, the subject of this blog, “Principled Design.”

And it was no coincidence that “Principled Design” took place during a week of art and design “explosion” in Miami.  For it is clear that design matters, and architecture is a powerful tool to transform and enhance the human experience.  What we build has the potential to grace and contribute to our lives as well as our precious environments.  Long after we are gone, our contributions as architects will bear witness to our values.  There are all kinds of ways to practice architecture and both men and women that engage in practices across the spectrum.  I do sense however a shift in the profession from the emphasis on the hero designer and “starchitect” to a collaborative and service minded approach. 

So to all of us women who are part of this wondrous profession in 2015, I would like to encourage you to “lean in” and not give up on this profession. Do not become part of the Missing 32%.  Our society is in need of our contributions, and we happen to be a privileged generation.  We no longer have to remain silent, or with “blinders”, or in the background.  We are humbled with gratitude, and admiration for all the women pioneers that paved our path in a most hostile landscape, such as Julia Morgan, Denise Scott Brown and Beverly Willis. We can learn from them to be empowered through our knowledge and contributions but we need not be intimidated by obsolete norms of status quo.  We can be authentic.  We can sit at the table and have these conversations whose object is to figure out how we can work together towards an inclusive and diverse profession that recognizes and values all of its constituents.

To learn about Jaya Kader's amazing INSPIRE% journey click HERE