3 - Day 1: AIA International LONDON 2022 – King’s Cross and Camden

Photo credit (from Argent slide): Y Kinksky

At the AIA London 2014 Conference, a full day had been dedicated to developments at  King’s Cross.  Since then, this north London area has continued its transformation from a derelict industrial landscape into a thriving, vibrant mixed-use London district.  It was, therefore, agreed that a return visit for London 2022 was in order on Day 1 of the Conference – Friday, 30 Sep 2022. 

Morning Venue – Samsung KX, Coal Drops Yard, King’s Cross

The 2022 Conference venue – the Coal Drop Yards – prosaically described as a ‘shopping destination and foodie hotspot’. Designed by Thomas Heatherwick and opened in 2018, Coal Drop Yard retains the charm of its industrial heritage, while the Samsung XX showroom provided state of the art presentation facilities.

Photo credits: L Jorgensen (AIA Alaska)

Talk - ‘King’s Cross – Ten Years On’ / Morwenna Hall, COO and Partner, ARGENT 

Photo credit (from Argent slide): L Jorgensen (AIA Alaska)

MORWENNA HALL displayed a graphic ‘timeline’ summarising developments that have been completed in the past two decades at King’s Cross - ‘a traffic free oasis in the heart of London’.  

This includes an impressive array of open public spaces, repurposed industrial buildings, and modern interventions - many of which were viewed in the afternoon’s walking tour with Argent. 

From the start, Argent developed an impressive, long term master plan and stuck with it. Its ten ‘principles for a human city’ which underpin King’s Cross served the project well.   

Photo credit (from Argent slide): L Jorgensen (AIA Alaska)

Talk - ‘Context in Architecture’ / Alison Brooks, Founder & Creative Director, ALISON BROOKS ARCHITECTS

Photo credit – Y Cheong (AIA I)

ALISON BROOKS revealed her design philosophy by taking attendees through her earliest experiences.  As a Canadian, she was familiar with natural wilderness; on moving to London, she learned to love London squares, cloisters, and Georgian terraces.  Urban design and context represent ‘everything’ to her and continue to influence her designs.  

For example, the neoclassical courtyard at Somerset House provided part inspiration for her work at King’s Cross.  Brooks eloquently described how the design of her King’s Cross residential project, Cadence, evolved – the layouts, the arches, and – of course – the context.   

Similarly, the philosophy behind the other project highlighted in her talk – Cohen Quad, Exeter College, Oxford – also evolved from early influences.  Oxford with its abundance of squares and cloisters was a perfect location for Brooks.  However, the typical Exeter College square was pulled apart – transformed - to fit the linear site. A system of wood arches turned the project’s internal circulation route into a modern cloister.   

Photo credits: L King (AIA UK)

Presentation – ‘The Path Towards Decarbonisation’ / Andrea Allievi, IRIS CERAMICA GROUP 

ANDREA ALLIEVI, representing the AIA UK Chapter and Conference sponsor, Iris Ceramica, celebrated his company’s 60 years ‘Shaping the Future’, through sustainability, beauty and innovation - values which he stressed, ‘have always been in our DNA’. 

As part of ICG’s long term transition to the exclusive use of renewable energy for zero emissions, Allievi highlighted a new, Italian factory opening in 2022.  Instead of using just natural gas, the new factory combines native technologies that mix gas with green hydrogen.  By 2050, it will function on hydrogen alone.  Active Surfaces®️ is another ICG zero emission project.  

Photo credit: Andrea Ricco (AIA UK guest)

Talk - ‘Captured Light – 22 Handyside’ / Phil Coffey, Founder, COFFEY ARCHITECTS

Photo credit: ©Tim Soar, courtesy of Coffey Architects

As a child, PHIL COFFEY travelled extensively with his photographer father while he worked, and that experience has stayed with him.  His architectural work is imbued with modulated light, and he remains intimately connected to the visual environment.  Coffey’s talk – replete with remarkable imagery - was described by one attendee as ‘coherent from end to end’.

22 Handyside is a building that ‘considers the health of its users’, and – as expected from his photographic backstory – its massing and façade generate interactions of shadow and light.  The building’s form was orientated to optimise heat gain, directional flow, and outward views – all part of Coffey’s quest for BREEAM Outstanding recognition.

The building’s position over train and underground tunnels determined a super lightweight structure.  This has given the building an airiness and elegance unusual in a King’s Cross setting. 

During construction, one irate and not particularly discerning passer by expressed concern that the building would be ‘just another parking lot’.  However, as witnessed on Argent’s afternoon walking tour, the lightweight office building with its filigree façade literally sparkles in sunshine.

Walking Tour – ‘King’s Cross Centre’ – ARGENT Team

Photo credits: B Coldefy (AIA CE) and L Jorgensen (AIA Alaska)

Although almost completed, there is still considerable ongoing construction at King’s Cross. Whereas the near environs to St Pancras and King’s Cross stations is now well-known, many of the buildings at the northern site observed on the walking tour are newly – post pandemic – completed or still under construction, including Alison Brook’s Cadence project. 

At the southern site close to King’s Cross station is the Google Headquarters – described as being, ‘ a ground scraper, because it is as long as the Shard [one of Europe’s tallest buildings] is high’.

Photo credit: L King (AIA UK) 

Lunch Venue – St Pancras Hotel, Gallery / Ladies Smoking Room

Lunch was served at one of London’s most prominent Victorian legacies – St Pancras Hotel – which offered a pleasing contrast to the modern buildings on the Argent walking tour.

Photo credits: (top) L King (AIA UK) and L Jorgensen (AIA Alaska) / (bottom) S Gold (AIA I)

Conference attendees S Gold (AIA I), C Musangi (AIA UK) and L King (AIA UK) captured the atmosphere – the Gothic charm, Victorian engineering, modern elegance – of St Pancras International Station in the Slideshow below.

Afternoon Venue – Hawley Primary School at Hawley Wharf

The Camden district is ranked as one of London’s most frequented tourist centres. Surprisingly, it is still immersed in the 1960s hippy scene, complete with multiple markets, Venturi inspired store fronts & an aura of social unrest.  The charming wood columned courtyard of the Hawley School proved a welcoming staging point for a walking tour of the Hawley Wharf district and AHMM’s remarkable architectural interventions.

Walking Tour – ‘Hawley Wharf Masterplan’ / Will Lee, Director and Anita Howard, Project Architect and Associate, AHMM 

Photo credit: Y Cheong (AIA I)

WILL LEE and ANITA HOWARD walked the attendees through a part of Camden dominated by the Regents Canal and a triangular segment of railway viaducts, pointing out AHMM’s new components - including public spaces and revised pedestrian routes; canal access points; under arch businesses and cinemas; underground venues; new residential halls and the primary school.  Somehow the interventions maintain the ad hoc character of Camden - ‘they reboot and restore Camden’s chaotic charm’.  

Photo credits: L King (AIA UK) and B Hamilton (AIA UK)

Lee took the group to view the penthouse of one of the new residential buildings and introduced non Londoners to London property prices.  The luxury flat was tastefully furnished, had extraordinary views, three ensuite bedrooms and a pleasing layout, but its market driven rent of ‘£12,000/month’ seemed extraordinary – even for a packaged deal aimed at an exclusive clientele.

The highlight of the tour – unfortunately marred by increasing rain – was the centrepiece of the area – the Market Hall itself.  As a foodie venue, it perfectly suited its location on the canal and its function.  

Photo credit: L Jorgensen (AIA Alaska)

The Camden walkabout – despite the deteriorating weather - was one of the most photographed events of the Conference.  Contributors to the Slideshow include, in no particular order:  L King (AIA UK), L Jorgensen (AIA Alaska); Y Cheong (AIA I), B Hamilton (AIA UK), L Petruso (AIA UK) and Y Kinksky (AIA CE).  The close up photo by ©Timothy Soar of a Haley Wharf corridor on a – contrasting - sunny day was provided courtesy of Hallford Hall Monaghan Morris. 

Written by: Lorraine D King, AIA (aka Secretary@AIAUK.org), with input from Chris Musangi, AIA, on Iris Ceramica.

2 - Opening Day: AIA International LONDON 2022 – Design Museum and Japan House

AIA International LONDON 2022 / Opening Day – Design Museum and Japan House

Opening Day – Thursday, 29 Sep 2022 - was AIA CE’s contribution to the 2022 London Conference, with assistance from AIA UK.  On first reflection, it seemed an unusual choice, but it was recognised that a guided tour of a building originally steeped in international symbolism could set the tone for an INTERNATIONAL Conference. 

Afternoon Venue – Design Museum, Kensington High Street Guided Tour – ‘Design Museum: Designer, Maker, User and the Building’

What is now the Design Museum opened in 1962 as the Commonwealth Institute - with its large central atrium reserved for educational displays - as the British Empire was transforming into the modern Commonwealth.  The exhibits were removed in 1997, and by 2008, the Design Museum took over an essentially derelict building.

When the Museum opened in 2016 - despite its Grade II* listing - the only part of the original building retained was the conical roof enclosing a central atrium.  Conference attendees were reminded that the roof structure was conceived in the 1960s, long before modern computer aided design made dramatic roofs commonplace.  The remainder of the tour explored displays of everyday objects that have achieved icon status.  

Photo credits: P Salathe (AIA CE guest) and S Gold (AIA I) x 2

Although difficult without special equipment, several Conference attendees managed to capture the dramatic impact of the Design Museum’s atrium and roof.  In any event, its popularity is evident in the many photo attempts.  Slideshow contributors include (in no particular order) A Arditti (AIA I), L Jorgensen (AIA Alaska), P Salathe (AIA CE guest), S Zettersten (AIA CE), Y Kinksky (AIA CE) and Y Cheong (AIA I).

Evening Venue  – Japan House, Kensington High Street

Japan House also added to the evening’s international character as Conference attendees moved there for an opening reception.  It did not take long for them to intermingle, for conversation to pick up and buzz with general enthusiasm.  

Even the small font size and lack of detail on the name tags proved a social asset.  Asking someone - ‘and where are you from?’ - turned out to be a simple and successful conversation starter. New friendships were already beginning to prosper.

Talk - ‘Sustainable Building Innovation: The Path to Achieving Net Zero 2050 Targets’ / Ascanio Vitale, CEO STOP CO2

 Photo credit: L King (AIA UK)

Despite attendees being jet lagged and hungry – and in the middle of a social whirl – conversation stopped, and the mood turned respectful and serious for ASCANIO VITALE’S riveting talk.  He first gave a summary of the current state of climate change and then focused on the construction industry’s contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions. 

Vitale had something not only important to say, but also practical as he introduced examples of his own projects that used new technologies and engineering solutions to achieve net zero targets – including sustainable materials, passive solutions, new-gen heat pumps, solar cooling, novel semi-transparent photovoltaic panels, radiant cooling systems, phytoremediation, etc.

While making it abundantly clear that relying on gas and nuclear power was not acceptable, he encouraged architects to work closely with engineers from the earliest project stages to develop ever more innovative solutions to an increasingly serious climate change crisis. 

Written by: Lorraine D King, AIA (aka secretary@aiauk.org), with input from G Alhadeff, FAIA, on Sustainable Innovations. 

1 - Introduction: AIA International London 2022: Transformations

Etain Fitzpatrick, addressing the LONDON 2022 Conference. Photo credit: R Doytcheva (AIA CE)

Experience AIA International LONDON 2022 – day by day – through a special series of Conference articles following this Introduction.   Articles are based on general content observations plus photographs contributed by Conference attendees from around the world. 

• Opening Day – The Design Museum and Japan House

• Day 1 – King’s Cross and Camden

• The International Design Awards

• Day 2 – Aldwych Quarter and the LSE

• Saturday Night on the Dixie Queen

• Day 3 – Colour, the City & Beyond

• Extension Day – 9 Elms to Battersea

An International Conference in London was planned for 2021 under the AIA International Vice Presidency of Lester Korzilius, but it was postponed due to the covid pandemic and other scheduling conflicts.  Planning for AIA London 2022 re-started in early 2021 with the initiation of the volunteer AIA United Kingdom (AIA UK) Planning Committee.  

London 2022 was to be a joint INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE, co-sponsored by AIA UK and AIA Continental Europe (AIA CE), with contributions from AIA International (AIA I). AIA UK would be the lead planner.

The Planning Committee’s immediate decision was to follow the successful London 2014 Conference organisational model, which had focused each day on a different area of London. Projects and speakers could then be matched to that area to give attendees a comprehensive, first hand perspective.   

Then - faced with the almost insurmountable task of deciding how to show off the best London areas – another decision was made to start from successful projects the Committee knew personally. 

Etain Fitzpatrick’s firm, JRA, had renovated Bush House, and she had actively followed the high-profile design competitions undertaken by LSE - hence, Saturday quickly became ‘Aldwych Quarter and the LSE’.   

Wade Scaramucci’s firm, AHMM, had recently completed the Hawley Wharf Masterplan in Camden, and Committee members were already familiar with ongoing developments at King’s Cross through familiarity with the previous International London 2014 Conference – hence, Friday became ‘King’s Cross and Camden’.  

Bari Wetmore Salathe, and Giancarlo Alhadeff from AIA CE joined the Planning Committee and suggested a pre-conference event would entice attendees to arrive early, so a program around the Design Museum and Kensington High Street was developed – hence, Thursday became ‘Design Museum and Japan House’.  

Now, all that was required was to fill in the gaps, hire a few venues and it was nearly there…. However, ALL THAT took the next year plus to finalise. 

Except for Scaramucci, who returned to the US in late 2021 to head AHMM’s Oklahoma office, the original  Planning Committee - Etain Fitzpatrick (now the lead organiser), Lester Korzilius, Michael Lischer, Lorraine King, Chris Musangi and Genie Khmelnitski (the UK Executive Secretary, handling communications) - stayed through the whole process.  Along the way, other volunteers joined the UK Committee – including Anna Foden, Alex Miller and Maria Loring.

As planning progressed, a common theme of ‘Transformations’ across the main focus areas emerged.  Whether it was the realisation of a masterplan, the design-led development of a campus, the energising of public spaces, the reconfiguration of an unfinished tower, the refurbishment of a listed building – the projects to be highlighted were all led by dedicated architects who had successfully transformed the built environment. 

With the inclusion of the AIA International representatives – Scott Gold, Yew Kew Cheong, Jose Salinas, and Christine Bruckner (for the Int’l Design Awards) - planning started to accelerate.  Insurance was acquired, financial commitments were made, a not-to-exceed budget and agreements were documented and made official. 

Hopes were raised for a venue at the unfinished Battersea Power Station, but even a partially finished room could not be secured.  Instead, the Sunday programme focused on the City of London.  A venue at 22 Bishopsgate – the tallest building in the City of London and designed by an AIA UK member - was secured and multiple speakers arranged - hence, Sunday became ‘Colour & the City & Beyond’. 

In the meantime, AIA I asked if there would be an extension day for those staying longer in London, so a walking tour was agreed – hence, Monday became ‘9 Elms to Battersea’.   

Please find HERE a link to the final Conference Program and HERE a link to Speaker CVs. Links to videos of some Conference talks can now be reached via the Program, and more will be added as they become available. Quizzes will also be added so all AIA Members can earn on-demand CES credits by watching the recorded lectures. Watch out for an independent notice when these changes are complete.

Several Part 1 volunteer architecture students – mainly from University College London – were brought on board via contacts from AIA I to assist with administration and daily attendee queries.  Fatim Kamara and Bertha Ho, joined on Opening Day, while Ho – who helped coordinate the volunteers – assisted  for 3 days.  Sidre Sulevam and Tolu Bewaji Oyesanya, joined for one day each.   

At the last minute, an attendee wide WhatsApp Group provided an easy way to communicate.  It became particularly useful for those getting lost or having trouble finding obscure venues or needing transportation advice.   

By late September, it was all coming together, and all was ready for the Opening Day…

Membership News: Dues Changes

Throughout the past year the AIA UK has endeavored to provide varied education and social events for our members as well as continuing with longstanding traditions such as the Design Awards. However, new economic challenges face both the chapter and the members AIA UK. Over the years AIA UK has sought to keep membership dues as low as possible, even decreasing our own local dues to erase any increases issued by national. The chapter cannot continue to provide worthwhile programming and support to our membership if we keep our dues artificially low.

As illustrated in the chart below the chapter has made a nominal increase to the local portion of your AIA dues allowing us to continue to provide excellent programming into the next year.   

We also want to acknowledge that while the AIA and the AIA UK provide great value the cost of membership might be a burden to some members. As such, we want to remind all our members who might be suffering from financial hardship and want to continue your membership to please contact us at membership@aiauk.org. We are here to help and will endeavor to find the best solution to your circumstances so that you can retain your membership.  

Thank you for renewing your membership for the next year.  We look forward to seeing you at one of our many scheduled events. 

Written by Taylor Rogers, AIA

A22CON: A Moderated Conversation With Barack Obama

The final keynote of the 2022 AIA National Convention was a much-anticipated event. It took place on Friday, June 24th in Chicago. Hundreds of members from around the world flocked to the McCormick Centre main stage, eager to welcome one of the most distinguished speakers and thought leaders of our time: none other than the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama.

At first glance, one might wonder what a former President might have to say to an audience of architecture professionals. Quite a lot, it turns out – and much of his commentary was well-received. This is unsurprising given what we have come to expect from the former President. His responses to the host, AIA 2022 President Dan Hart, were eloquent and well-examined – albeit more from a perspective of an urban policymaker than a traditional architect.

The discussion began with direct line of inquiry as to Obama’s favourite architecture. His response? Iconic buildings, like the Sydney Opera House. “[I’m] biased toward modern architecture, in and out,” stated Obama, with a hint of pride. On contemplating the question further, he ventured to mention the work of architect Vladimir Ossipoff, whose buildings he had seen on a recent visit to Hawaii. He expressed admiration for a house and a high school chapel near the neighbourhood where he grew up, whose design he praised for being “tailored toward the tropics.” 

Hart mentioned that he had heard Obama once wanted to be an architect in his youth. “Why the change of mind?” asked Hart.

“[I] bumped my head and got steered on the wrong path!” was the jest he received in reply, to general amusement. In university, Obama’s interests steered toward social justice issues. “But my love for architecture never went away,” he asserted, referring to the Obama Presidential Centre in Hyde Park, designed by architects Tod Williams and Billie Tsien. “I’m not sure [the architects] always appreciate my opinions,” reflected Obama. “But what can they say? My name is on the building!”

He expressed hope that the Presidential Centre, which broke ground in September 2021, will be an integral part of a dynamic urban campus. “The [design] team is wonderful in recognising that we’re not building a mausoleum – ‘cuz I’m not dead yet,” he continued, glancing around comically to more appreciative laughter. For Barack Obama, architecture is a medium for establishing communities. His vision for “a laboratory for social change” is one where people can “learn about ways to impact their communities.” He hopes it will also become an economic engine, where people can interact with business practitioners from their own neighbourhoods. 

He sat back with a pensive expression. “Chicago has never looked more beautiful,” he mused, abandoning thoughts of his own building to contemplate the city in its entirety. Whether downtown, Millennium Park, or the Gehry Auditorium – it is no secret that Barack Obama adores his hometown of Chicago. Nonetheless, there was space for improvement. The former President was aware of architecture and the power it can have, particularly in areas that historically have not been invested in. “Can you animate the lakefront both ways?” he wondered aloud. “[Can you] create opportunity to stitch together the city in ways it has not always been?”

From there, the discussion quickly shifted to equity in the built environment. “How do you see climate and equity interweaving?” inquired Hart.

The former President became serious. “Chicago,” he began, sounding concerned, “is a case study in which architecture enforced inequity.” He spoke, of course, of the city’s public housing. “Design that packed in the poorest residents, reinforced segregation, [and] isolated people…[it’s] what not to do if you want to build equity,” he contended. “It’s also true that those buildings were not necessarily energy efficient. Not a lot of thought was given to how people live.” He continued the topic of energy usage by saying, although Chicago is fun in June – it can be rough in December, as anyone who has experienced winters there would know. Such seasonal extremes are an important reason why quality housing is urgently needed.

Most of those old buildings have now been torn down, but the underlying failures remain. “How do we create affordable mixed housing?” he asked. The main challenge is to create successful communities. He believes the answer to this lies in foot traffic, street level stores, and safety in numbers. He exalted Jane Jacobs and decried Bob Moses. Nooks, crannies, and parks give urban environments much-needed charm and character. “Government policy makes a difference…. sprawl in America is not good for climate,” he advised, a statement which received general applause. Nonetheless he was keen to express caution. He admitted that even “well-intentioned laws sometimes inhibit, and sometimes empower NIMBY attitudes.” And sometimes his own party could be at fault, which is why “good planning and skilled architects are needed.”

He gave some examples of different policies and how they affected cities. In Texas – “let’s face it,” he said, “zoning is not a priority…. [but] on the flip side, it’s much more affordable.” He then compared this to San Francisco. “[It’s] aesthetically beautiful…but a teacher lives 1 hour or more away from where they work.” He continued by emphasizing that these discrepancies are not just a design issue – but a policy issue. “Local and federal government [must provide] sufficient financing for affordable and energy efficient housing.” Policy must call for intentionally mixed use and mixed income communities with adequate public transportation. Unfortunately, there is bipartisan resistance to the ideas Obama is proposing. “Communities are not that liberal in situating affordable housing,” he admitted. The challenge lies in convincing people of the merits.

He turned this conversation about compromises back to his own project, which gives up substantial site area to allow for public access to green space. “It is harder to design with these additional intentions involved,” he admitted, drawing comparisons between architectural decisions to policy decisions. Though he advocates giving back to the community, he does not deny the difficulty in negotiating matters of cost. “As a client of architects,” he told the audience, “I can assure you: cost is relevant!” He recounted some conversations with Tod and Billie which led to pushback and urged everyone to think as creatively about affordability as they do about design.

“[For] a lot of things in our capitalist society… we associate quality with how expensive it is, and sometimes those don’t match up,” he said. “Creativity becomes ‘well, let’s just throw a lot of marble on it.’” He gave food as an analogy. “Growing up we ate hamburgers. Later in life, I got a ribeye – and I said, that’s better!” He compared this with today’s latest high standard: wagyu beef. Supposedly, calves are routinely massaged to produce highly marbled steaks. Does this really make a substantial difference in the outcome? At some point, he argued, you meet the necessary level of design quality. Beyond that point – to the ordinary person at least – it just does not matter. “Sometimes that’s how I feel when I’m talking to architects,” he said. “I was feeling pretty good looking at ribeye!” 

“But look – it’s one thing building a Presidential Centre. Where this [concept] matters is…affordable housing.” The former President admitted that affordable design simply cannot be bespoke for a sizable amount. It must be replicable, and therefore “cookie cutter” to a certain extent. “But that’s no reason design can’t reflect how people are living,” he said. He believes affordable housing can be aesthetically pleasing, insulated properly, and well-built so it does not fall quickly into disrepair.

“Those cities that charm us, that make us feel good, oftentimes become exclusive province of the well-to-do. People want to see people, [they] want to walk [and] enjoy the surprise of little park or fountain.” Affordable housing often gets wiped of these supposed “luxuries.” They are not really luxuries, stressed Obama, they are things we need, especially if there are not as many resources within the house.

Dan Hart posed his next question about getting into conversation with the community and understanding their needs. “From your perspective, what advice do you have to architects maybe not having the agency [to do so]?” 

Barack Obama relayed advice that he was told while campaigning in his early years. “Go out and talk to people,” he replied simply. “It was the single most important thing I learned.” In fact, he thinks listening is more important than talking. “People, when they feel listened to,” he explained, “will tell you what’s important to them and who they are.” As architects, we might not be able to steer every outcome, but small gestures of interest – like hosting a town hall meeting or soliciting input – can help garner support and collaboration. It does not have to be a huge effort, but factoring outreach activities into the project timetable can pay off through avoiding issues with stakeholders.

He returned to his example of the Presidential Centre, which contains within it a branch of the Chicago library system. “The head of the library wrote to us recently” he said, “to tell us that rather than having smaller spaces cut up, they’d prefer a big central space.” The design team is now in the process of shaping the library based on this feedback. Despite this moment of disagreement, the former President was confident that the compromise and negotiation will lead to better results. He is concerned, however, that not everyone believes it.

“This is the biggest obstacle we are facing as a country right now,” he reflected. “We are very divided…we don’t have a common narrative. To some degree we never had a common narrative because some voices were excluded from it.” Despite this historic exclusion, more minority groups have a seat at the table than ever before, creating pushback, he explained. Obama described this polarising effect as “a cultural mismatch…a divergence reinforced by a splintering of the media.” He spoke strongly in favour of logic and reason as the antidote to the present situation. These Enlightenment values, he claimed, help us decide on two important questions: “How do we compromise? What are the principles we don’t compromise?”

He raised the discussion of climate as an example. The productive debate, he argued, would be to argue between adaptation or mitigation – and not whether climate change is a hoax. The latter argument cuts across every issue and eliminates the possibility of meaningful progress. And if there is anything Barack Obama deems worthwhile, it’s progress. “Liz Cheney disagrees with me on everything,” he said, “except on democracy and counting votes. Some things extend beyond any particular issue. The fact that we don’t have more of that is a problem.” Scepticism affects every institution, said the former President. It affects the integrity of the courts. It affects our democracy. “When those things start to fray,” he cautioned, “they are hard to put back together again.”

“Democracy doesn’t function unless we determine ground rules,” he said. “If I’m playing basketball – you can’t tackle me. You have to have rules, otherwise game doesn’t make sense. [We] can’t be politically expedient; the sport more important than that one game. That’s how we have to think about our democracy.” We can’t be afraid of changing demographics, women in the workforce, or Barack Obama being president, he added slyly. Although these developments upended what were certainties for a lot of people, it’s important to pay attention and hold the line maintaining the integrity of democratic institutions.

Following this speech on democracy, Hart asked Obama to reflect on his highs and lows during his years as President.

The most gratifying moment, he answered, was the night he passed the Affordable Care Act. Reforming healthcare in the United States was a difficult journey for his administration. “It’s hard to describe just how crazy some of the debates were…some strange arguments were made,” he revealed. “It was a good night. I felt good - because that’s why you get elected. You get elected to get something done.” The Act meant that not just poor working people, but independent contractors, musicians, designers, and small businesspeople wouldn’t have to worry about losing healthcare coverage.

The worst period he had to face as President was the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook. “It was the only time I saw secret service members cry on the job,” he admitted. He spoke about his powerlessness to comfort parents and make statements following the deaths of 6-year-olds and their teacher. He recalled “fury” at Congress doing nothing; despite a keen sense that inaction was not an option, inaction was the only response. “As bleak as some Supreme court decisions are…there is a bright spot if there is bipartisan legislation,” he said. “This was the closest I came to getting cynical.” 

“We used to have stickers in White House that said ‘Fight Cynicism,’” he continued. “We had to remind ourselves [that] after spending a lot of time talking to Congress…[and] we did fight cynicism, to the very end.” Obama looked around the room. According to him, this was something we should all do in our work: to not feel resigned; to choose hope instead.

Being the leader of the free world is a difficult job, observed Dan Hart. On this point, the host inquired about lessons in leadership learned while in office. The audience included many practice leaders – were there any skills that might resonate with architects?

“Interestingly, the most cliche answers really apply,” said Barack Obama. “It is important to build a culture that is focused on: how do I empower people on that team so they are doing the best they can, and they feel you are invested in them?” Building a positive work culture is something that applies to any type of profession – including architecture. Yet it’s more than just throwing around company slogans and Christmas parties. “You can tell the phony from the real,” he warned. “Folks can tell if you actually care about [their] success, growth, and improvement.”

The former president described himself as “very big” on building a culture of accountability and responsibility – without being too heavy on hierarchy. While at the White House, Obama’s top advisors (he dubbed them “muckity-mucks”) were often seated at the table while the staffers would cram around them. “I made a practice early on,” he said, “to just go ‘Hey you in the back! What do you think?’” The staffers – usually in their late-twenties to mid-thirties – would be taken aback by his addresses. Nonetheless, he pressed them to contribute. “What I did know,” he said, “is that they were preparing the memos for the ‘muckity mucks’ – and doing a lot of the work!”

The former Present recognized that good ideas can come from anyone at any level of an organization. He made an effort to obtain diverse viewpoints that might otherwise be overlooked. “Value and insights are not dependent on your status, but quality of work and information you possess,” he observed. “In this current environment, if you’re not intentional about having persons of colour with different ideas at the table – over the long haul you will lose, because we all have blind spots.”

“There’s a saying [that] everything rolls downhill. In the White House, [it] rolls uphill – if we don’t know what to do? Send it to the President.” He continued, smiling. “No problem came to me that wasn’t really hard and no one else could solve it - otherwise it wouldn’t come to me…[but] every decision is about dealing with probabilities.” The decisions we make as leaders don’t have a 100% solution, he explained. In those situations, he believes it’s important for people to argue it out from different angles – so that all the “data” is on the table and can contribute toward a final, fully informed decision. “[This] applies to any institution,” he said, “and it’s more likely to happen if you’ve stocked your team from different perspectives.”

He briefly mentioned Chicago’s Soldier Field, and how he’d observed women waiting in line for the restroom. “That’s a design flaw that men would not have come up with,” he pointed out. Issues like these can be someone’s everyday reality but escape someone else’s notice. The former President urged the audience to notice things. “Notice how all the men do all the talking,” he said, smiling a little at the irony. “Examine the degree in which senior men built up bad habits.” He mentioned examples from his own life where a woman would speak, and a man would go on to say the same thing 20 minutes later. According to Barack Obama, the first step in making ourselves better, making decisions better – and ultimately, making us all feel better – lies in listening and noticing others.

As his anecdotes on these various subjects drew to a close, it became clear that we were also nearing the end of the event. Though there was no time allotted for questions from the audience, it seemed that the attendees were satisfied. Not everyone present would agree with everything the former President said. It is not difficult to suppose that even his most ardent political dissenters could not help but listen to such a famous and charismatic speaker. Excepting a few laughs and cheers, there was complete silence whenever he spoke. Everyone in the room – positively or negatively – seemed quite attentive to the man before them. Even ignoring his political slant, Barack Obama had managed to capture relevant topics and a general spirit of the AIA National Convention. 

“Sir,” concluded Dan Hart, equally captivated by the former President. “I do believe you have the mind of an architect.”

“I have the eye,” Obama replied confidently. “But building models with the little trees and stuff…” He trailed off sheepishly. “I’m not very nimble.”

Hart replied that there were many people on a design team, including modelmakers.

“It’s never too late to revisit a career in architecture,” he said cheerfully. “Just saying – think about it.”

Written by Adelina Koleva, AIA

SEE ALSO FOLLOWING COMPANION ARTICLES ON THE MAIN A’22 EXPO AND THE INTERNATIONAL DESIGN AWARDS

22CON: AIA International at the Chicago Convention

In-person attendees of the AIA International Annual General Meeting in Chicago.

Alongside the main three day AIA National Conference on Architecture (A’22 Expo) held in Chicago in June, supplementary events were organized by AIA International, of which the AIA UK Chapter is a constituent. One such event was the AIA International Dinner Social on the evening of Thursday June 23. The social took place in River North at the Parlor Pizza Bar where AIA international architects convened to enjoy some Chicago-style (not deep dish!) wood-fired pizza. It was a great way to meet new people. Attendees arrived from all over the world – Europe, Asia, Australia, Middle East, and South America. Three members based in the United Kingdom were in attendance: Alex Miller, AIA, Genie Khmelnitski, and Adelina Koleva, AIA. 

The AIA International AGM was a hybrid event that took place the following day. I was one of the many Zoom audience members to tune in, as I was not able to make it in person due to work conflicts. AIA International, established in 2012, is celebrating its ten-year anniversary. Despite its young age, it is rapidly making gains. In addition to the seven international chapters, there are currently 20 countries with active AIA at-large directors. The future for global expansion was among the agenda items discussed at the meeting.  

The AIA International Design Awards took place at a luncheon following the AGM at McCormick Place. The celebration honoured winning projects from around the world that received commendations. A gallery exhibit of the winners was displayed on the A’22 Expo floor, honouring winners from 2019-2021.

Past AIA UK President and current AIA International Secretary Alex Miller, AIA, next to the AIA International Design Awards exhibit. Floral Court - a project he worked on with Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates – received a Merit Award in 2019. Photo by Adelina Koleva.

Written by Adelina Koleva, AIA

SEE ALSO FOLLOWING COMPANION ARTICLES ON BARACK OBAMA’S VIEWS ON ARCHITECTURE AND THE MAIN A’22 EXPO