On Friday afternoon January 27, the AIA Seattle Diversity Roundtable convened 50+ participants at a half-day Forum including a community design workshop, exploring opportunities for engagement of design professionals of all generations with community groups and civic leaders, to assist in the creation of healthy and vibrant neighborhoods. The diverse environment of the South Park community offers a unique laboratory with special prospects for positive community design achievement.

Presentations by community activists (including Seattle City Councilmember Richard Conlin and King County Councilmember Dow Constantine) and design professionals involved with various work in the community helped inform participants, including a large number of UW CAUP students of Professor Steve Badanes, assisted by support from Johnston Architects and Jones & Jones Architects and Landscape Architects. Sessions introduced some key elements of the South Park community, its ecological and political environment and the built features, current and in view, that shape the community and its future – in its strategic location adjacent to the large Boeing facility, with both Seattle and King County influences. Please watch for an expected white paper based on the workshop reports.

This Forum reflected the Diversity Roundtable's intention to reach out to youth from diverse communities to engage them in the power of design – through support of Denice Hunt K-12 Internship recipients at the UW College of Architecture & Urban Planning, among other programs, in the spirit of AIA150: "In 2007, the Members of The American Institute of Architects will mark the AIA's 150 years of service to the profession and the nation by working with their communities to create a better future by design."

Forum Agenda:
Welcome & Introductions
…Randy L. Everett AIA, AIA Seattle President
… M. Mario Campos AIA, AIA Seattle Diversity Roundtable Chair, AIA national Diversity Committee
… Peter David Greaves AIA, AIA Washington Council President 2006, AIA Seattle AIA150 Champion
… Clarence Kwan AIA, AIA national Diversity Committee 2006 Chair

"What We Learn from Marra Farm"
… "Working with the Community/The Garden Shed:" Greg Squires (Denice Hunt K-12 Intern 2005) & Mark Haizlip
… Steve Badanes, UW Professor of Architecture
… Lee Harper, Assistant Director, Fremont Public Association

"Recent Experience Working with the South Park Community"
… The South Park Library/Working with the Community: Mary Johnston AIA, Johnston Architects
… The Bridge: Geoff Belau
… South Park Leadership in Duwamish River Cleanup: Cari Simson & BJ Cummings, Duwamish River Clean-up Coalition
… Opportunities in South Park: Mark Johnson, Jones & Jones

"Community Futures Workshop: Addressing South Park Environmental and Community Design Issues"
… M. Mario Campos AIA, Facilitator
… Peter David Greaves AIA, AIA Washington Council President 2007, AIA Seattle AIA150 Champion
… Clarence Kwan AIA, AIA national Diversity Committee
� The Hon. Richard Conlin, Seattle City Councilmember
… The Hon. Dow Constantine, King County Councilmember

Background:
Members of the AIA Seattle Diversity Roundtable, in partnership with colleagues at the UW Department of Achitecture and Fremont Public Association, have undertaken a series of events and projects in Seattle's historic, diverse, and proud South Park neighborhood, centered at Marra Farm.

These efforts follow in the path initiated by 2005 Denice Hunt K-12 Intern Greg Squires and his project partner Mark Haizlip in a garden shed design/build project for Marra Farm in Seattle's historic, diverse, and proud South Park neighborhood, undertaken with students at nearby Concord Elementary School. In June 2005, AIA 2007 President R K Stewart FAIA joined others in the AIA Seattle Summer Solstice Procession including a "Natural & Community Wonders" Tour of South Park, including the Duwamish Watershed Restoration, downtown South Park, and Marra Farm.

AIA 150 Champion Peter David Greaves AIA, along with Clarence Kwan AIA of the AIA Seattle Diversity Roundtable, also a member of AIA�s national Diversity Committee, among others welcome interest in further projects bridging design professionals with the local community around area waterfronts, and encourages all AIA Seattle Members to take part all along the way. Watch for details soon on this exciting project with 'AIA150' implications.