Innovation... Engagement... Inspiration
The large AIA Seattle delegation felt quite a home in LA weatherwise during the loudy and occasionally drizzly days of AIA Convention 2006. Among some 30K attendees of all stripes, one saw AIA Seattle people here and there throughout the city taking part in a generally highly-rated intinerary of tours, learning together in a widely-ranging program of continuing education, fraternizing at social events, and examining various products and services presented at the Design Expo, in the vast LA Convention Center.

At the AIA Seattle Dinner: Peter Steinbrueck FAIA wearing his brand-new Fellows Medal, with Nancy Callery AIA, Steve Arai AIA , with oblique views of Rena Klein FAIA (also wearing brand-new Fellows Medal), Clarence Kwan AIA, and George Haddad

Highlights (reviews/notes by AIA Seattle attendees)
• Innovation/The Present and Future of Los Angeles
at the Opening General Session 6/8: Craig Webb AIA of Gehry Partners, Rafael Moneo Hon. FAIA, and Thom Mayne FAIA of Morphosis joined AIA President Kate Schwennsen FAIA in the opening session, exploring the meaning and the future of the urban form as expressed in the present and potential of Los Angeles "On the Edge."
• Robert F. Kennedy Jr. 6/8 "A Contact with Our Future:" "He gave it to us with both barrels."
• Presentation of first copy of Structural Inequality: Black Architects in the United States (Victoria Kaplan, Rowman & Littlefield 2006) to AIA 2007 President R K Stewart FAIA (who wrote the Foreword).
• "America's New Regionalism" panel, with Rick Joy FAIA, Tom Kundig FAIA, and Lawrence Scarpa FAIA: "a wow"
• AIA150 Champion training and consultation: With increasing clarity, AIA150 envisions the AIA nation's sesquicentennial observance at the national and the local scale – including the potential of AIA Seattle's 'On the Water' program to mobilize a new and diverse generation of design activists, engaged with public and private partners in "working with their communities to create a better future by design." The AIA150 advent calendar includes WWW.Seattle: AIA Livable Communities Conference/Walking Working Water, welcoming seekers from all disciplines, and from near and far, to join in learning activities and action along Seattle-area waterfronts 9/14-17, 2006.
• College of Fellows Investiture at Walt Disney Concert Hall, with Jury of Fellows Chair Mark Reddington FAIA welcoming honorees (see more about this and other honors to AIA Seattle folks below)
• Remarks by 2006 Whitney M. Young Award recipient Ted Landsmark Assoc. AIA: "riveting, a true hero"
• Inspiration/The Greening of the Profession: Closing session with William McDonough FAIA: "a revelation on the realization of the green dream, with an honest assessment of the financial meaning and real-life implications of our choices as designers." During the Convention, Members learned of action by the US Conference of Mayors to adopt sustainability policy as advocated by AIA Members, by adoption of a Resolution co-sponsored by Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels.
• Among knowledgeable Seattle-area folk presenting Continuing Education sessions at Convention, on a range of topics: Jeff Hamlett AIA, Tom Paladino Assoc. AIA, Elizabeth Boggs Kittas AIA, Rena Klein FAIA, Tom Kundig FAIA, Alan Sclater FAIA, John Shoesmith AIA, AIA Seattle Hon. Member Ellen Southard, Bill Strong Assoc. AIA, Daniel Williams FAIA.

AIA Seattle Dinner celebrants: Mary Johnston AIA, Val Thomas FAIA, Marga Rose Hancock Hon. AIA, Nancy Callery AIA

Celebrating many honors:
At the festive AIA Seattle Dinner Friday evening, colleagues from the AIA Big Sibs joined the home folks in celebrating recipients of awards presented at the Honors & Awards Ceremony, the College of Fellows Investiture, and other Convention events:
.AIA Seattle, nominees advanced to the AIA College of Fellows/2006
. Jan K. Gleason FAIA
. Rena M. Klein FAIA
. Steve McConnell FAIA
. Peter Steinbrueck FAIA
. Recipients of AIA 2006 national Honor Awards:
. Bohlin Cywinski Jackson: Ballard Library and
Neighborhood Service Center (Seattle)
. SRG Partnership, Inc.: Washington State Legislative Building Rehabilitation (Olympia), with associate architect Einhorn Yaffee Prescott
. Mithun Architects + Designers + Planners: Lloyd Crossing Sustainable Urban Design Plan (Portland)
. AIA 2006 Housing Award
. Mithun: Nordheim Court at UW
. AIA 2006 Top Ten Green Awards
. Bohlin Cywinski Jackson: Ballard Library and Neighborhood Service Center (Seattle)
. Mahlum Architects: Benjamin Franklin Elementary School (Kirkland)
. AIA Small Projects Award
. Arai Jackson Ellison Murakami: Ebey Waterfront Park (Marysville)
. Takanobu Ota, Hon. FAIA (Roger Williams FAIA, sponsor)
. AIA 2006 "Show You're Green" Housing Awards
. Stickney Murphy Romine Architects: Pantages (Seattle)
. GGLO: Cabrini (Seattle)
. Mithun: High Point (Seattle)

AIA Business
The Saturday morning business session, in which some 470 accredited delegates representing the AIA's 77K+ membership took part, featured the presentation of the AIA Annual Report, action on Bylaws amendments and resolutions affecting the structure of the Board of Directors and mandating a contract documents marketing study.
In a historic act, the membership elected Marshall E. Purnell FAIA of Washington DC to serve as 2008 President – the first African-American elected to this position in the Institute's 149-year history. President Schwennsen introduced the AIA 2007 Executive Commitee with AIA 2007 President R K Stewart FAIA at the helm, and also including newly-elected 2008 President Purnell, VPs George H. Miller FAIA of NY and Miguel A. Rodriguez AIA of Miami, and Secretary David R. Proffitt AIA of Central Kentucky, who will serve on the ExCom along with Seattleite VP Norman Strong FAIA, EVP Christine McEntee, and others.

With regards to all!
from Randy, Walter, Peter, Marga, et al.