AIA Seattle's observance of the 150th anniversary of the establishment of The American Institute of Architects, part of a nation-wide celebration in 2007 and beyond, highlights architects' community endeavors and collaborations to achieve livable communities, using care for water resources and natural systems as a guiding principle. Sections below describe planning for elements of the observance, expressed in timeline format, starting with the future.

On the Water:
Stories of Design for Community
As part of the AIA150 observance of the 1857 founding of The American Institute of Architects, AIA Seattle has received funding for a program "On the Water: mobilizing community design projects on waterfronts throughout the greater Puget Sound region." The program, part of the AIA150 nationwide Blueprint for America, will support the telling and advancement of 'On the Water' projects during 2007, 2008, and beyond.

Following this intention, the AIA150 Seattle+ Strategy Team, chaired by AIA Seattle AIA150 Champion Peter David Greaves AIA, aims to gather, share, review, and elevate stories of design that honors and advances urban life 'on the water' – both in completed projects of all types that have shaped communities in ways that respect the connection of habitat to nature, and in new concepts and possibilities that carry forward notions of sustainable design, at all scales.

Preliminarily, the Strategy Team solicits On the Water: Stories of Design for Community as graphic/text boards for display and public review during AIA150 national Architecture Month in April 2007. Among other AIA150 events near and far, the AIAS-UW – in cooperation with the UW Department of Architecture, the UW Architecture Professional Advisory Council, and the AIA Seattle Design Committee – hosts The American Institute of Architecture Students West Quad Conference, April 12-14 at the University of Washington Seattle campus and other Seattle-area locations. The Conference program also includes the annual Design Career Fair on Thursday afternoon April 12, with the 07 Design Dialog II that evening.

During the Conference, the Mayors/Councilmembers Council (see list at right) will convene as a jury to review entries, and select from among these a representative sampling for publication, case study development, further study, and work toward implementation – beginning with community workshops slated for Fall 2007. In partnership with public and private partners including local municipalities, AIA Seattle will announce their selections, and develop a program to elevate and advance the projects and the work of the project teams, and the ideals they recognize.

Ultimately, this process will result in identification of a limited number of projects for realization. In a sustaining mode, and in concert with a range of partners, AIA Seattle will seek to materialize "AIA150 community design heritage projects," in 2008 and beyond.

ELIGIBILITY
Open to individual or team entry of stories of projects located throughout Washington – completed, in progress, or imagined – whose team includes an architect or a current architecture student.

WHY ENTER?
·Visibility: stories and projects exhibited and discussed in sessions commencing with April 12-14, 2007 AIAS Conference and 07 Design Dialog II. Publication as part of AIA150 Seattle+ proceedings, and on AIA150 Seattle+ web site
· Prizes: publication, circulation, consultation in development of case studies for further study, workshop consideration, and other prizes TBA
· Possibility: Over the course of 2007, 2008, and beyond, AIA150 Seattle+ will seek to advance On the Water projects in cooperation with various partners.

SUBMITTAL FORMAT
1) Entry Board for jury review by Mayors / Councilmembers Council, and for public display at UW, AIA Seattle Gallery, community sessions: a graphic representation of the completed or prospective project with story data and entrant credits, mounted on 30"x40" foam-core or other lightweight backing material suitable for display in a vertical hanging or easel format.
An 8.5x11" Project Information section appearing in the bottom right-hand corner of the board will include the project name and location, entrant(s) names, firm/organization (optional), project credits, and a Knowledge Statement (maximum 100 words) summarizing (a) the engagement of and value to the local community, including reference to significant public partners in the project, and (b) the manner in which the project contributes to community connections to the water and other natural systems.
2) For online and print publication: a .pdf of the 8.5x11" section, optionally amended to include a project image.

SCHEDULE
02/14/07 Entry/payment deadline
04/06/07 Entry board submittal to AIA Seattle
04/12/07 Mayors/Councilmembers Council/jury review at AIAS Conference/07 Design Dialog II

ENTREE FEE
AIAS Members: $10/entry
AIA Associate Members: $25/entry
AIA Members: $50/entry
All others: $100/entry

BACKGROUND
Projects initiated by various constituencies within AIA Seattle beginning in 2004 have established a focus on the connection of Puget Sound communities with water – at all scales: from wetlands-sensitive residential development to watershed reclamation programs (e.g. the Duwamish, a Superfund site in Seattle's South Park community) and harborfront initiatives in cities along Puget Sound – including major urban design opportunities around Seattle's central waterfront in the quest for alternatives to the aging and earthquake-damaged Viaduct. Through a series of community workshops, publications, and conferences, AIA Seattle and partners – various community groups, kindred design and building organizations, students in the state's two schools of architecture, and K-12 youth – AIA150Seattle will highlight architects' community endeavors and collaborations to achieve livable communities, using care for water resources and natural systems as a guiding principle.

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