As AIA Wyoming’s Associate Director, I was fortunate to attend this year’s AIA Conference on Architecture 2022 (A’22) in Chicago. I was one of a handful of individuals from Wyoming in a crowd of over 9,000 architects who attended the Conference. A’22 was an exceptional event designed to encourage architects to explore new ways of thinking and influence design-forward thinking. The city of Chicago was presented through multiple tours and lectures and was an amazing backdrop for the Conference and all the speakers.
As an Associate and a young person in the world of architecture, I was truly amazed by the amount of information and resources presented and provided during the conference. A’22 had so many influential and important keynote speakers, such as President Barack Obama, Lakisha Ann Woods, AIA’s new Chief Executive Officer, and many local architects from the Chicago area. Most of the keynote speakers discussed the importance of architecture and the influence architects have in the current economy as society grapples with the uncertainty of the future. The first keynote, titled “Paradigm Shift,” was an interview between Madame Architect Founder Julia Gamolina and Lakisha Ann Woods, AIA’s new CEO, regarding a historic moment for AIA and the architectural profession. Ms. Woods spoke to a new way of thinking about equity and sustainability in the architectural profession. Later in the conference, I attended a “Women in Design Social” where several women gathered to share ideas and encourage one another. I had the opportunity to speak with Ms. Woods about AIA Wyoming’s chapter and some of the challenges we face being a smaller chapter, but that we are just as important, have so many wonderful ideas and have a great AIA community that supports each individual member and non-member. I was eager to boast about our chapter and our many successes. Though our numbers are small, we are mighty, and our strength is seen across the AIA community.
The second keynote was titled “The Changemakers” and discussed design at the intersection of personal agency and human impact. The discussion contained the most pressing issues in design, climate-positive work at multiple scales, and new education models for young architects. I found this incredibly interesting as I am passionate about architecture and how it has grown and changed in just a few years. Some of the discussion referenced listening and accepting new ideas from younger professionals. The encouragement and design work being created by students in school is amazing, to say the least. Students work with new technologies and software that encourage advanced design and promote sustainability. Experience is valuable in our profession, but it has also tripped up the opportunities for advancement and out-of-the-box thinking our younger generations bring to the table.
I was fortunate to attend the third keynote with President Obama as the main speaker. He was very excited about architecture and the influence we have as a community through our profession. President Obama mentioned how he envied the passion and skill our profession brings to all communities and the power we contain to influence a region to change for the better. We often forget that we are so important to our planet’s growth. Many conversations at the conference revolved around diversity and equality in firms and our profession; however, there was a consistent undertone to our ability to influence, evolve and encourage change.
The conference speakers were remarkable, and each session I participated in taught me something valuable to my career and growth in architecture, but the fun did not stop there. The Architecture Expo contained hundreds of product vendors and product representatives. The room containing the playground of products was at least three football fields. A’22 had the expo displayed like the City of Chicago with neighborhoods of products. I spent several hours on the expo floor and still did not see everything there was to see. The technological advancements several products are making are exciting for the future of design. One of the evening events was called the “Block Party,” where the expo floor was open to everyone to mingle and eat. Everyone I met at the conference was welcoming and excited to speak with someone from Wyoming, even if they did not know where Wyoming was!
I want to thank everyone in our AIA community for allowing me to represent you as the Associate Director. I encourage all of our emerging professionals, associate members and non-members to consider attending our local conferences each year and also a conference such as A’22.
The power our profession has to influence the future is exciting, and our community at AIA Wyoming is unique and special. Embrace the unique opportunities and support your Wyoming AIA Chapter offers you!
