2017 Directory

16 WYOMING ARCHITECTURE .17 | www.aia-wyoming.org Membership Development Committee BY DALE BUCKINGHAM AIA, CHAIR Committee Members: Dale Buckingham, AIA, Chair Rachel Delventhal, AIA Matthew Newman, AIA Jacob Ernst, Associate AIA Aimee Bolton, AIA Lewis Matthew Miller, AIA A cross generational lines most archi- tects are gifted with a creative bent and ability to bring order to the environment around them. While this is a common bond for those in the architectural industry, the moti- vation can vary between practitioners. Some desire to help clients achieve long lasting func- tional projects that are trouble free. For others, the emotional response of those who experience the built environment is what drives them. Still others care deeply about the stewardship of our natural resources and treading lightly on the environment. And, yes, we all try to meet the unwritten mark in all these areas, even though our core motivations may override other ob- jectives at times. It is this depth and breadth of opportunity that attracts us to the profession. Occasionally, in the everyday routine of deadlines, Code changes, budget crunches and conflicts in the field, it is easy to lose the excitement about the profession and even about good design. On those days when we don’t even “think” about design, we might sometimes wonder why we chose the architectural profes- sion? As the Membership Development Com- mittee looks forward to 2018, we are working to create opportunities for architects and others in the field to remember why we were attracted to the profession in the first place. Through social events at our meetings, Technology in Architecture Practice (TAP), and working side by side with others in the chapter, relationships are formed. Those relationships can be a source of great inspiration and encouragement to push each other to greater achievement regardless of your core motivation. It is at those times that I have purposely gotten away from the routine and spent time around fellow professionals that I come back to the office encouraged, and motivated to learn more, grow more and do better work. Looking ahead to a new year, I encourage us (myself included) to take some time to get involved in AIA Wyoming. As we work togeth- er to grow and mature our organization, we also grow as individuals and create a place for architects to be encouraged in their craft. Just a couple thoughts on how you might put that to practice. Consider calling or writing a fellow Architect to tell them what great work they did on a project you admire! If you have been practicing a while, consider taking a younger professional to lunch or calling them up and sharing some of your experiences to help them grow faster than you did. Let’s help each other remember why we love this line of work. b What’s the Attraction?