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There has been much discussion raised about "Why are women leaving Architecture? and more broadly, Why is the profession losing key talent?"  Both women and men practitioners are disillusioned by the myth of work/life balance: Women are grappling with "have it all" expectations of juggling family time with the demands of full-time work.  Men are struggling to support their families solely on an architect's salary and fall back on asking spouses to maintain their jobs. The lack of affordable childcare and high cost of living only magnifies the challenges.  How did we end up in this modern family dilemma? What can we do to improve the situation?

EQxD Get Real: Search until you find your Yes!

by LaShae Ferguson

What happens when you graduate and you think you'll be designing buildings but you're not? What happens when you see all the cool kids doing amazing things on all the new technologies and you feel like a dinosaur? When you get the rare privilege of helping out on an amazing presentation but for the most part you do a lot of shop drawing reviews? Or being told you might not be ready to be on a team? The main challenge I faced was wanting to learn more, but being told that I should be happy where I am. Well, I wasn’t. I decided to work for small firms, mid-sized and large firms, and I was able to expand my network, find mentors and work on amazing projects. But this didn’t happen overnight - it took over 15 years. (Enjoy the journey right?) The first few years I was enrolled in college, taking classes at night and weekends and working during the day.

It was insane and a process of saving money, learning new skills, searching for my tribe and looking under every nook and cranny for opportunities that provided the space for growth. I sought out the person who helped me to get a scholarship and took her to lunch, sent congratulatory notes to firms whose work I admired and read the employment section of the newspaper every week. The opportunity for growth was a huge driving force but what exactly did I want to do?

For starters, I wanted to see how drawings translated in the field, meet with clients, learn how to conduct sales calls, and see a project from start to finish. I searched until I found a company that allowed me to do just that. And when a project came through the door that I wanted in on, I made it known, 'hey that looks like an awesome project, I want in on it!’ But it wasn’t a cake walk at all. Real talk: I had colleagues rail on me and toss drawings at me. But every single time I stood up for myself, unapologetically. When I felt that some personalities were too extreme, I actively searched out those who were more action oriented versus ego oriented. Take it how you will.

I chose to advance myself further by being an owner, because of my desire to be creative, make a living and have a life. It was scary, like jumping off a cliff without a parachute, but I saw no other way. I knew I wanted to be married and have children and from what I saw, unless you knew the right people and all the right things, returning to work after maternity leave might be questionable. So I decided that instead of working for firms,  I would partner with them. I cold called local small companies, kept in touch with people I worked with and partnered with other designers and contractors. I learned as much as I could in the field and a lot about how to deal with personalities, problem solving and business. I read a lot of amazing biographies and business books that extend beyond my profession.

And I understand, entrepreneurship is not for everyone, it can be scary, but here are a few general takeaways:

  1. Ask yourself, what is it I’m trying to do? Small projects, big projects? Am I good with presentations, production, details, technology, people?

  2. Do I see myself as a principal, vice president, owner?

  3. What are my strong points and areas thatwhere I need work on?

  4. Seek out those whose opinions you value and who will be 100% real with you.

  5. Reach out to someone that you admire and ask them out for coffee, make the connection and keep in touch.

  6. Build your network on social platforms like Twitter and LinkedIn and write sincere recommendations for those you know.  

  7. Go to local networking events.

  8. Ask lots of questions.

  9. Save your money.

  10. Become passionate about a cause and when and if you are able - volunteer.

  11. Become a board member.

  12. Build your tribe.

  13. Be curious, vocal and persistent.

  14. Understand that your path may be different from others, advancement (nor life) is not linear.

If you've gotten this far, to finish school, to work for a firm, you put in 80% right there....so if someone tells you no, you can't, you're not ready, you pick yourself up and search until you find your yes.

About LaShae Ferguson @lashae_f

LaShae A. Ferguson, Assoc. AIA, Owner of L.A. Design Collective, LLC, An Architectural Design & Drawing Co., and graduate of the University of the District of Columbia. LaShae has co-managed design-construction projects worth over $8 million total. When not working, she enjoys spending time with her family, cooking and traveling.

 

 

 

EQxD Get Real - To read more about challenges and resilience from diverse viewpoints, go here.

In a similar spirit of spontaneity of the Archimom's Everyday Moments of Truth blog series, we are excited to bring you EQxD Get Real: True stories of Challenges and Resilience from diverse perspectives of architects and designers. Each day we will feature the stories of each person's challenges in the profession and what they learned from those experiences to inspire action for equitable practice in architecture. 

 

In Equitable Practice, architalks, INSPIRE%Tags, EQxDGetReal

EQxD Get Real: Found - The Missing 32%

by Melissa Daniel

I have a theory that the missing 32% is not really missing. I believe the 32% is actually recorded higher because licensed architects who identify themselves as women choose not to volunteer in architectural surveys, join AIA or be part of any architecture group unless such activities are driven by their employer. The following are the top 5 reasons licensed women architects do not participate in any women architecture related activity:

1. I have no Time/Money.

This seems like a legitimate reason. AIA membership is expensive, and we all understand that family does come first. To participate in the architecture conversation, however, it is not necessary to either join an architecture organization nor spend time traveling to a meeting. Social media is a great way to engage the architecture community. Please note that the key word here is ‘engage’.  Simply creating a twitter account with no profile picture does not count. Get involve in the conversation. Your opinion matters.

 

2. Underrepresented.

This is not only frustrating but very discouraging. According to the web, Zahid Hadid is the only woman of color who practices architecture. For the licensed women who are on panels discussing women’s issues, neither have my mocha skin tone nor are in my generation. Due to this lack of representation, there’s a broad spectrum of women’s issues that are never discussed including single motherhood and sexual orientation discrimination. Topics like these cannot be discussed if we are not in the room. Let the architecture community know we exist by joining groups like LinkedIn and participate in the conversation. (Make sure you add a profile photo to your LinkedIn account. It is part of personal branding and it establishes trust.)

3. WIA (Women in Architecture)/ WID (Women in Development) is like a Sorority.

Being the newbie in any group is difficult. However, with close knit groups of women, there’s a stereotype of drama. Conversations of male‐bashing or cattiness really do not exist in WIA/WID groups. If they do in any local group, it’s time to get involved and change things. What we as women fail to realize is that the men have their own exclusive groups. It’s the usually the project architect/managers/associates that go to the bar after work while the women go home and tend to their families. It’s usually those men who bond at lunch while you eat at the workstation. They form fraternities and establish strong networks.  Ladies, we do not need to sit in our own islands. Something as simple as inviting the other female co‐worker(s) to lunch can mean all the difference. Remember, this is business.

4. Superwoman.  

The ‘superwoman’ architect has done it all. They conquered the work‐life balance and wonder why we haven’t done the same. The reality is however, they have struggled. Like their male counterparts, the ‘superwoman’ architect tends to have enormous egos and almost never show signs of weakness in public. Events like the EQxD#Hackathon taking place at the AIA National Convention in Atlanta will reveal the ‘superwoman’ architect’s struggles and tools to succeed.

5. "Sucky" Advice.

‘Be the best you can be’, ‘Be confident’, and ‘Work hard’ sounds more like a pep talk than advice. When there’s a serious question about ‘how do you handle a co‐worker when...’ is asked, finding women architects to give ‘real advice’ is difficult because there’s a perception that only superwoman architects exist out there. The best way to find the answers to the questions is to seek out women with similar situations and ask them. The problem is that these women don’t participate. A vicious cycle of the non‐participants seeking advice from other non‐participants. The only other way to find like‐minded women, join WIA/WID groups in your local area, find them on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Twitter. If you’re not having luck there, start your own group (physical or visual). ‘Eat the Whale’ a wise woman once told me.

 

About Melissa Daniel  @MelissaRDaniel 

Photo credit: D. Phinney

Photo credit: D. Phinney

Former AIA Diversity and Inclusion Council member, Melissa Daniel is passionate about changing the culture of the architecture profession. She spent the past three years as chair of the Women in Architecture Series serving AIA|DC, DCNOMA and AIA|NOVA WIA Committee. She was selected in 2012 for the Emerging Architect Award by AIA|DC, 2013 Young Architect of the year by DCCEAS and 2014 Leading Women under 40 by Maryland’s The Daily Record.

 

EQxD Get Real - To read more about challenges and resilience from diverse viewpoints, go here.

In a similar spirit of spontaneity of the Archimom's Everyday Moments of Truth blog series, we are excited to bring you EQxD Get Real: True stories of Challenges and Resilience from diverse perspectives of architects and designers. Each day we will feature the stories of each person's challenges in the profession and what they learned from those experiences to inspire action for equitable practice in architecture. 

 

EQxD Get Real: True Stories of Challenge & Resilience

by Rosa Sheng, AIA

Last month, Architect Magazine featured an article referencing the 2014 Equity in Architecture survey as a catalyst for the conversation; “Closing the Gender Gap: Female architects identify ways that women can push through the traditional career choke points and advance through the ranks in a male-dominated field.”  by Elizabeth Dickinson. Three architects were interviewed for their perspectives on the topic; Julia Murphy, AIA an Associate of SOM in New York City, Kelley Howell, AIA a newly named Partner of Pivot Architecture in Eugene, Oregon  and Janet Tam, AIA founding Principal of Noll and Tam in San Francisco.

While the first comment to the article sparked a slurry of conversation, it highlighted that implicit bias is still deeply rooted in Architecture. The writer's comment highlights what still remains in professional practice; a pervasive "take it or leave it" attitude towards the "tradition" to endure long hours and low pay while disregarding the fact that those tropes are driving talent away from Architectural practice.

Discussion comments to Architect Magazine article by Elizabeth Dickinson

Concurrently, there was a twitter chat suggesting that we continue the conversation started by the Architect Magazine article with a broader spectrum of viewpoints within the profession. Let's get to the heart of the challenges in Architecture from the members of the profession that are rarely heard. In a similar spirit of spontaneity to the idea of the Archimom's Everyday Moments of Truth blog series, we are excited to bring you EQxD Get Real: True stories of Challenges and Resilience from diverse perspectives of architects and designers. Each day we will feature the stories of each person's challenges in the profession and what they learned from those experiences to inspire action for equitable practice in architecture.  Follow #EQxDGetReal on Twitter this week to share all the stories.

 

Found: The Missing 32%

by Melissa Daniel 

Former AIA Diversity and Inclusion Council member, Melissa Daniel is passionate about changing the culture of the architecture profession. She spent the past three years as chair of the Women in Architecture Series serving AIA|DC, DCNOMA and AIA|NOVA WIA Committee. She was selected in 2012 for the Emerging Architect Award by AIA|DC, 2013 Young Architect of the year by DCCEAS and 2014 Leading Women under 40 by Maryland’s The Daily Record. 

Search until you find your Yes!

by LaShae A. Ferguson, Assoc. AIA

LaShae is the owner of L.A. Design Collective, LLC, An Architectural Design & Drawing Co., and graduate of the University of the District of Columbia. LaShae has co-managed design-construction projects worth over $8 million total. When not working, she enjoys spending time with her family, cooking and traveling.

Control less, Celebrate more, shall we? 

by Katie E. Ray

Katie is an emerging professional who currently lives in Arlington, VA and is an APM for a firm just outside of Washington DC. Her projects currently range from restaurants, bars, spas, and country clubs. She is a mother and yogi; on the weekend she loves spending time building lighting and furniture from salvaged materials.

Is the world ready for real talk?

by Karen E. Williams AIA, LEED AP BD+C, NCARB 

Karen E. Williams is consistently working to educate people about the inner benefits of the architecture community. She is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Oregon where she teaches Revit and Professional Practice. As a means to be professional example, Karen is on the AIA-SWO board and supports STAnDD a local student group. She joined PIVOT Architecture in 2014 as a Project Architect after practicing on the east coast for 9 years.

The Long and Winding Road

by Tara Imani, AIA 

Tara Imani Designs, LLC is a premier full-service architecture and interiors solo practice, founded and led by Tara Imani, AIA. Ms. Imani is a licensed Architect in the State of Texas and a graduate of The Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Architecture. Ms. Imani is also an active voice on social media and advocate for Equity in Architecture.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meet our EQXD HACKATHON Scholarship Recipients!

by Rosa Sheng, AIA

We are really excited to announce our 5 Scholarship winners for WE310 Equity by Design: Knowledge, Discussion, Action! Hackathon on Wednesday, May 13, 2015. Special thanks goes to our generous Equity by Design / AIA Convention event sponsors: Autodesk, McCarthy Building Companies and WRNS Studios for providing this opportunity for the future leaders of our profession.

Melissa Daniel

Former AIA Diversity and Inclusion Council member, Melissa Daniel is passionate about changing the culture of the architecture profession. She spent the past three years as chair of the Women in Architecture Series serving AIA|DC, DCNOMA and AIA|NOVA WIA Committee. She was selected in 2012 for the Emerging Architect Award by AIA|DC, 2013 Young Architect of the year by DCCEAS and 2014 Leading Women under 40 by Maryland’s The Daily Record.

“The goal [of attending this hackathon] is to take the knowledge and apply it to the AIA|NOVA Women in Architecture committee. ”
— Melissa Daniel

Matthew Gaul 

Matthew is a junior designer at BAR Architects, Chair of Bay Area Young Architects, a contributing member of Equity by Design, a son of good people, and a husband to an intelligent and passionate wife. He is learning a lot from all of his roles. He hopes to make the world a better place.

“ Attending this Hackathon will better equip me to pursue Equity as the leader of my firm’s Equitable Practice group.”
— Mathew Gaul

Morgan Maiolie

Trained as an architect with an emphasis in urban design, Morgan Maiolie’s passion lies in designing within the complexity of ecological and urban systems. After working in a sustainable building research lab, urban renewal agency, and architecture firm, Morgan left traditional practice to pursue freelance design in a collaborative and creative co­working environment.

“I see great value in a hackathon to develop equitable practices in architecture and I am personally motivated to be a part of that discussion. My experience remains difficult to talk about with my immediate architecture community and a forum dedicated to the topic with people equally ready to begin that conversation would give me a much-needed structure to begin.”
— Morgan Maiolie

Karen Robichaud

Karen leads the online engagement strategy at Payette and since joining the firm in 2012, developed staff on-boarding programs, a clear voice for the firm and strategies for success. Additionally, Karen leads discussion groups, exploring how firms can incorporate social media to their marketing strategies and educate firm leadership.

“Post Hackathon I plan to bring the exercises, lessons learned and messages shared back to my firm and my local AIA chapter. By adding another, well-informed and active voice to the project, I can help move the conversation forward as an individual and from a firm-wide perspective.”
— Karen Robichaud

Neelanjana Sen

With 350,000 sf. of built work Neelanjana has interest in micro and macro aspects of planning and design. Her background in Physics, Visual Arts and Architecture informs her understanding of both aesthetic and technical aspects of built form. A graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute she received the AIA Henry Adams award.

“How we apply that ability to change into our thinking pattern and bring creative response from within us is the challenge. I want to attend this workshop to understand how to question my thought and develop the alternate. I believe small and subtle interventions can bring big change.”
— Neelanjana Sen

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EQxD Hackathon in ATLAIANTA!

From Silicon Valley to Atlanta, we are excited to bring this energizing, innovative and fun learning opportunity to AIA National Convention. What is a Hackathon? To find out, join us for this special pre-convention workshop on Wednesday 5/13 1-5pm WE310 Equity by Design: Knowledge, Discussion, Action! Full details and registration information available here.

PERFECTING YOUR PITCH!

by Lilian Asperin Clyman

As part of our recent EQxD monthly meeting we organized a break-out session to explore what makes a pitch great. It has been four days since that event, and today I am testing my memory to recall which teams were most effective in conveying their insights.  This is exactly the difference between a great and not so great pitch.  Are people still thinking and/or talking about it days, months and years later? And if so, why?

Intense Curiosity

The greatest problem solvers identify an area of need and devote deeply focused time to discovering everything about it through their own lens. In so doing, they are able to work through the layers of commonality and get to a new insight. This curiosity spark is the basis of breakthroughs and pivots. The hallmarks of change emerge when you identify it, name it, pin it up, and keep staring at it.

Piercing Content

Solutions are for people and the more universally resonant you can be, the more people “gotta have it”. In other words, sift through  long enough to find your “I believe” statement.  At all times, you and your team must be able to say “Why” this matters and every decision you make is in service of this belief.  If you are clear, people will follow.

Get to A-Ha

So what? Always ask yourself why your proposal is relevant.  Our goal is to arrive at solutions that can transform real life experiences of professionals in our industry.  Is there a specific demographic you understand exceptionally well that you can empathize with, and therefore impact? Translate your individual insight to transform a shared goal. People need to get it.

Catchy Message

“Just do it”. “Got milk?” “Think different”. “Architecture Matters”. Appeal to as many senses as possible and have an element of surprise.  Use every available tool to explore how you can be original AND succinct. Words. Images. Beats. Songs. Touch. Smell. Movement. Interpretive dance. Consider how you thread each essential element of your idea purposely so as to build a crescendo in your audience. Remember, humor and authenticity will always create a bond among people. Make it memorable.


Say it with your heart and with your mind.

EQxD Hackathon in ATLAIANTA!

From Silicon Valley to Atlanta, we are excited to bring this energizing, innovative and fun learning opportunity to AIA National Convention. What is a Hackathon? To find out, join us for this special pre-convention workshop on Wednesday 5/13 1-5pm WE310 Equity by Design: Knowledge, Discussion, Action! Full details and registration information available here.

 

Read past blogs by Lilian Asperin-Clyman about the EQxD Hackathon experience:

Learning from Silicon Valley

Anatomy of the EQxD Hackathon

Meet the EQxD Hackathon Jurors!

Perfecting your Pitch!

 

EQxD @ TEDxPhiladelphia 2015: And Justice For All

We are pleased to announce that Rosa Sheng will be speaking about Equity by Design: Knowledge, Discussion, Action! on Thursday, June 11th at TEDxPhiladelphia 2015: And Justice For All. Please visit the official website for full program information, speakers, and tickets. 

 

About: Equity by Design: The Missing 32% Project

Fueled by the persistent and striking gender inequity within architectural practice, where women compose only 12–18 percent of AIA members, licensed architects, and senior firm leadership, Equity by Design (previously known as the Missing 32% Project), a committee of AIASF, was developed as a call to action for both women and men to help realize the goal of equitable practice to advance architecture, sustain the profession , and communicate the value of design to society. The group's work has been featured in the Wall Street Journal and major architectural publications including Architect Magazine, Architecture Record, Contract Magazine. In 2015, Equity by Design has been presenting the findings in numerous cities nationally (including Boston, New York, Portland, Austin, and Atlanta for the AIA National Convention) and internationally in Lisbon, Portugal for Matrices: The 2nd International Congress of Gender and Architecture. 

 

Our mission is to understand the pinch points and promote the strategic execution of best practices in the recruitment, retention, and promotion of our profession's best talent at every level of architectural practice.

 

Rosa T. Sheng, AIA, founded AIASF Equity by Design: The Missing 32% Project in July 2013. She joined Bohlin Cywinski Jackson in 1997 and helped start the firm’s San Francisco office in 1999, while serving as the project architect for Pixar Animation Studio’s headquarters in Emeryville, California. As Senior Associate and licensed architect with 21 years experience in Architecture and design, Sheng has led a variety of award-winning and internationally acclaimed projects; from the aesthetically minimal, highly technical development of the glass structures for Apple’s original high-profile retail stores in New York and San Francisco, to the innovative and sustainable LEED NC Gold–certified Lorry I. Lokey Graduate School of Business at Mills College in Oakland, California. She was recently part of the team for the headquarters of e-commerce startup Square and is currently working on innovative projects for the University of California, Davis and Dominican University of California in San Rafael.

About: TEDxPhiladelphia 2015: And Justice For All

The fourth annual TEDxPhiladelphia conference will be held on Thursday, June 11, 2015 at Temple Performing Arts Center. “And Justice For All” – the final four words of the Pledge of Allegiance – embodies the powerful and timely theme of the conference this year. This exploration of access and equity will showcase great ideas for building more just cities. TEDxPhiladelphia has convened a diverse speaker roster representative of today’s leading thinkers who will connect with over 1,200 multigenerational attendees and an ever-growing online audience on conference day and beyond. 

TEDxPhiladelphia is a not-for-profit initiative, licensed by TED and created in the spirit of of the TED conference and its mission, “ideas worth spreading.” TEDxPhiladelphia events offer interactive, immersive experiences for all participants from speakers to attendees.

MEET THE EQxD HACKATHON JURY!

by Lilian Asperin-Clyman 

 

Each one of our Jurors has a story to tell about an experience that took them to that place just outside of his or her comfort zone.  That’s why they are perfect to collaborate as Jurors for the EQxD Hackathon. They share a passion for working on “firsts” and not being afraid to find the path (or the support network) to move from idea to realization.  Our selection of Jurors is diverse by design, thereby representing a collective and multivalent discussion informed by gender, cultural background, role in the AEC industry, and years of experience.

Obiekwe “Obi” Okolo: AIAS Vice President (2015), Musician, Designer, Millennial

The unique experience of living in Lagos, Nigeria during childhood shaped Obi’s perspective and passion for doing good for the world. To gain greater understanding about design, he studied at the University of Texas, San Antonio (UTSA), where he received a degree in Interior Architecture.  Concurrent with his studies, Obi immersed himself within the community of fellow students and served as Chapter President of the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) for two concurrent years.  It was during that time that his began working on aid-based design – a way to blend humanitarian efforts and entrepreneurship. When you get to know Obi better, you learn about his love for listening to and playing music.  So, of course, we have asked him to review our Hackathon playlist!  

“Now more than ever we must be conscious of the things we do and the way we do them. We can’t be afraid to ask challenging questions about the direction of Architecture. As our profession rapidly changes and evolves, it is crucial that we have leaders in place who are not afraid to ask those questions. Powerful women and men who don’t mind rocking the boat a bit if it means a brighter future for architecture and architecture students alike. That's how we achieve equity, ­ constant discomfort and self-reflection." – Obi Okolo

 

Curtis Rodgers: BASCS President, Hacker, Field Solutions Manager, Gen X

Curtis has assembled a series of experiences and educational background which culminates in what he does as a member of McCarthy Building Companies today.  As a student at Texas State University in San Marcos, he obtained a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master of Science in Technology.  Curtis changed his direction with time in the field, originally as a Construction Engineer for Kiewit then moving to San Francisco to join PlanGrid’s Operations team.  With such a unique blend of skill sets and first-hand experience in construction, Curtis has been focusing on how to bring value through efficiency.  To achieve this, he crafted the differentiating role Field Solutions Manager with current employer, McCarthy Building Companies.  When he is not in problem-solving mode, he likes to shoot sporting clays or go mountain biking with his girlfriend.

“User interface design, enterprise technology, and robotics have matured to the point that many AEC challenges are now addressable. Those who understand both the problems that need to be solved and the technologies available will thrive, as they improve the quality of life and problem solving capacity of our incredibly hard working AEC community.” – Curtis Rodgers

Melinda Rosenberg: WRNS Studio Partner, Architect, Director of Human Resources, Boomer

Melinda has always been curious about understanding and shaping culture. She arrived at WRNS in 2005 and helped open their doors, ushering in the vibrant, creative, diverse and hard-working ethos that has helped WRNS become the nationally recognized design firm it is today.  WRNS is truly about its people, and Melinda has recruited and helped retain the best. Since day one, they’ve attracted an incredibly talented group of designers and professionals who are committed to good design, social and environmental stewardship and critical discourse.  With no shortage of parties and social outings, Melinda knows how to balance the culture of hard work with play.

“The opportunity to be involved in the work, growth and culture of WRNS since its launch has been hugely rewarding. We are a very different Studio than we were at year 1, when we started with 5 folks and have grown to 75.  “Building” a studio is not too different from what I enjoy most – being a tourist in my own city. The energy and staff in the Studio has always kept me driven to keep exploring, evolving and improving.  This is a great time for Architects and the Bay Area, I’m so proud to be a part of it.” –Melinda Rosenberg

EQxD Hackathon in ATLAIANTA!

From Silicon Valley to Atlanta, we are excited to bring this energizing, innovative and fun learning opportunity to AIA National Convention. What is a Hackathon? To find out, join us for this special pre-convention workshop on Wednesday 5/13 1-5pm WE310 Equity by Design: Knowledge, Discussion, Action! Full details and registration information available here.

Can't make it to the Hackathon? Join us for the recap, jury results, and networking at Studio No. 7 which is walking distance from the Georgia World Congress. 

If you are a student, emerging professional, or newly licensed architect, we have scholarships to WE310 EQxD Hackathon thanks to the generosity and support of our sponsors, Autodesk, McCarthy Building Companies and WRNS Studios. 

Read past blogs by Lilian Asperin-Clyman about the EQxD Hackathon experience:

 

Learning from Silicon Valley

Anatomy of the EQxD Hackathon

Meet the EQxD Hackathon Jurors!

Perfecting your Pitch!

 

 

Anatomy of the EQxD Hackathon

by Lilian Asperin Clyman


Hackathons provide an energizing and alternative method to discover, unleash, and create through proximity, design thinking, and technology.  It’s what happens when you incubate passion with talent and suspend fear. It’s a mash-up for risk-taking that leads to transformational results.

Time is a fascinating influence in Hackathons.  Perhaps an irony we are nostalgic about is that more time equates to better results.  Discard that – we are not looking for perfection, we are looking for bold innovation.  Ask "Why Not?” five times in a row to identify the core of your disruptive idea.

Why Hack?

I have always believed that those who are meant to meet find each other in due time. Hackers find themselves gravitating towards other folks who share a passion or something (or approach) you have been pondering for a while. At Equity by Design we seek data that informs our activism. We are looking to form affinity groups of people who resonate with a finding from our survey and have a yearning to influence different outcomes.

TED Talk by Catherine Bracy: Why Good Hackers make Good Citizens

Flipped Classroom

For the AIA EQxD Hackathon, you will have homework but other than that, all you are required to do is come refreshed and ready for a solid day. In borrowing the modern concept within Higher Education, we will introduce you to key data from our Survey and brief summaries from the content sessions we organized for our Symposium via the Flipped Classroom model. It’s a packet of information for self study, which will serve as the foundation you need to be prepared to work with a team. In this packet you will find a summary of the Goals, Format, Organization for the Hackathon, Survey Data, a graphic depicting “Life of an Architect” - a visual narrative of a sample professional journey, a range of topics ripe for “hacking”, and a helpful set of guidelines for crafting an effective and engaging message to depict your proposal.

Time Will Fly

It’s ok to anticipate a little chaos. Suspend wanting to know what and when and linger longer in why and how with your teammates. These are the ingredients of your first exercise: Diverge and Converge. Leverage the diversity of your group to consider the points of view of your audience. The most transformational hacks will get at the root of a real need. Go for quantity of ideas, then Deliberate and Discard. Adopt the mindset of why your idea matters and get ready to “sell” it. Develop and Clarify. Many great ideas die at the vine because they are not communicated well or succinctly. Be strategic in how you design your presentation.  

There will be a Winner

You will have 5 minutes to make an impression to invited jurors during Happy Hour. In anticipation of this milestone for the day, we are sharing the criteria for evaluation.  Think of this as your pitch to venture capitalists - people who can help you  realize your idea. Please keep these in mind as you read the Flipped Classroom packet, engage in the Hackathon, and present.

User Experience: human-centered insight                                     5 points

Impact: innovation; relevance and impact on profession       5 points

Metrics: plan for action, deployment and evaluation               5 points

Pitch: quality and uniqueness of message/creativity              5 points

Diverse voices are needed to shape the future of our profession. Hope you can join us; we need to hack more!

Don't forget to register for AIA Convention by April 15th to get the advanced convention admission pricing. If you are a student, emerging professional or young architect interested in attending the Hackathon and Happy Hour, submit for the Scholarships donated by our EQxD Hackathon Workshop Sponsors: McCarthy Builders, WRNS, and Autodesk by 4/20.

 

Next Blog: Meet the Jurors!

Use Your Own Voice

by Emily Grandstaff-Rice AIA

To make effective change in the architecture profession, you must use your own voice.

I knew this in my heart, but sometimes I need to convince my head a bit more. Last October I was asked to give the opening remarks at The Missing 32% Project Equity by Design Symposium. I was so honored and humbled to be considered; of course, I said yes immediately. I had been following The Missing 32% on Twitter and Facebook. I participated in their survey of over 2,289 respondents on identifying gender-specific impacts on careers in architecture. I was in! But then I realized I had never spoken so publicly about my experience as a woman and an architect and I was terrified.

Emily Grandstaff-Rice, AIA Keynote at Equity by Design Symposium, October 18, 2014

Emily Grandstaff-Rice, AIA Keynote at Equity by Design Symposium, October 18, 2014

Below are excerpts from my speech from October 18, 2014

Celebrating women in architecture

Celebrating women in architecture seems like an easy issue, right? Especially in this crowd today… that’s what we do. I was fortunate enough to attend last year’s AIA Women’s Leadership Summit and was impressed by the depth and the breadth of the work featured, but I heard the same reoccurring question: are we as women significant because of the work that we do or is our significance in that we work in the architectural profession despite being a woman? And those are the two central questions around recognizing women.

Since we are here today to talk about equity—what I believe is a positive, aspirational state of affairs as opposed to inequity—I will start with an acknowledgement that architecture culture is flawed. And this is no shocker, we know it’s flawed. And it’s flawed because it’s a practice powered by people… and people are flawed, but luckily people have the power to change. It’s not a machine; we’re pretty easy to rewire—you just have to change minds.

I didn’t become an architect to be placed on a gender pedestal. I struggle with the term ‘woman architect’. When people say ‘woman architect’ around me, it makes me cringe especially when I expect to be acknowledged for my work and then someone puts on the subtitle, ‘and also you’re a woman…”

When we speak about celebrating women in architecture, it’s more than just our culture, we also need to address it from a public standpoint. I’ll give you a little story… A couple years ago, I went to a high-profile gala for the grand opening of a project I was working on and I had a nine-month-old at the time. I was not going to bring my kid to a fancy event and my husband offered to stay home. At the gala, I happened to be standing next to a well known reporter in Boston who was there with her husband. I introduced myself and mentioned I was an architect who worked on the project and she said, “oh, that’s great. I was just talking to the client and he was telling me this story about how one of the other architects just had a newborn baby and wasn’t quite sure if he could come to the gala,  but his wife was so generous and told him ‘honey you go, enjoy yourself. Isn’t that a great story?’

Of course, the reporter assumed that the architect in the story was male. I was mortified, but I realized then I had a choice. I could easily let her continue with her assumption, or I had the power to change her perception.

At first I’m shocked—and then I collected myself and said, no I’m the architect you are referring to.

There’s a public image of women in architecture that we have to address. For example, if you are the general public—which you’re not—but if you were… this is my question to you: Who do you think the general public thinks is the image of an architect?

At this point, the audience mentioned three names: Frank Lloyd Wright, Frank Gehry, and Howard Roark. My experiment was working.

And then look at this room.

The room was filled with architects--both men and women.

There’s obviously a disconnect between the public perception of an architect and those of us who are here today. So within architecture culture when we see a woman succeed, it’s fulfilling; it’s a celebration and a reminder to us of our special status. But we must be careful that we don’t hold women to too high of a gender pedestal so that they come to represent all of the women. In other words, we put undue pressure on them.

Be real. Be resilient. And be the innovation that you want to see.

Evelyn Lee AIA, Emily Grandstaff-Rice AIA, Virginia Marquardt AIA, Elizabeth Chu Richter FAIA,

Evelyn Lee AIA, Emily Grandstaff-Rice AIA, Virginia Marquardt AIA, Elizabeth Chu Richter FAIA,

 

Equity is for everyone: A much needed conversation

Equity is for everyone and let me flip the tables for a moment and focus not on the 32% but the 18% of which are represented here today. We are the survivors. We’re the ones who despite all the research and data that you will hear today still practice architecture and no one needs to convince us why architecture matters. We get it, right? Because we are the survivors we are also uniquely positioned to the be group to work for solutions to this problem and we can’t do it alone.

Then I mention the whale metaphor that Rosa Sheng often uses to describe the task of Equity by Design. A must-read is her post How to Eat a Whale and Other 2014 Resolutions.

Rosa’s whale metaphor is both humorous and true. Changing architecture culture will take time and effort. When I look at the whale it feels like it’s almost too much to take on, but as we know—one bite at a time. The concept that there is one perfect pathway to practicing architecture (i.e. the traditional firm setting—all that fun stuff) denies the experience of those of us who have charted our own path for the flexibility, significance, and team comradery that frankly keep us in architecture.

So this is our whale and here’s your guide to eating it:

  • If you see inequity, name it.

  • If you observe privilege, talk about it.

  • As Roxane Gay eloquently states, “we need to get to a place where we can discuss [gender and racial diversity] by way of observation and acknowledgement, rather than accusation.”

This is why I view the Equity by Design survey results and today’s symposium as a huge step forward in the equity conversation.

We also need to acknowledge the generational rift even amongst women. Saying that inequity isn’t as big of a problem today as it was 20 years ago may be true. We know that the numbers are changing, but then again it’s still a struggle. I’m reminded in my daughter’s preschool, they have a saying, “Don’t hurt others’ hard work.” Dismissing the concerns of emerging professionals on the inequity issue because the numbers are trending positive creates undue resentment, in other words everyone has hard work and we need to remind ourselves of that. We should acknowledge the hard work of all, but also recognize that hard work will always be a relative term. Hopefully it gets a little easier.

Our greatest power is our voice: Architecture as storytelling

So our greatest power is our voice.

Each one of us has our own agency and our own voice. While there are many mediums—Twitter, writing, speaking, design, collaboration—our voice is a way of communicating experience. When my four-year-old daughter has for example something to say, I know it. She’s found her voice. I laughed when #banbossy was launched and because I get to mentally reframe her tantrums as future executive presence. …and I don’t feel so bad as a parent.

Using our collective individual stories like The Missing 32% Inspire% series describes a new practice where differences in working are celebrated, where recognition is not tied to the number of hours worked, where flexibility is seen as an asset, where teamwork and collaboration is the norm, and where we change people’s lives, because we do.

These are the stories I want to hear…

Be bold and be explicit. Why does architecture matter?

We need to say this in our voice—our own voice over and over again to change the public perception of what an architect is. But more importantly, the diversity of architects out there, so more names come to mind than Frank Gehry, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Howard Roark. So here are some prompts on why architecture does matter…

  • Why is what you are working on changing people’s lives?

  • We change people’s lives and I struggled with that when I was an undergraduate. I have come to terms with the fact that my work has significance beyond the day-to-day.

  • And why does equity in architecture matter?

So, use your voice. This is how we’re going to eat the whale. One bite at a time.

Until our profession reflects the society we serve, we will not have completely fulfilled our potential. Our work is not done, but then again when is architecture ever done? That is its beauty.   

Our engagement is a key value proposition, so we—men and women—need to engage the profession and the public about the value of good design, but also diversity and equity in architecture.

Since last October I have realized that I needed to listen to what I was saying over and over again. I have been more empowered to identify inequity when I see it. There is so much work to be done and the next step is the WE310 Workshop on Wednesday May 13 1-5pm Equity by Design Hackathon at the 2015 AIA Convention. I am so excited by the future of architecture, but most importantly I am also excited to use my voice to be part of the conversation.

Scholarships for students, emerging professionals and new architects are available to attend WE310 EQxD Hackathon and Happy Hour! Applications are open through Monday April 27th and Winners will be announced the following week, May 4th. Apply today!