Steve Wilke-Shapiro, a Des Moines-based architect with a passion for historic preservation and sustainable development, shares how Donald Trump’s victory has divided the community of architects. -promoted by desmoinesdem

Architecture is an odd profession. We fancy ourselves as masters of a universe where the smallest details (the edge around a door frame, for example) have meaning. We talk to each other about Design as if buildings themselves were sentient: “I don’t think that window wants to stretch all the way up to the ceiling.”

We don’t do this to be elitist and self-absorbed, though many an architect has been justly accused of nurturing an overdeveloped ego. Rather, we honestly believe in design as a tool for enhancing the human experience. We have the privilege of influencing the disposition of huge amounts of capital and human energy. We believe that through design, we can be agents of positive social change.

To some extent, the architect is by definition “progressive.” Our job is to alter the world, to imagine things that have never been and then describe them to others so that those things can be made real. There is an element of hope in every line we draw that our work will change the world for the better, and a sense of value in discharging this responsibility.

Yet architecture is also a conservative venture. There is a huge weight in the fact that our decisions have broad implications for our clients, our businesses, our reputations. Our creativity is circumscribed by a framework of building codes, financial, and logistical constraints. Despite our best efforts to fight these forces of inertia, there are tangible negative effects. We are as a profession too accepting of mediocre design (it pays the bills). Our leadership is measurably whiter than the American population as a whole, and primarily male. The “entry fee” to become an architect requires substantial investment in education followed by arduous and expensive licensing hurdles, both of which tend to favor people with middle- to upper-income resources. These qualities breed a resistance to institutional change.

Architecture is also highly sensitive to cycles largely outside our control: economic, environmental, and social. This season however, it is of course politics, not design that has driven a wedge into the profession.

The day after the presidential election, Robert Ivy (CEO of the American Institute of Architects) released the following statement.

“The AIA and its 89,000 members are committed to working with President-elect Trump to address the issues our country faces, particularly strengthening the nation’s ageing infrastructure. During the campaign, President-elect Trump called for committing at least $500 billion to infrastructure spending over five years. We stand ready to work with him and with the incoming 115th Congress to ensure that investments in schools, hospitals and other public infrastructure continue to be a major priority.

“We also congratulate members of the new 115th Congress on their election. We urge both the incoming Trump Administration and the new Congress to work toward enhancing the design and construction sector’s role as a major catalyst for job creation throughout the American economy.

“This has been a hard-fought, contentious election process. It is now time for all of us to work together to advance policies that help our country move forward.”

Devoid of any surrounding context, the statement is relatively banal. And in a normal election, I believe it would have been met with a resounding lack of notice. But this was not a normal election, and the response was swift and severe. Latent Design (a self-defined progressive architecture and urban design firm) almost immediately created the hashtag #NotMyAIA and a backlash was born.

@AIANational pledging membership will ignore sexism & racism for a few infrastructure dollars. Spineless.#NotMyAIA https://t.co/7kcJHPj39t

– define design deploy (@LATENT_DESIGN) November 11, 2016

Outspoken architect Michael Sorkin quickly followed up with a stunning rebuke (PDF) to the AIA’s statement that included the following line.

“We call upon the AIA to stand up for something beyond a place at the table where Trump’s cannibal feast will be served! Let us not be complicit in building Trump’s wall but band together to take it down!”

Architects, professors, architectural critics, students, and leaders in allied professions continued to pile on. Fritz Read, a Maryland-based architect, publicly resigned his membership in the AIA and burned the bridge behind him when he made public his email conversation with the chapter president (scroll down to the bottom of the linked article to read the contentious exchange).

As a newly licensed architect and recently joined member, I also contacted AIA Iowa (the local chapter) about the statement. I object that the organization used my name to promote “infrastructure investment” commissions under a Trump presidency with no mention whatsoever of our related ethical and professional responsibilities; I asked that AIA Iowa publicly address the national memo.

A few days later, under pressure, the AIA issued a video apology and scrubbed the initial statement from the AIA website (A post-election message from AIA's CEO and 2016 President from AIA Content Team on Vimeo). In this video, Robert Ivey and AIA President Russ Davidson concede that the statement was “tone deaf” and “resulted in hurt and anger by too many people.” They go on to say that issuing the statement was a mistake and shouldn’t have happened. They reiterated the organization’s commitment to issues surrounding diversity, equity, inclusion and sustainability.

Then I received a reply from the AIA Iowa Board. No, they said. They were not planning to issue a clarifying statement because it was unnecessary. The video apology was enough.

I respectfully disagree with the AIA Iowa Board of Directors. Here’s why: the local and state chapters are the AIA’s “boots on the ground.” The chapter level is where individual voices addressing organizational change are either magnified or squashed, where national initiatives are either implemented or ignored.

In a situation like this, there is no downside to publicly declaring AIA Iowa’s commitment to expanding diversity, including minority members, promoting equity, and advocating for sustainability. I believe that AIA Iowa should state in no uncertain terms that our chapter is committed to advocating for environmental stewardship. I believe that AIA Iowa should reiterate chapter support for fundamental human rights, diversity among our members, and respect for the broad range of human experience. A chapter statement need not be political because these ideas are fundamental to the AIA and are strongly rooted in our code of ethics.

But while an organizational statement may avoid overt politics, the reasons for making such a statement cannot. The AIA Code of Ethics has sections that specifically address promises the president-elect made during the campaign.

Natural and Cultural Heritage: Members should respect and help conserve their natural and cultural heritage while striving to improve the environment and the quality of life within it.

Sustainable Design: In performing design work, Members should be environmentally responsible and advocate sustainable building and site design.

– AIA Code of Ethics

On the contrary, Trump has promised to withdraw from international agreements to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. He has elevated a climate change skeptic to head the EPA and has stated himself that he does not believe climate change is a threat.

Human Rights: Members should uphold human rights in all their professional endeavors.

– AIA Code of Ethics

By releasing a statement that ignores the undertones of racial, gender, sexual orientation, ethnic, and religious prejudice in the Trump campaign, the AIA was complicit in accepting them – a frustrating point of view from an organization that we already know has trouble embracing and advancing diversity.

The video response does assume ownership of the mistake in a way that an “anonymous” press release would not. That the the CEO and National President apologized and restated a commitment to the organization’s core values is a positive sign. Unfortunately, an apology alone is not enough to rebuild trust that the stated core values are indeed essential to the organization.

I find it disconcerting that getting a piece of the “infrastructure pie” was the AIA’s first response to the election, and I can’t help but see how that highlights a disconnect between the organizational structure and individual members who consider social justice and environmental stewardship as integral to ethical practice. On a personal level, I go to sleep fearing for the safety and welfare of my friends who are immigrants to this country. I wake up worried about the damage this incoming administration has already demonstrated it will do to the planet we leave to future generations. In between, I wonder how we teach our children that collaborative action makes us stronger in a “me first” world.

Rebuilding crumbling infrastructure is indeed vital. Architects, through the AIA, have the opportunity to help shift public investment priorities from prisons and walls towards things that knit society together and strengthen our common interest: libraries, public schools, museums, affordable housing.

I see a huge value at this time in publicly reaffirming the AIA’s stated core values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and sustainability at all levels from the individual member to the national organization – regardless of the initial memo and response. Statements of value must be followed up, of course, with appropriate action and advocacy.

The Chicago AIA chapter did the right thing and released a public statement several days ago affirming their commitment to the AIA’s core ethics.

The AIA Chicago Board of Directors wants to assure our members that we do not support the recent statement made by national AIA on November 10, which prematurely expressed the support of AIA’s 89,000 members for an unarticulated infrastructure agenda made by the incoming presidential administration. Further, we are committed to working with all of you to deepen our diversity and inclusion initiatives, and to continue the discussions that affect positive change on issues that are critical to our profession. We believe in and are dedicated to:

• Supporting our members, our committee leaders, our board and our staff as we engage, educate and challenge our elected leaders locally, regionally and nationally on the issues faced by architects;
• Assuring that the built environment addresses the realities of climate change;
• Creating more equitable opportunities for all in our profession regardless of gender, race, religion or sexual orientation;
• Upholding our professional standards of creating spaces that are safe and promote equality for our clients and the public;
• Building stronger and more resilient communities, including urban, suburban and rural areas in which our members practice and live.

So did the Texas Society of Architects (yes, Texas!), the AIA New York, AIA Philadelphia, and the Boston Society of Architects (PDF).

It is possible for thoughtful individuals and organizations to respond to the election with a sensitive but firm message. We can respect the institution of the presidency, work together on areas of agreement, and remain steadfast in our commitment to advocating for our core values at the same time.

The new normal is that individuals who care about diversity, equity, inclusion, and sustainability (and the organizations that represent them) cannot remain silent. Silence is acceptance of the alternative. AIA national has recognized this and has issued a longer statement that positively affirms the organization’s core values. AIA Iowa should do the same. Our state has a proud history of leadership in sustainable energy production, equality, and defense of civil rights. We should be leaders here as well.

I sincerely hope that the AIA Iowa steps up and does not remain silent on the ethical and moral issues that are central to the architectural profession, our communities, and our world.

Top image: interior view of the Iowa Capitol dome