This year’s winners of the AIA Young Architects Awards have, in their relative short time in the profession, left their considerable imprint—on their firms, on their communities, and on the built environment. If they share one thing in common, it is a clear idea about how architecture can adapt and reinvent itself to tackle the big challenges of today—and tomorrow. Here they are in their own words.
Remote portrait: Shayla Blatchford
Mark Bacon, AIA
BVH Architecture
Lincoln, Neb.
Design Principal
“We must educate clients on the value of resilient design—design that is responsive to context, climate, and human scale. A lot of my projects are in rural areas, and we work hard to demonstrate that every design decision has a purpose and can contribute to the long-term sustainability of the community. This issue should not be singularly focused on a rating system; rather, it should be considered expansively and be inclusive of the human condition.”
Remote portrait: Shayla Blatchford
Jack Becker, AIA
bld.us
Washington, D.C.
Principal, Co-founder
“The accomplishment I’m most proud of is building the LEED Platinum-certified Grass House, the first code-compliant bamboo structure on the East Coast. My ambition is to spread a farm-to-shelter approach to architecture across the Mid-Atlantic.”
Remote portrait: Shayla Blatchford
Adrienne Cali Magners, AIA
Bruner/Cott Architects
Boston
Associate
“Architectural firms need to reevaluate how they are structured and how they hire, prioritizing specific talents to better the outcome of design. Historic preservationists, sustainability specialists (LEED, Passive House, Living Building Challenge), building envelope and accessibility specialists, code consultants, product researchers, specification writers, technical specialists, graphic designers, and beyond—all have roles to play in rounding out a firm. The architect needs a variety of these talents for successful collaboration on projects.”
Remote portrait: Shayla Blatchford
Katelyn Chapin, AIA
Svigals + Partners
New Haven, Conn.
Associate
“As a profession, we need to diversity the representation and voices at the table. Imagine the possibilities and impact we could have within our communities if we invite and welcome more people of diverse backgrounds and thinking into the design process.”
Remote portrait: Shayla Blatchford
Patricia Culley, AIA
Bohlin Cywinski Jackson
Pittsburgh
Associate Principal
“One of the greatest assets as architects is our problem-solving skills. Yet today, most practitioners focus on project-specific responsibilities without understanding the greater value they can and should provide to a community. I would encourage all practitioners to balance project work with policy and advocacy efforts to become stronger catalysts for societal transformation.”
Remote portrait: Shayla Blatchford
Michael A. Davis, AIA
Sanders Pace Architecture
Knoxville, Tenn.
Project Architect
“Sensitivity to place is central to my design process. The projects I work on are primarily in East Tennessee, and I am committed to making architecture that draws from the region’s history and traditions and engages the various contexts and terrains found there. By using a research-driven approach that critically investigates these conditions, I am able to leverage these factors to develop design solutions that are rooted in an understanding of place.”
Remote portrait: Shayla Blatchford
Jeff Guggenheim, AIA
Guggenheim Architecture and Design Studio
Portland, Ore.
Principal
“I would like for the profession to reevaluate the idea of what it means to provide a service. I’d love to see the relationship between architect and building to be analogous to that of a director and their movie. We don’t think of directors as providing a film service, we think of them as auteurs and artists. Likewise, we need to promote the idea of the architect as a creative force and not just a rubber stamp. From the most modest bathroom remodel to a far-reaching urban plan, the relevance of architects will depend on our ability to be creative leaders and not just service providers preparing permit sets under the direction of our clientele.”
Remote portrait: Shayla Blatchford
Adam Harding, AIA
Roth Sheppard Architects
Denver
Partner and Design Principal
“Climate action is something that all architects need to be accountable for. I believe that every firm should be a signatory and participant of the AIA 2030 Challenge and develop a sustainability action plan that suits the firm’s philosophy, culture, and commitment to sustainability. Additionally, I think that we need to focus on how we build more equitable communities through our designs. This starts with a more just, equitable, diverse, and inclusive workforce. For us to make an impact, we all need to align on these imperatives and start working from the ground up rather than the top down.”
Remote portrait: Shayla Blatchford
Myer Harrell, AIA
Weber Thompson
Seattle
Principal, Director of Sustainability
“I like big ideas that are ripe for scaling and mass adoption. In 2008, a small team of emerging professionals stumbled upon the idea of vertical farming in a design competition entry for the International Living Future Institute and U.S. Green Building Council. Not only did we win first prize, but we continued to develop building-integrated agriculture concepts after the competition. I’m most proud of the connections we made after that win, the press coverage, and the additional research and partnerships. I was proud of how we took that idea and ran with it.”
Remote portrait: Shayla Blatchford
Cody Henderson, AIA
FSA
St. Louis
Director of Science and Education
“The loss of talent is the most important issue facing architects today. This loss is manifested in several ways. Having gone through the education process and realizing the immense cost and the slow payback financially, those who face financial hardships will not volunteer themselves for that slow return on investment. There is also not an appropriate level of outreach from the architectural community to bridge the gaps, which systemic racism and lack of opportunity have created over the last several decades. In addition, many in the field appear to be leaving for more financially enticing opportunities. Without efforts to create a more diverse, just, and equitable practice with financial incentives, we will continue to see the loss of existing and potential talent.”
Remote portrait: Shayla Blatchford
Desmond Johnson, AIA
Middle Street Partners
Atlanta
Design Manager
“I would love to see architects become accessible stewards to the multitudes, not just the wealthy. It is estimated that less than 2% of the world’s population can afford the services of an architect. As the world becomes increasingly socially aware and diverse, so must the work of architects. As social demographics continue to shift and transform, so must the composition of the architecture profession and its clientele. I would like to see the practice of architecture celebrate greater diversity: diversity of ethnicity, diversity of gender, diversity of thought, and diversity of expression.”
Remote portrait: Shayla Blatchford
Dagmara Larsen, AIA
MSR Design
Minneapolis
Principal
“Architecture needs to be more participatory, both in the ideation phase, broadly involving communities and users in the process, as well in the design and construction phases, through technology integration in our practice. Due to that shift, the role of the architect needs to evolve from the maker and the creator to a navigator, coordinator, editor, and leader of the process and its outcomes.”
Remote portrait: Shayla Blatchford
Amanda Loper, AIA
David Baker Architects
Birmingham, Ala.
Principal
“We don’t always make the decisions around how land or capital is used. Ultimately, we serve and are hired by our clients. Our clients are also often limited by policy or financing mechanisms. I’ve come to believe we need stronger policies at the state and local levels to encourage sustainable equitable development that benefits all residents. The building code also plays a role. In moving from California to Alabama, I’ve seen firsthand the difference that green building requirements have on completed buildings. We, as architects, must make time to advocate for good plans, policies, and creative thinking to solve the biggest problems we currently face: climate change and the lack of affordable housing.”
Remote portrait: Shayla Blatchford
Danielle McDonough, AIA
CambridgeSeven
Cambridge, Mass.
Senior Associate
“In order to develop equitable projects and communities, the ability to communicate with multiple parties is essential. This skill is foundational and architectural education should expand upon it, along with providing students hands-on experience prior to graduation: opportunities to engage their communities, participate in real-world scenarios, and graduate with communication and negotiation tools, alongside the standard design and technical skills.”
Remote portrait: Shayla Blatchford
Jonathan Moody, AIA
Moody Nolan
Columbus, Ohio
CEO
“My hope is that we are successful in growing the current pipeline of diverse practitioners into a better culture of support. NOMA and AIA’s Large Firm Roundtable have issued a 2030 diversity challenge to double the number of Black architects by 2030. My hope is that we will exceed that goal.”
Remote portrait: Shayla Blatchford
Jennifer Park, AIA
Brininstool + Lynch
Chicago
Principal
“COVID has made clear the tie between human and environmental health. As architects, we deal directly with both: buildings which leave large carbon footprints, and buildings which influence not just air quality but how we interact with each other and nature.”
Remote portrait: Shayla Blatchford
Matthew Thornton, AIA
Dake Wells Architecture
Springfield, Mo.
Architect
“The post-expert world of 3D-printed buildings could be seen as a negative. I think this actually creates an opportunity for architects to return to our core and highest values. Architecture should be more than the sum of its parts. That added value only happens when intentional, critical thinking and understanding are applied to the equation. This requires an architect who doesn’t rely on an expectation of expertise, but rather leads clients and stakeholders through the process to find better solutions together than they would have known to ask for on their own.”
Remote portrait: Shayla Blatchford
Danielle Tillman, AIA
bKL Architecture
Chicago
Managing Principal
“I want to continue my work in redefining the notion of an architect, especially when it comes to representation of African Americans. In a reality where African American women are still less than 1% of licensed architects, there remains work to be done. The growth and development of the next generation of architects must be a representation of the cities, communities, and societies in which we live and work. This requires more of me than my job description. It requires me to be visible, to be engaged, and to be tenacious in changing the perception of who an architect is.”
Remote portrait: Shayla Blatchford
Matt Toddy, AIA
Design Collective
Columbus, Ohio
Architect
“I think one opportunity architects have is to spend less time looking in the rearview mirror and more time looking through the windshield. We can learn a lot from looking at our history, but our profession is notorious for being risk-averse and adapting slowly. Recognizing the opportunities before us starts with asking ourselves the hard questions about how and why we practice the way we do.”
Remote portrait: Shayla Blatchford
Daniel Yudchitz, AIA
Leo A Daly
Minneapolis
Director of Design
“We need to develop ways to have a greater impact while utilizing fewer resources, whether that means a high-performing new structure or the transformation of existing building stock. The world is not static, it is in constant flux. All projects must consider the fourth dimension of time and design with an understanding of life cycles in mind.”
