Housing and Community Development

This message has been cross posted to the following Discussion Forums: Committee on Design and Housing Knowledge Community .
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The essence of this issue is not whether or not any one of us individually "likes" or supports the proposed design for the memorial - the far, far greater issue is whether Congress is going to legislate design. To paraphrase two of the most valuable precepts of Daniel Patrick Moynihan's Guiding Principles for Federal Architecture are: 

1. There is no approved Federal "style"
2. Design excellence must flow from the profession to the government - not the reverse.

The independence of the design selection, review and direction process once the project budget has been set by Congress has to be rigorously defended in order to protect the entire Design Excellence program. It is essential to remember that the design for the single most beautiful and now beloved memorial on the Capitol Mall, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, did not meet with the veteran associations approval at the time it was selected and constructed.

Independent judgement of design excellence is a principle that the AIA should - no must - defend rigorously. I thank the Board and Mr. Ivy for taking a stand in defense of design.

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Kate Diamond FAIA, LEED AP
Principal in Charge
HMC Architects
Los Angeles CA
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...and don't forget to thank the democratic process and God we had at least one D. P. Moynihan understanding this as good or better than we. 

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Allen E Neyman
Rockville, MD

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Kate Diamond defends an independently judged, professionally directed design process for the Eisenhower Memorial-or any new piece of Federal architecture-concisely and with fine conviction. Robert Ivy and the AIA Board may still be studying various ways to reposition the Institute, but at least they've firmly rejected the position that requires us to bend over and grab our ankles. If we truly want to be a profession and not just artists and technicians for hire, we are probably going to have to reassert this role before Congress every generation or so.  We can only hope for a future Moynihan (and Ivy and Diamond) to champion our message.

Again, none of this has anything to do with liking Frank Gehry's proposal (although I do like it mostly: if Bernini's colonnade is the right size for Rome, is Gehry's really too big for Washington?)
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Robert Miller FAIA
Robert L. Miller Associates
Washington DC
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Original Message:
Sent: 03-19-2013 21:34
From: Allen E Neyman
Subject: With all Due Respect - Mr. Ivy and the Board of AIA are right

...and don't forget to thank the democratic process and God we had at least one D. P. Moynihan understanding this as good or better than we. 

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Allen E Neyman
Rockville, MD

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I believe that the AIA should - no must - rigorously defend the principle that architects are accountable to project stakeholders and that architects must not make decisions independent of those stakeholders. It is an elitist and arrogant position that says that architects alone are capable of having good taste and recognizing good design. The AIA must also not defend extravagant and abusive fees, particularly in times when many people are suffering in poverty. Both of these issues are driving architects out of relevance and out of existence and it's time the AIA took a stand for relevance.

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Sean Catherall AIA
Integrated Property Services
Herriman UT
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"...because it's ugly and inappropriate for its stated purpose."  http://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/peter-roff/2013/03/22/the-eisenhower-memorial-on-hold-and-for-good-reason



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David Andreozzi AIA
Owner
Andreozzi Architects
Barrington RI
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Original Message:
Sent: 03-20-2013 01:09
From: Sean Catherall
Subject: With all Due Respect - Mr. Ivy and the Board of AIA are right

I believe that the AIA should - no must - rigorously defend the principle that architects are accountable to project stakeholders and that architects must not make decisions independent of those stakeholders. It is an elitist and arrogant position that says that architects alone are capable of having good taste and recognizing good design. The AIA must also not defend extravagant and abusive fees, particularly in times when many people are suffering in poverty. Both of these issues are driving architects out of relevance and out of existence and it's time the AIA took a stand for relevance.

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Sean Catherall AIA
Integrated Property Services
Herriman UT
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It's possible that the design appears inappropriate, it may be not represent the president the way his family and others remember, that the iconography is not "humble". But consider the controversial portrait of the Duchess of Cambridge. The public reactions to this artwork were awful, and yet the artist considers it a possible "masterpiece". History is strewn with royals and common folk buying, or contracting for, artwork and then trashing it. Opinion will vary, but unfortunately, like so many things today, the trashers either have too big a mouth, poor manners, politically motivated, a combination of all, or are justifiably disapppointed.

I am happy to pick an artist or architect of repute and rely on them from that point forward. I can't say that I have always been happy with the results. Of course, how is your opinion regarded after you have offered it, gratuitously?        
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Allen E Neyman
Rockville, MD

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Original Message:
Sent: 03-22-2013 12:05
From: David Andreozzi
Subject: With all Due Respect - Mr. Ivy and the Board of AIA are right


"...because it's ugly and inappropriate for its stated purpose."  http://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/peter-roff/2013/03/22/the-eisenhower-memorial-on-hold-and-for-good-reason



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David Andreozzi AIA
Owner
Andreozzi Architects
Barrington RI
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Allen,

The fear that they will get a design that the architect considers a "masterpiece" and that the client considers "trash" is half of the problem causing our pool of potential architetural clients to shrink, rather than to expand. The other half is the perception of exorbitant fees, which appears to be a factor in this case as well. The AIA's backing of Gehry at the expense of the client and the project is feeding the fear and the perception, rather than rebuilding our suffering reputations, client base and incomes.

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Sean Catherall AIA
Integrated Property Services
Herriman UT
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Original Message:
Sent: 03-26-2013 11:15
From: Allen E Neyman
Subject: With all Due Respect - Mr. Ivy and the Board of AIA are right


It's possible that the design appears inappropriate, it may be not represent the president the way his family and others remember, that the iconography is not "humble". But consider the controversial portrait of the Duchess of Cambridge. The public reactions to this artwork were awful, and yet the artist considers it a possible "masterpiece". History is strewn with royals and common folk buying, or contracting for, artwork and then trashing it. Opinion will vary, but unfortunately, like so many things today, the trashers either have too big a mouth, poor manners, politically motivated, a combination of all, or are justifiably disapppointed.

I am happy to pick an artist or architect of repute and rely on them from that point forward. I can't say that I have always been happy with the results. Of course, how is your opinion regarded after you have offered it, gratuitously?        
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Allen E Neyman
Rockville, MD

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