Looking back to the start of 2020, few could have envisioned what was in store. The COVID-19 pandemic upended life as we knew it, laying painfully bare long-standing racial and economic inequities, affordable housing shortages that dwarf even those during the Great Recession, and the increasing urgency of the climate crisis. The pandemic also exposed the need to devote more resources to public spaces like parks and plazas, even turning streets over to pedestrians. And as the healthcare industry was overwhelmed and the demand grew for more testing sites and quarantine centers, the need to design and build faster and smarter saw the increase in flexible, less wasteful ways of building. In short, the breadth and scale of these challenges required everyone to help define, pave, and improve the path for a more equitable and just world.
Each year’s AIA Awards reflect the most forward-thinking individuals and built environments, as determined by juries with an array of backgrounds and expertise. What’s refreshing from many of this year’s winners is the degree of their commitment to activism and change through architecture. Gold Medal honoree Edward Mazria, FAIA, for example, remains both steadfast and optimistic as a pioneer of carbon-positive architecture. As one of the first to call the profession to task on the built environment’s alarming contribution to the climate crisis, he founded Architecture 2030 to provide educational resources and leadership on the design of sustainable and resilient communities. Mazria views his receipt of the Gold Medal as confirmation that the architecture community understands its place at the front line of climate action.
Whitney M. Young Jr. Award–winner Pascale Sablan, FAIA, is another inspiration for us all. The founder and executive director of Beyond the Built Environment and the president-elect of the National Organization of Minority Architects, Sablan is on a mission to elevate diverse architects and designers. She has dedicated her career to architectural advocacy and activism, addressing the inequities and disparities in the industry. Take a look at—or contribute to—her Great Diverse Designers Library, which aims to highlight 500 women and BIPOC designers and their work to inspire future generations of architects. And that’s only one of Sablan’s many initiatives.
Finally, seeing Moody Nolan named as the recipient of this year’s Architecture Firm Award is nothing short of momentous—and a testament to the Columbus, Ohio-based firm’s leadership and work—particularly when you consider the profession’s continued lack of diversity and history of exclusion. It is the first African American–owned-and-operated firm to earn this recognition. With offices in 11 cities, Moody Nolan can likely connect its success and outstanding caliber of work to its diverse talent and dedication to reflecting the communities it serves. Of the firm’s 220-plus employees, 42% are women and over 30% identify as minorities. Moreover, its co-founder Curt Moody, FAIA, and his son, Jonathan Moody, AIA—the firm’s CEO and also a recipient of this year’s AIA Young Architects Award—are both champions of the 2030 Diversity Challenge launched by NOMA and the AIA Large Firm Roundtables to double the number of Black architects by 2030.
These are but a few of the change makers featured throughout this issue who are challenging the design community to create better environments that are purposeful, accessible, equitable, and stewards of the Earth and its inhabitants.
