The frigid weather in much of the United States, including at ARCHITECT's headquarters in Washington, D.C., made me think back to warmer times and, in particular, the 2018 AIA San Francisco Equity by Design Symposium. Held Nov. 3 at the San Francisco Art Institute, the event brought together hundreds of architects, designers, and activists from throughout the country to participate in leadership training, community building, and networking and to learn the results of 2018 Equity by Design survey, which garnered responses from 14,360 trained architects in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, and across six continents.

Though the survey responses presented at the symposium, which I covered extensively here, were at times sobering, the overall mood of the event was anything but. Strangers became new friends, old connections were strengthened, and past frustrations and failures were converted from personal moments of humiliation to vignettes that inspired growth and change.

Equity by Design's Voices panel featured thought leaders who shared their experiences entering and working in the architecture profession. L to r: Kevin Holland, AIA, Diane Jacobs, AIA, moderator Julia Mandell, AIA, Tiffany Brown, Assoc. AIA, A.L. Hu, Assoc. AIA
Wanda Lau Equity by Design's Voices panel featured thought leaders who shared their experiences entering and working in the architecture profession. L to r: Kevin Holland, AIA, Diane Jacobs, AIA, moderator Julia Mandell, AIA, Tiffany Brown, Assoc. AIA, A.L. Hu, Assoc. AIA
Wanda Lau AIASF Equity by Design founding chair Rosa Sheng, FAIA (center), introduces the Intersectionality and Intercultural Intelligence breakout session.
Sarah Rafson leads a small-group discussion in the breakout Now What?! Advocacy, Activism, and Alliances in American Architecture.
Wanda Lau Sarah Rafson leads a small-group discussion in the breakout Now What?! Advocacy, Activism, and Alliances in American Architecture.
In the Now What?! breakout, individual groups talked about activism in architecture amid its namesake exhibition, which documents the history of architects in the civil rights, women's rights, and LGBTQ movements since 1968.
Wanda Lau In the Now What?! breakout, individual groups talked about activism in architecture amid its namesake exhibition, which documents the history of architects in the civil rights, women's rights, and LGBTQ movements since 1968.
Carole Wedge, FAIA (rightmost) guides a small group in the Power of Our Stories breakout, which focused on the art of storytelling and its role as a catalyst for change.
Wanda Lau Carole Wedge, FAIA (rightmost) guides a small group in the Power of Our Stories breakout, which focused on the art of storytelling and its role as a catalyst for change.
The Building an Equitable Workplace from the Bottom Up session was led by (from leftmost to center) Melissa Daniel, Assoc. AIA, Morgan Pegus-Thomas, Natalie Tse, and Samantha McCloud, AIA. Beyond is an illuminated installation that aggregates daily actions, initiatives, and proclamations that session attendees pledged to take to change their firms, colleagues, and career journeys.
Wanda Lau The Building an Equitable Workplace from the Bottom Up session was led by (from leftmost to center) Melissa Daniel, Assoc. AIA, Morgan Pegus-Thomas, Natalie Tse, and Samantha McCloud, AIA. Beyond is an illuminated installation that aggregates daily actions, initiatives, and proclamations that session attendees pledged to take to change their firms, colleagues, and career journeys.
Installation detail, Building an Equitable Workplace from the Bottom Up
Wanda Lau Installation detail, Building an Equitable Workplace from the Bottom Up
Lunchtime offered no shortage of views from the symposium venue, the San Francisco Art Institute (SFAI). The facility was designed by local firm Bakewell & Brown in the 1920s. In 1963, architect Paffard Keatinge-Clay designed an addition that included this concrete ampitheater atop SFAI's lecture hall.
Wanda Lau Lunchtime offered no shortage of views from the symposium venue, the San Francisco Art Institute (SFAI). The facility was designed by local firm Bakewell & Brown in the 1920s. In 1963, architect Paffard Keatinge-Clay designed an addition that included this concrete ampitheater atop SFAI's lecture hall.
AIASF Equity by Design group shot in the courtyard
Wanda Lau AIASF Equity by Design group shot in the courtyard
Meg Brown (standing, at left) in a discussion during the Equity Climate breakout, in which participants assessed the equity climate of their workplace.
Wanda Lau Meg Brown (standing, at left) in a discussion during the Equity Climate breakout, in which participants assessed the equity climate of their workplace.
2018 EQxD co-chair Julia Mandell and committee supporter Frances Choun
Wanda Lau 2018 EQxD co-chair Julia Mandell and committee supporter Frances Choun
Thought leaders from the Aligning Workplace Values and Project Outcomes breakout (l to r): Shawn Hesse, Tiffany Brown, Shalini Agrawal, and Karen Robichaud
Wanda Lau Thought leaders from the Aligning Workplace Values and Project Outcomes breakout (l to r): Shawn Hesse, Tiffany Brown, Shalini Agrawal, and Karen Robichaud
Networking break in the SFAI courtyard
Wanda Lau Networking break in the SFAI courtyard
Lilian Asperin, AIA, and Sandra Vivanco at the EQxD closing reception.
Wanda Lau Lilian Asperin, AIA, and Sandra Vivanco at the EQxD closing reception.
The 2018 Equity by Design core team (l to r) Lilian Asperin, Annelise Pitts, AIA, Rosa Sheng, and Julia Mandell stand in front of the Diego Rivera mural The Making of a Fresco Showing the Building of a City.
Wanda Lau The 2018 Equity by Design core team (l to r) Lilian Asperin, Annelise Pitts, AIA, Rosa Sheng, and Julia Mandell stand in front of the Diego Rivera mural The Making of a Fresco Showing the Building of a City.