Are you a Citizen Architect?
AIA CA is trying to identify architects who serve their communities as elected or appointed officials, such as elected members of a city council or school board, appointed members of a planning commission, or a design review board who could participate in the AIA CA Citizen Architects program.
The goals of the Citizen Architect program are to make significant efforts to identify opportunities for the Citizen Architect to get involved in their local community, acquire leadership positions, announce vacant opportunities, finding or creating networking and collaboration opportunities that will insert our citizen architects to the forefront, and a forum to learn about each other and assist them in carrying out their public duties.
Get Involved!
To participate in the Citizen Architect program, please complete a brief survey. https://tinyurl.com/areyouacitizenarchitect or by contacting
Hillary Krek at hkrek@aiacalifornia.org / 916-642-1710
I do my best to be an ambassador of the profession. Through participation in the AIA I encounter bright architectural minds in our student organizations, emerging professionals, and the emeriti. Through engagement with our peers, both socially and professionally, we are kept aware of the issues affecting the profession on a city-wide, regional, state, and national level, and our involvement in community makes us a partner in addressing issues and solving problems. It is these connections that start to demystify government and begin collaborative efforts to bring about solutions beneficial to all.
-Ida Clair, AIA
CA State Architect
I believe that every architect has a passion for making a difference – by design. When we bring our ‘design lens’ to community issues like public policy and permit processing, great things can happen, with benefits in all dimensions: enhanced quality of life for all citizens, a healthier and more resilient built environment, and economic vitality.
Luckily, being a ‘citizen architect’ is not a binary choice. It’s simply an added layer that supports and enhances the shaping of beautiful and high performance built environments for every architect.
The more you dive in, the more you realize how many architects are already working in the civic realm, bringing creative solutions to our complex urban problems, and finding key opportunities for clarity, purpose and focus in the midst of noise, clutter and disarray.
-Michael F. Malinowski, FAIA
Architects can and do make a difference every day. For those wanting to have an impact, the AIA has tools and resources to promote innovation, increase our relevance and influence society in powerful ways and the Citizen Architect represents one of the most powerful vehicles to do so.
-Ric. Abramson, FAIA