Earning the Right Recognition
Occupations that provide for society are often not recognized enough. Doctors and nurses, chefs, fire fighters and police officers… all of these jobs deserve public appreciation and recognition. They protect us from harm. They feed us well. And they keep the world running smoothly with their skills, dedication, and compassion. We should be grateful for how much they do to make our lives better every day.
Today we would like to focus on one particular occupation that deserves more recognition — architects! If you have taken a walk through Times Square in New York City lately you may have noticed a new addition to the “skyline”: The Times Square Tower (formerly known as One Times Square). This new building will be the highest tower in New York, standing at 1,224 feet tall. And it is beautiful. It is designed by a team of people whose expertise and knowledge goes into making this an amazing piece of art that can be enjoyed by thousands and thousands of people every day!
But the work doesn't stop there. Today we are talking about The American Institute of Architects (AIA). They have a new program that gives all architects in the US, whether you work in your own firm or within a large corporation, specific recognition for your hard work and commitment to excellence—the AIA/ACSA Top Ten Awards.
The Top Ten Awards are a way to recognize the top ten percent of architectural firms working in America today. It is a way for architects to be recognized for their commitment to excellence and hard work, and also to be rewarded for it. These awards are also intended for businesses which dedicate themselves to the needs and expectations of clients, showing that these firms not only put in tremendous amounts of hard work, but commit themselves to the satisfaction of their clients.
As a firm, AIA has conducted the Top Ten Awards since 1980. There are now three levels of awards: the top ten percent (a plaque and certificate), the next twenty percent (a plaque and cased certificate), and the remaining ninety percent (a certificate). This is a group that is truly out there working on behalf of their clients. These firms are moving forward from an attitude of “doing it for ourselves” to an attitude that serves their clients with respect, hard work, and commitment.
When we think about architects inside of a large corporation (like yourself) we think about hard work, dedication to excellence, and customer satisfaction. But more than that, we think about a drive to design new buildings, structures, and spaces in which our clients can work and live.
You have the power to give people new experiences. You have the ability to help individuals or groups be successful or happy at work or at home through your designs. You are able to make something beautiful out of an old building, or you can create something from a blank slate that is unique and personalized for the individual. Organizations depend on you for new ways of doing things, even old things in new ways.
Your work may not be recognized enough! But I can tell you that the next time you are at your desk, the next time you are walking through a city or town, the next time you are in an airplane, or just thinking about your future, think about all of the hard work that goes into designing buildings. Think about how lucky we all are that they don't all crumble down!
Thank you for being a part of our profession! Thank you for helping make our lives better every day. Thank you for protecting us from harm and helping us to have fun and be comfortable! And remember—it's never too late to change careers; but it is definitely too late to change architects.
The AIA Top Ten Award Program has helped firms in all levels of the construction industry grow and succeed. If you are one of these architects we want to congratulate you, and thanks for your hard work! And for those who are not, we would like to invite you to apply for this prestigious award. For more information on how to apply go to www.aia.org/awards/top10. And congratulations again on your success!
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The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is the professional association for architects in the United States, representing more than 91 percent of all registered architects in the U.S., and approximately 270,000 members worldwide. Founded in 1857, the AIA advocates for its members and the architectural profession. It helps members secure the necessary credentials to practice, works to improve member qualifications by establishing standards for an ongoing profession, provides business services and products, offers public awareness of the benefits of good design and coordinates a wide range of educational activities. The AIA is headquartered in Washington D.C., with an additional office in New York City.
Founded in 1913 and chartered in 1915, ACSA has more than 14,000 members working in academia, industry and government worldwide. ACSA is organized into six districts covering all 50 states as well as United States territories and Canada. ACSA is a professional member organization for academics and professionals associated with architecture, construction and real estate. ACSA provides leadership in education, advocacy, research and technology for the advancement of the built environment through collaboration with its members.
AIA Top Ten Awards: A Collaboration of AABC, ACSA and AIA
"Main article: AIA Top Ten Awards"
The American Institute of Architects (AIA), the American Council of School Administrators (ACSA), and the American Council on Construction Education (ACCE) have collaborated to create a program honoring excellence in education that is unique among academic awards.
The new Top Ten Awards program is designed to honor the top ten percent of architectural firms in the United States, while recognizing those firms that provide exceptional academics programs to their students.
See also AABC, ACSA and ACCE website: http://www.aabc.org/index.asp, http://www.acsaonline.org/, http://www.aia.org/awards/top10
"Main article: AIA Housing Awards"
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) created the Housing Awards Program to recognize and promote excellence in housing design and to encourage high standards in planning, design and construction of houses, apartment buildings, condominiums, single-family homes and neighborhoods throughout the world.
Conclusion
To conclude, the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the American Council of School Administrators (ACSA), and the American Council on Construction Education (ACCE) all have very similar missions; however, each has a different focus. The AIA focuses on all architecture practices, even those in small firms. The ACSA focuses more on vocational schools/programs that prepare students for careers in architecture. And the ACCE focuses more on academic programs within higher education, from elementary school through graduate school. All three groups agreed that this collaborative program would be beneficial to their members.