Update regarding AIANC Center for Architecture and Design

Ever since Frank Harmon won the competition for the AIANC Center for Architecture and Design in January 2008, not much had been made public about how the project was progressing. Even some of our sources close to the project seemed skeptical that the project would be built soon. Given the current state of the field and economy in general, it would have been understandable if the AIA had decided to put the project on hold. It might not have sent a positive message to its members, but understandable nevertheless.

Fortunately for us, that's not the case. Two weeks ago, in the annual Harwell Hamilton Harris Lecture, Frank Harmon showed images of the project (located on the corner of Peace and Wilmington at the end of Raleigh's government mall) after several years of design development with a large committee of designers. He went on to describe his "healthy urbanism" project in careful detail, including the original design concept, developments since the competition and a fairly thorough discussion of the building's intended purpose and sustainable features. He announced furthermore, that construction by Clancy & Theys should begin this May and that the building should be completed within 10 months.

We here at Raleigh Art, Architecture and Urbanism are excited to hear that this project is on track to be built so soon. More information has been released: a fairly thorough project booklet on AIA NC's website including plans, sections, materials, sustainable systems, salient diagrams, and cost estimates, and more information from WUNC's the State of Things (follow the link to listen to the audio) last Friday. Frank, Along with Scott Cutler of Clancy & Theys joined Laura Leslie to talk about the project's status.

We applaud AIA NC for pushing this project forward despite tough economic times, setting an example of responsible design not only in the Triangle or the State, but nationally as well. According to the audio North Carolina AIA will be the first chapter to design and construct their own building. If that's true, (we haven't had the chance to verify this so don't hold us to it), what does that say about the AIA itself? How could such a large professional body, which specializes in designing buildings, not have ever designed their own headquarters? This project has the opportunity to not only be a model for sustainable design, but also a center for outreach. All signs seem to point to the fact it will be a place for people to visit, hold activities and meetings, and most of all to open minds about the impact design has on our day to day lives and how truly important good design can be for our future.