by Peter Macrae, AIA - AIA Columbus 2010 Chapter President

We AIA Columbus architects are a diverse bunch, differentiated in numerous ways outside of the standard human rights categories of ethnicity, race or gender that you regularly see in the news. Some of us are detail-oriented, others are generalists. We have colleagues that specialize in specification writing, contracts, conceptual design theory, drafting details, marketing, teaching, office management and the business financials (boy that one sure isn’t me). As architects we are also known by the building types that have become our specialty such as hospitals, educational facilities, residential, commercial office, municipality, hospitality, retail and others. Then there are the disciplinary categories where we tend to focus like urban planning, interiors, historic restoration and sustainability. I could go on, but you get it.

The point here is that even with our natural tendency to drift toward specialization and personal preference in the way we choose to practice and in spite of the fact that we compete daily for work and recognition we are all architects, we are all members of AIA Columbus and we all in this together.

As a professional organization, we must think broadly and celebrate our member diversity by constantly thinking beyond our individual interest areas. In order to make our Chapter as relevant as possible we must nurture our more than 600 highly individualized members by advocating for them and bringing value. Thus, we at the Columbus Chapter of the American Institute of Architects are called upon as individuals and as a group to minister to each other, support one another, guide, teach, partner, collaborate…you name it. AT AIA COLUMBUS…WE GOT YOUR BACK.