AIA COTE Top Ten Award announcement has been postponed

Thanks Anne. I very much agreement with your thoughts. Now is the time for sharing Joy, not taking a break from it. I don’t have a direct line to Robert or Jane, but would be happy to write in support if someone else is able to provide the best contact information. Heather DeGrella AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Fitwel Ambassador, EAC-PS, | sustainable design director, senior associate | she / her / hers | opsis architecture LLP | o:503.525.9511 d:503.943.6228 | www.opsisarch.com Opsis remains committed to our clients and projects and will continue working throughout the COVID-19 emergency through remote locations and tools. Due to our office closure, please use cell phones or email as the primary contact and note that we will conduct meetings online wherever possible. Updates to our office status or policies will be posted here. F

Very much agree What are the best emails for the folks listed below? Can you share?

Thanks for bringing this up, Anne. I sent a short note to both.

I agree that a little joy would be welcome. The word I’ve heard is that AIA has restricted to COVID because every time they published anything else they got a lot of backlash for “tone deaf” communications. I imagine it’s a hard line to walk, but I think it could be messaged to acknowledge the situation and still celebrate the successes of the awards. Margaret Montgomery, FAIA, LEED AP BD+C, WELL AP Principal NBBJ 223 Yale Avenue North SEATTLE WA 98109 Direct: 206.223.5230 Mobile: 206.200.4526 nbbj.com | meanstheworld.co From: K

OK I wrote an email to Robert Ivy.. Thanks Anne. L

I just sent them a note, and I made a point of highlighting that this is a leadership moment, especially in light of last year's "Big Move", and to do anything other than celebrate these projects, firms and students runs counter to the clarity of the AIA's message.  

Here's what I (and apparently many others) have gotten back from the AIA: ------------------------------- Hello.  Robert Ivy and Jane Frederick forwarded your email to me.  I’d like to share with you the note that I have provided to some of your other colleagues who have sent this same request.  I apologize for the cut and paste:   ** Hi.  Robert and Jane forwarded your message to me.  I oversee the communications teams at AIA and wanted to share with you our thinking on this and why we made the decision to not release the COTE Top 10 this week.    The decision is less about being tone deaf and more that the announcement won’t get the coverage it deserves.  The news today is overwhelmingly focused on the pandemic.  In addition, the latest stimulus package is expected this week along with a new ABI with a negative report.  Those issues will all dominate in the news.    We want to release the COTE Top 10, but we want to do it when it stands a decent chance of getting good coverage.  We hope to do that in mid-May.   I hope this helps to explain our decision.  I agree with you that we could all use a little joy in our lives.  And we will try to get this out at a time when it will receive, as I said, the coverage it and the architects featured in it deserve.        Kathy Compton
Senior Vice President, Brand & Engagement

The American Institute of Architects
1735 New York Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20006
T (202) 626 7411
M (202) 642 0902
kathycompton@aia.org    

aia.org  

I received the same cut and paste despite addressing the fear of news coverage. I wrote back asking for a more thoughtful reply to the specific content of my letter. Sharing what I sent: I am writing regarding the AIA’s decision to postpone the announcement of the COTE Top 10 awards, including the Student Awards which are tied to internships. While we understand the focus and toll that the current pandemic has taken on all of us, we must remember that there is a more persistent, deadly and dangerous crisis we face. Now, more than ever, we must demonstrate with an urgency that addressing Global Climate Change and other environmental crises head-on cannot wait. The pandemic has brought us together in an unprecedented way as a global community, with science leading the way. This is the time to build on such momentum, not in a week or a month. We acknowledge your fear that, with the news overwhelmingly focusing on the pandemic, this announcement might get less attention than previous years. Opsis commits to sharing and promoting the announcement widely. I feel certain many of our fellow Architects and Design Firms will do the same. With online and virtual Earth Day events happening at our office and across the world this Wednesday, millions of people are coming together to demonstrate that business as usual cannot continue. We must bounce forward from the pandemic, not just back. The Cote Top 10 Awards provide hope and leadership at a time when it is needed more than ever. We urge you to share this news now, not in a week or a month. Get Outlook for iOS Heather DeGrella AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Fitwel Ambassador, EAC-PS, | sustainable design director, senior associate | she / her / hers | opsis architecture LLP | o:503.525.9511 d:503.943.6228 | www.opsisarch.com Opsis remains committed to our clients and projects and will continue working throughout the COVID-19 emergency through remote locations and tools. Due to our office closure, please use cell phones or email as the primary contact and note that we will conduct meetings online wherever possible. Updates to our office status or policies will be posted here. __