Photo Essay: Advocating for Architects

One way we fulfill our promise of design that makes lives better is through active support in shaping the architectural design industry. Page has a frequent presence at the AIA National Grassroots Conference, the industry’s annual leadership and legislative event for elected chapter leaders and chapter staff. This year, Page Principal and AIA Houston Chapter President John Clegg attended and Page Associate / Design Architect Shelby Blessing presented “My AIA Story: Social Impact”. See below for John’s photo essay.

Shelby was AIA Austin’s Emerging Professional of the Year in 2018 and was lauded for her contributions to the community. Among other activities, she was a leader of Page’s pro bono efforts on the design of a sustainable village for the chronically homeless and working poor and received attention for a presentation that was covered by Texas Architect Magazine on gender equity in public restroom design.

Just last month, John Clegg joined industry colleagues in Austin, the Texas state capitol, for the annual Architects' Day where architects converge to share legislative priorities and personally deliver the industry’s messages to lawmakers. This year’s AIA Grassroots emphasized chapter and community leadership and encouraged participation in a similar event on the federal level, Capitol Hill Day. First, attendees learned more about the legislative issues important to the American Institute of Architects.

This year’s AIA Grassroots theme was “People. Purpose. Partnerships.” which focused on serving as the voice of the profession, emphasizing the value of architects in society, and noting the connections and collaborations necessary to improve the quality of the built environment for all people.  John Clegg is pictured below second from the right in the US Capitol Building in between legislative visits.