Bloomberg: A bid to change the face of design in America
The new president of the American Institute of Architects, Kimberly Dowdell, says that when it comes to improving cities, “architects can see the future.”
By Kriston Capps | Bloomberg CityLab
In the US, only 2% of licensed architects are Black. Less than a single percent are Black women. Architects tend to be older, White and men, as reflected by the leadership of both firms and professional groups. So when the American Institute of Architects inaugurated its 100th president, Kimberly Dowdell — the first Black woman to lead the association, and at 40 the youngest architect to ever hold the post — it suggested an optimistic change of course.
A principal and director of strategic relationships for the global design firm HOK, Dowdell comes to her new position from a leadership background. She has served as the president of the National Organization of Minority Architects and sits on the board of the Chicago Central Area Committee and Chicago Architecture Biennial, among other groups.
Dowdell spoke to Bloomberg CityLab about her goals as AIA president, the challenges facing the field and why every city should hire its own chief architect.
How does it feel, as a professional and as a Black woman, to become president of the AIA?
It’s really exciting to represent architects and the interests of architects and hopefully to bring more awareness to the impact of our built environment and the work that architects do to help create a more sustainable and equitable and beautiful world. Particularly as a Black woman, because architecture has historically not had many people in leadership who are women or people of color, and certainly not women of color, I think it represents a new sense of hope for a more diverse future. When I ran for president, my campaign slogan was “envision new possibilities.” Having stepped into this position a week ago, I think it actually does help people to envision new possibilities, indeed.
