New Design Mandate Bills Prohibit Freedom of Expression

{"version":"0.3.0","atoms":[],"cards":[],"markups":[["b"],["a",["href","https:\/\/www.aia.org\/articles\/6475127-support-democracy-in-design","target","_blank"]],["a",["href","https:\/\/www.aia.org\/events\/6583625-lobby-day-2023","target","_blank"]],["a",["href","https:\/\/p2a.co\/pJbH9px"]],["a",["href","chrome-extension:\/\/efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj\/https:\/content.aia.org\/sites\/default\/files\/2023-07\/6.28_Congressman_Banks_letter.pdf"]],["a",["href","https:\/\/www.congress.gov\/bill\/118th-congress\/house-bill\/964?s=1\u0026r=4"]],["a",["href","https:\/\/www.congress.gov\/bill\/118th-congress\/senate-bill\/366?s=1\u0026r=35"]],["a",["href","https:\/\/www.gsa.gov\/real-estate\/design-and-construction\/design-excellence-program\/guiding-principles"]],["a",["href","https:\/\/www.gsa.gov\/real-estate\/design-and-construction\/design-excellence-program"]],["a",["href","https:\/\/p2a.co\/pJbH9px","target","_blank"]],["a",["href","https:\/\/www.aia.org\/landing-pages\/6475169-advocacy"]]],"sections":[[1,"p",[[0,[0],1,"WASHINGTON \u2013 July 6, 2023"],[0,[],0," - Amidst a recent salvo from special interests to dictate specific\ndesign styles, AIA is "],[0,[1],1,"standing firmly against"],[0,[],0," any federal mandates on\narchitectural design styles and other forms of freedom of design and artistic\nexpression. In fact, in February of this year (during AIA\u2019s 2023 Leadership\nSummit), architects from across the country visited Capitol Hill to advocate\nthe importance of design freedom in over 280 "],[0,[2],1,"Lobby Day"],[0,[],0," meetings with federal\npolicymakers. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"The recently\nintroduced bills directly track with the 2020 Executive Order (EO) issued by\nthe outgoing Trump Administration, titled \u201cPromoting Beautiful Federal Civic\nArchitecture,\u201d which AIA also staunchly opposed then. AIA has "],[0,[3],1,"mobilized"],[0,[],0," its 96,000 members around\nthe issues and is "],[0,[4],1,"working with state components"],[0,[],0," to educate lawmakers where\nthere is current support for these renewed mandates. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"AIA remains undeterred in its\nsupport of "],[0,[5],1,"H.R. 964"],[0,[],0,"\/"],[0,[6],1,"S. 366"],[0,[],0,", the Democracy in Design Act,\na bipartisan legislation authored in the House by Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV), Rep. Mike\nSimpson (R-ID), and Rep. Buddy\nCarter (R-GA); and in the Senate by Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Sen. Ben Ray\nLujan (D-NM), and Sen. Mike Braun (R-IN). This legislation would require General Services Administration\n(GSA) to adhere to the Guiding Principles of Federal Architecture ("],[0,[7],1,"Guiding\nPrinciples for Federal Architecture | GSA"],[0,[],0,")\nin the design selection process\nand to undertake rulemaking to establish this formula for success into statute.\nThis would prohibit any federally mandated design styles from being dictated to\ncommunities and would protect the GSA\u2019s Design Excellence Program in law."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Currently, the process for\nselecting the design style for federal buildings and courthouses is established\nby the well-respected Design Excellence Program at the GSA ("],[0,[8],1,"Design\nExcellence Program | GSA"],[0,[],0,"). The Design Excellence Program\nis based on the Guiding Principles of Federal Architecture as disseminated by President John F. Kennedy\nin 1962. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"\u201cTo mandate in federal law a\npreferred or default architectural style would eliminate community-centered decision making, peer review, and\narchitectural skill,\u201d said "],[0,[0],1,"Kevin Holland"],[0,[],0,", FAIA, NOMAC and member of the\nBoard of Directors of the American Institute of Architects. \u201cReplacing\nit with a bureaucratic body that prohibits community feedback and promotes one\ndesign over all others is not something the profession of architecture should\nsupport.\u201d "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"AIA remains steadfast in its\nopposition to any imposition of a particular architectural style preference\nfrom the federal government onto other communities. It has been the tradition\nof the Design Excellence Program to consider the culture, geography, climate,\nand input of the people living in the communities where the project is built. AIA invites all members to "],[0,[9],1,"take action"],[0,[],0," by urging Congressional leaders to advance the bipartisan\nDemocracy in Design Act to protect the freedom of architects and all design\nprofessionals for the future."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Visit AIA\u2019s "],[0,[10],1,"website"],[0,[],0," to learn more about its\nadvocacy efforts."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[0],1,"About AIA"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Founded in 1857, AIA\nconsistently works to create more valuable, healthy, secure, and sustainable\nbuildings, neighborhoods, and communities. Through more than 200 international,\nstate and local chapters, AIA advocates for public policies that promote economic\nvitality and public wellbeing."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"AIA provides members with tools\nand resources to assist them in their careers and business as well as engaging\ncivic and government leaders and the public to find solutions to pressing\nissues facing our communities, institutions, nation, and world. Members adhere\nto a code of ethics and conduct to ensure the highest professional standards."]]]]}