A’22 Chicago!

by Paul Menard, AIA

I have to start this piece by acknowledging that my beloved wife of very nearly 35 years, Sigrid, died on March 1 of this year, after a tough fight with several very challenging medical conditions. Her transition has changed my life. My grief is deep and wide—and I’m heading in some new and unknown directions now.   

       I was talking with my new friend and recently licensed architect, Ginger Thompson, AIA, in April or early May about the annual AIA conference in Chicago. She had already registered and made travel plans. I had not been to the national conference since the years surrounding my last turn as AIACV chapter president in 2000. One of those was in Chicago. I always go to the College of Fellows Investiture Program when I attend the conference. It was held in the Chicago Auditorium Theater, built in 1889, last time I was in Chicago for the conference circa 2003 and was to be held there again this year. I’ll never forget watching the film My Architect by Nathaniel Kahn about his father, Louis Kahn, in this very theater. The scene where Nathaniel roller skates on the surface of the courtyard at the Salk Institute in La Jolla, gliding back and forth over the bisecting linear water feature, is forever lodged in my memory. At the time, a young Frank Lloyd Wright was employed at the firm of Adler & Sullivan as a draftsman, and he may have contributed to the design.

       I decided to travel to Chicago for A’22. Ginger and I shared an afternoon Southwest flight from Sacramento to Midway, landing in Chicago a little before 7:00 p.m. We both had rooms at the Sheraton Grand, knowing that AIACA staff was staying there and that the reception and dinner for the new fellows were to be held there. My brother, Tom, an intellectual property and patent law attorney joined me from Massachusetts and we shared my hotel room. I paid to make him an official guest, so he was able to attend the Friday afternoon keynote—former president Barack Obama in conversation with AIA president, Dan Hart. More about that later. The Opening Night Celebration was held on the Garden Terrace at the Loews Chicago Hotel under the awe-inspiring Chicago skyline all lit up with Pride Month rainbow colors. As I surveyed the crowd at this event, it was clear that the A’22 attendees were very happy to be back together in person.

       I signed up for the First Timers Experience, a new program that pairs experienced conference attendees with persons attending for the first time. I was assigned to be a guide and conference buddy for Donna Johnson, AIA, from Tennessee. We arranged to meet at the First Timers Orientation at 10:00 on Wednesday morning. The tone for our time together at A’22 was set when I texted her a description of how I looked that morning—”blue shirt, gray hair, glasses”—and she texted right back “blue shirt, gray hair, no glasses”. Turns out Donna is sixty years old, and this was indeed her first AIA national conference. We had a lot in common and had fun hanging out, attending sessions, sharing meals, and comparing career notes.

       I always bring my conference badge and lanyard home with me to remind me of my conference experience. It’s hanging nearby as I write this, the eye-catching A’22 logo running up the left side. Imagine 13,000 architects walking around the McCormick Place conference center, each one with their A’22 badge on a lanyard around their neck. You could not forget where you were!

       The AIA store was situated near the main entrance to the Exhibit Floor. I picked out two gifts for my niece, Lilly Belle—a book titled Iggy Peck, Architect by Andrea Beaty and a modular kit of architectural parts called Greenscape. As I was in line to complete my transaction, the woman behind me, who seemed very tuned in on children’s gifts, said “You know, there’s a workbook that goes with that” pointing at the aforementioned book.

       After searching unsuccessfully for a lunch spot near McCormick Place on Thursday, our group ended up at a non-descript cafeteria somewhere within the very large, multi-level convention center. We arrived there at the same time Joe Sosnowski, National Account Manager at Architectural Record, was having his lunch. We opened a conversation with Joe, which as you might imagine was not too tough when talking to a National Account Manager. The banter included stories about various architects who had decades of Architectural Record issues on their bookshelves. I sheepishly admitted to Joe that I was not a current subscriber, a condition I have since cured.  We ran into Joe on the exhibit floor the next day and he told us there was a rumor that the layout had been designed by Perkins&Will—the firm does have a Chicago studio. The design features streets, avenues, neighborhoods, parks, and effective way-finding signage. 

       McCormick Place Convention Center is located about 3 miles south of the Sheraton Grand and other hotels where attendees stayed. Shuttle buses provided the back and forth transportation. The shuttle rides were amazing networking opportunities. I would sit down next to a fellow A’22 attendee, strike up a conversation, and hand over a business card, which gesture was usually reciprocated. Two persons I met this way were Kwendeche, FAIA NOMA (National Association of Minority Architects) from Little Rock, Arkansas and Alicia Murasaki, Assistant Vice Chancellor, Campus Planning, UCSF Real Estate. Both are now in my Outlook contacts and perhaps I’ll soon connect with them on Linkedin, an adventure I have only recently begun.

       The Thursday morning Keynote Panel moderated by Lee Bey featured a trio of Fellows, Jeanne Gang, FAIA, Vishaan Chakrabarti, FAIA, and Renée Cheng, FAIA. My key take-away from this excellent discussion was Vishaan Chakrabarti saying with strong emphasis, “We must believe in smart, activist government, or we’re doomed.” As architects, we know a city like Chicago could never exist in its current form without effective government.

       Being in a big league city offered the opportunity to take in a major leage baseball game. I took our group to see the White Sox v. the Baltimore Orioles at Guaranteed Rate Field (maybe the corporate naming of ballparks has gone too far—at least we still have Fenway Park). We sat behind first base and had fun at the game. The Sox were blanked 3 – 0 by the Orioles but it was a better game than the score woud indicate, with the Baltimore outfielders tracking down several balls hit by the White Sox way out to the wall and throwing out runners at home plate.

Tom, Donna, Paul, and Ginger at the ballpark.

         The reception and dinner for the 2022 Fellows were held at the Sheraton Grand hotel. This event always sells out quickly and this year was no different. I was lucky enough to be given an opportunity to attend by Nicki Dennis Stephens, Hon. AIA, Executive Vice President of AIA California, because the architect for whom the ticket was intended could not make the trip to Chicago. I packed my tuxedo just on the off chance…Ginger was also invited as an Emerging Professional serving on the AIA CA board of directors and Michael Chambers, FAIA attended as an AIA fellow.

Part of the Sacramento A’22 contingent rubbing elbows with new AIA EVP & CEO, Lakisha Woods, and her husband.

       Back to the Friday afternoon keynote—10,000 architects in the same room with Barack Obama. This was a very special experience! The audience went nuts as former president Obama and Dan Hart climbed up the back steps to the stage. President Obama gave a big smile and said, “This is going to be a fun crowd!” We learned that the site for his presidential library is in a section of the south side of Chicago that really needs some help and that it will be a multi-building campus with emphasis on community services.

       On Sunday morning, Ginger and I shared a cab to the airport and the flight home with Nicki Dennis Stephens. It was great to hear Nicki’s perspective on this conference, past conferences, and the workings of the AIA national component. We’re fortunate to have her leading AIA California.

       I always feel some sadness at the end of a conference and especially this time. On the upside, we all made it home safe and sound with no lost luggage. Remember that A’23 is in San Francisco. Let’s put together a strong AIA Central Valley delegation and have some fun there next summer!