Pub. 6 2018 Directory
7 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE SHANE JACOBS, AIA, PRESIDENT OF AIA MONTANA I ’ m in love withMontana. Further, I’mpas- sionate about everything it has to offer; our scenery, streams, mountains, plains, trees, and abundant wildlife. I also appreciate our history of agriculture, rail, forestry and mining. Our state wouldn’t have developed into what it is today without a balance of all these things. Raised in a small town at the foot of the Bitterroot Range and recently transplanted to the Gallatin Valley, I was a torn second year architecture student in the fall of 2003; not sure if I was contributing to a growing problemof sprawl andmisuse of resources. The construc- tion industry concernedme that it was leading to the demise of the very things I loved about this state. I askedmyself if I was being hypocriti- cal by pursuing a career in it just because I loved the artistic and technical aspects of creating something that ultimately leads to a building and a place. Thankfully, my design studio pro- fessor at Montana State University intervened, and shared that if I didn’t carry this torch, then someone else that is less in love withMontana will. That conversation still resonates today as I appreciate the role of the architect and the bal- ance of Montana with one foot planted in what it always has been and another in what it will be. I also have a chip onmy shoulder. Montana is beautifully rural by the standards of most people in this country and with that, sometimes we are looked down upon, “Do you even have the inter- net yet?” I’m content with being the underdog and relish in stories of brilliance and progress stemming fromour state; ones that placeMon- tanans on a regional, national, and sometimes global stage. I believe we can compete with anyone while statically speaking, the likelihood of something avant-garde originating inMon- tana is slim. We are geographically vast and population sparse. Designing froma rural place might lack some of the influences of our urban counterparts, but look at all of the inspiration that already surrounds us! One doesn’t have to look very far for evidence of our design talents and the importance of architecture. We are in a time and place where architects have never beenmore important when considering the litany of hot topics that challenge our pop- ulation centers. Issues of zoning, development, resiliency, water, community, transportation, social inequality and others that transcend urban communities are just as important here; arguably, more important. Those places outnumber us in people, but we out position them in beauty. As a result, Montana has an opportunity and responsibility to “get it right” in fewer tries for our populace. And look at all that we have to preserve, capture, and appreciate by carefully thinking about the built environment and its relationship with the natural one. I would press upon you to continue to carry that torch as practicing architects. Be concerned with your values through your designs, educate your clients and get involved in your local or state government to influence policies that im- pact our profession or the places where we live, work, and play. We need to continue to connect good design to the common citizen and our politicians by communicating what architects do, and what architecture is. Architects don’t just create pretty things, there is inherent value in architecture far beyond aesthetics: concerns for human life and health, creative problem solving, communication, disaster relief, social issues, competitive bidding, cost consciousness, future planning, global footprint, and the list goes on. Architects are uniquely trained and equipped to speak to planning, costs, materials, systems, energy, environment, human scale, and building codes. Search out venues where you can share your value whether it is part of your firm’s business development or otherwise. One of the reasons I enjoy our Fall Conference somuch is that we take amoment to pause and really appreciate that value and the quality of work that is being produced in our state. I cast my competitive spirit aside and take amoment to reflect on the challenges of the practice and the successes of the outcomes. Take a quick visit to aia-mt.org and thumb through this publication, you’ll see it reveals numerous examples of work that I believe competes on a national stage. It fills me with pride for our profession and our state as well as reassuresme of why I chose this field. AIAMontana is another source of pride. Our quality of conference offerings, our compo- nent organization, andmember services are all aspects that our neighbors in the region compliment us on. Every time I engage other components at a national or regional level I realize just how fortunate we are here. Much of that is attributed to Connie Dempster’s tireless work to keep us on point and her institutional knowledge, but attracting smart and passionate architects to our board is also something that keeps us operating at a high level. This year marks 101 years of licensure in our state and we’re 3 years away from celebrating 100 years since theMontana Chapter of AIAwas founded. That’s a long standing tradition of philanthropic, practicing architects continuing to guide, shape, and position our future-- something I am ex- tremely proud to be a small part of. It wouldn’t be possible without all of your memberships in the institute. Thank you for lettingme serve as your president. Thank you for being a part of something bigger, together. b
Made with FlippingBook
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTM0Njg2