July 2023 Chapter President’s letter

Jul 24

A personal letter from Angela Mazzi, FAIA, FACHA, EDAC about restoration from our built environments

July has been a funny month for me as I have been mostly OOO. Our offices at GBBN closed the first week of July to give everyone a much-needed break. I was invited to Nidau, Switzerland, to speak at the Swiss Center for Design and Health Symposium (plus added on a few vacation days) and am writing this now from Chicago where I am attending the American College of Healthcare Architecture (ACHA) and AIA Academy of Architecture for Health’s joint annual Summer Leadership Summit. From my personal respite to thinking about what can be done to promote health and well being in our world, this month has been a reminder for me of how much it all depends on the surrounding environment.

While no one will argue that hiking in the Alps is a restorative activity, why should we not also expect restoration from our built environments? Whether it’s the experience of our city streets, the equity of access to resources, or the design of individual spaces to help lower stress—this is the work of architects!

Maybe you have found yourself immersed in the business of getting a project built, the logistics of operating a firm, or absorbing the impacts of new technologies. This month, I want to remind you to come back to your WHY. What we do as architects is so powerful. No matter what kind of projects you do, you are creating an immersive environment that will have either a positive or negative impact on its inhabitants. If space feels like something—why shouldn’t it feel good?

AIA Cincinnati is your partner in connecting design and experience. Many of our programs and guest speakers share expertise to help keep you inspired and aware of research and strategies. Getting involved isn’t just about learning either, it’s about the value of the network you build. On my trip to Switzerland, I met over 20 worldwide experts who are now valued contacts (three of them have become collaborators for future talks). I always call SLS the most valuable conference I attend each year because I get to connect face to face with my colleagues in the Health Architecture community from around the country. Within AIA, we have so many tremendous local resources. People who are influencing the industry at a local, regional, national, and even international level. When you attend one of our events, you have the opportunity to get to know them, like the women who attended the recent WiA dinner event, or the COTE/CRAN/EP reception at Urban Artifact that took place after the Passive House Tour. Or the VISION lecture featuring Tedd Bensen where prefabrication sustainable enclosures and passive house design was discussed.

Below is just a sample of what you can do in the next few weeks to build your professional network and expand your expertise. I hope to see you at one of these great events.

Angela Mazzi, FAIA, FACHA, EDAC
2023 AIA Cincinnati President