Past President: Allison Beer McKenzie, AIA

Allison Beer McKenzie, AIA, Principal, Director of Sustainability at SHP

Looking back at your time leading AIA Cincinnati, what are you most proud of accomplishing? 

During my year as president, I was faced with running the search for a new executive director for the chapter while temporarily handling many of the tasks an ED would handle while we were without one. To say it was a challenge would be an understatement! I am incredibly proud, though, of the often difficult discussions our board navigated that year about the current and future needs of AIA Cincinnati and the eventual hire of Julie!

In your career, what is the biggest change you’ve seen in the field of architecture?

It’s probably the expected answer, but it’s definitely technology. When I graduated and started full time work only 15 years ago in 2006 I couldn’t have imagined how quickly virtual reality tours of buildings under design and Matterport scans of existing conditions would become a reality, just to name a couple advances. Even more than the technology itself, though, I think that advances in technology have really given younger architects a new way to quickly become experts with invaluable skills and make immediate, significant contributions to how projects are designed and documented in their firms.

Looking ahead, what is the biggest challenge facing architects working today? 

The rapid acceleration of the speed of change. Not just in technology, as I mentioned previously, but also in client needs and expectations. Architects have already been taking on the challenges of creating more resilient buildings to battle climate change, but in just the last 18 months, we now realize so much more deeply how important resiliency against things like pandemics are. Not to even mention the whiplash of 2020 with suddenly doing almost everything virtually. Architects today are going to have to be incredibly nimble and adaptable to make it through whatever tomorrow brings.

How has AIA membership benefited you? 

Honestly, it’s hard to pinpoint one thing. I tend to think of AIA membership as a layer cake of diverse benefits that all work together to make you a more well-rounded architect. Just a few of these for me include: strong connections to layers of networks at local, state and national levels, diverse continuing education opportunities, and advocacy opportunities to help me find my own voice as an architect and as a human.

What advice would you give to a recent architecture graduate? 

You will never have all the answers and that’s okay. Stay curious. Ask questions. Seek diverse viewpoints and opinions.