By Ishita Sharma, Assoc. AIA
Transitions |
Sculpting our Identities
“As the generational gap widens, it is critical that we all get involved and participate so that our ideas are not lost in translation, or worse, never heard at all.” –Janah St. Luce, former chair of the Associates Committee, AIA Dallas Moving through life, we continually refine our roles within society, and eventually our profession begins to define how we will contribute to the bigger picture. As intern architects, we have just begun to spread our wings and sculpt our identities in our new-found architectural careers. When asked to introduce ourselves in a professional setting, most of us young intern architects give our name, followed by “I work for so and so architects.” We all often identify ourselves as parts of our employers’ organizations and forget about establishing our own identities in the larger community of the architectural profession. However, breaching that boundary is important. The more we actively broaden our horizons, the deeper is our understanding of the nuances buried in the architectural paradigm. The key to understanding is being active and reaching out to explore the field. 48
FALL 2010
The AIA Dallas Associates Committee is made of people like you. Restless and inspired, we are here to make things happen, attempting to solidify a platform that keeps young dialogue relevant and alive in the profession. Here is a place to share your visions, to collaborate with inspired peers, and to find a voice in ongoing dialogue. Being active in AIA/Associate membership establishes professional connections within the community, brings new inspiration through examples set by others, and furthers personal and professional growth—giving you leadership experience to polish that resume. We, of the Associates Committee, invite you to be a part of the larger picture, pick up the reins, and establish a broader identity through our reaches. We hope you will join us. Learn more by following us on Twitter (https://twitter.com/AIADallasAssoc), reading our blog (www.AIADallasAssociates.blogspot.com), or becoming a fan on Facebook by searching for AIA Dallas Associates Committee. ■ Ishita Sharma, Assoc. AIA, is an intern architect at Corgan Associates Inc.