AIArchitect

I think identity comes after you finished your work, when someone looks at it. In that moment you may find similarity and differences between groups of the same historical period. But you as an individual, can choose your group, and may be it is not connected with your origin, or with the place where you live. I think your philosophy is more important than your origin.

(sorry for my english...I'm italian)

I would not expect an Italian-American architect or a Chinese-American architect to automatically reflect his ethnic origin on a project. It smells like segregation to me.

Architects are called to deliver a professional service at all times. I have recently completed an interiors project for an Irish pub not being either Irish nor a sponsor of the pub scene. I got the comission with a solid record of on-time, on-bugdet service.

I agree with Mr. Stanley's observation that it is only by an allignement of architect-client-program-budget interests that an architect has the opportunity to include its own cultural heritage on a specific work.

I thought this nation was trying to become color blind. With we are using hyphens to identify ourselves then I am Native-African-Irish-Scottish-French-Spanish-German-English-American. These are the one I have identify per family research so far. If I keep looking, I am sure I will find Oriental in there some where. How do I identify myself? I am a TEXAN.

While I do understand the need to come together and move forward, I have observed that in our ignorance and misunderstanding of the "differences" in us, both individually and by group, we create the problems between us.

And denial isn't going to make things any better.
This is not an individual problem but a collective one. We have to be concerned about the collective thought process of our society as a whole and not just a few enlightened or obviously divisive individuals.

OPINION: The "similarities" are designed to bring us together. Similarities allow us to unite with little inquiry and provide the "sustenance" of life. The "differences" give meaning and vibrancy to life, like the "spices" that give flavor to nourishment.

I don't see "hyphen American" as divisive. Neither do I seek to belittle anyone who does. I think we have to learn to "respect" and "celebrate" the differences between us.
Do we spend enough time learning about one another in general? Perhaps we fail collectively to spend enough time in true evaluation of what we bring to the human family as individual groups in terms of commerce, creativity, spirituality, music, dance, etc. The facts seem to be that some groups do some things better than others and it is in the sharing that we increase our collective sense of the similar... and excellence.

I am proud to be an American. I understand the need to address my African-ness. I appreciate why I am so seduced by European culture and, why I hunger to experience Eastern ways of being & philosophy.
As an architect, I find "diversity seems to be the right thing to advance if for no other reason than the other alternative is so boring", as James Wines says. Our work as architects becomes more varied, richer and more appropriate in diversity.

Finally, I am fine with the fact that I have realized the debt I as an American owe the Native American and the Eskimo.
I am amazed at the African American and all that we have endured. I love Paris and I love Dakar. My home is New York, the microcosm of our planet
I am an American first, but...

The only reason I can see to have hyphenated Americans is to prevent us from being unified.....We are Americans no matter race/color/political prefs/etc.

I am concerned about the title, African American/Euro-American, etc. This aassumes that because of my skin color I will practice in a certain style. I happen to be brown in color with an ancestary of African American, Lebanese and Native American. I have been referred to by many folks as Euro-American because of my life style and experiences. Lets drop the labels and if anything bring whatever cultural influences we have experienced to solve the needs of a very diverse set of clients.

At the age of 76, growing up in a totally white community, the title for "African-Americans" has gone from negro to colored to black to african-american. What's next?

I am an American of Scottish, Welsh, Dutch, French, English ancestry, born in the USA, and consider myself a native-american.

I agree with all of the above statements. America is a melting pot and has been for the last 600 years. We all came from somewhere else. And the same is true for the Greeks, the Italians, the Germans. Humans have been nomadic since the beginning of recorded time.
As Architects it is up to us to reflect that diversity in our buildings; to celebrate all life through Architecture and the way we experience it.

As an practicing architect I think we should quit worrying about "style" and all make a better contribution to Architecture that is timely, classic and living.
Splintering our effectiveness as Architects diminishes the total impact of our work.

What ever happened to "one nation under God indivisible.....?"

As a minority I find certain laws were a necessity to regulate negative actions of individuals. But to carry ethnic labels over to our national identity is counterproductive, I do not consider myself "something"-American.

I am first and foremost an American period.

If there happens to be a discussion or question of my ethnic origin then I address that as a separate issue of ancestry where my relatives came from.

How about just American? What's so wrong about that?

Instead of separating ourselves, we should combine and work as one.

After all the struggles to end segregation in our society, it is truly remarkable that people now actively seek it out as if it is honorable.