When I’m asked, “Why be an AIA member?” I usually have lots of [monetary] good reasons: access to contracts, discounts on books, someone else can maintain my CEU record, etc. On the other hand, it is fairly costly if those are the only benefits I get from my membership. Beyond the strictly financial considerations, access to colleagues and other architects rises to the cream of the crop of “reasons” why I continue to pay the admission fee. I can say from direct experience the folks I have met through my involvement with AIA Small Projects Practitioners knowledge community has been “worth” the price of admission many times over. As a small-firm practitioner, I no longer feel at a disadvantage when going head to head with the “bigger" firms on project. I know that I have developed and cultivated relationships with a wide variety of folks who I can email or call and bounce a few ideas, regardless of the root:
- design related: “I’ve got this project…”
- contractual considerations: “Have you ever seen this clause in an owner’s contract…?”
- sustainability and materials: “Do you know of a product that does such and such…?”
A few of my prized friends have evolved into a “think tank” of sorts—great for continued thinking outside the box (when coloring outside that box, we say,“What, there were lines?").
For what reasons are you a member?
—Lisa Stacholy, AIA, NCARB
Comments (3)
I'm following the same topic on another Web site. The good folks at Build LLC in Seattle posted their cost analyis of membership:
http://buildllc.wordpress.com/2008/05/21/the-aia-to-join-or-not/#comments
My comment is included; so far the only pro-AIA viewpoint.
Lisa, great blog! Thanks for putting in the time. I wish I had time to post more often.
Posted by Robert Pearce, AIA | June 2, 2008 6:10 PM
Posted on June 2, 2008 18:10
Nice timing!! After years of virtual apathy, AIA Chicago is helping me put together the first SPP Roundtable (in many years if not first ever). The roundtable is set for June.
I think Lisa's and Louis' comments are terrific and and it would be great to hear from others on why they think the SPP KC is a valuable resource.
Thanks
Posted by Bud Dietrich, AIA | May 27, 2008 8:14 PM
Posted on May 27, 2008 20:14
If you are small, you need knowledge resources. You need a research department. You need assistance in keeping up with the latest advances in your area of practice. You need to know how to overcome business hurdles. And if you don't, I do. I find the AIA's knowledge communities are good for that. I especially like the Small Project Practitioners for the mix of design and business information in the journal and the biweekly tips. The other knowledge communities have a lot to offer as well, though I am not inclined to attend conferences such as Technology and Practice sponsors. It is unfortunate but for most of the AIA, the knowledge resources are deep but you have to seek it out. The AIA doesn't know how to push information. So you have to pull. Much of what you need is free or low cost for members. Most of it is very high quality, produced by people who have practical as well as theoretical experience.
Information is a reason to join. Go get it.
Posted by Louis B. Smith | May 21, 2008 3:15 PM
Posted on May 21, 2008 15:15