The AIA Foundation (AIAF), a nonprofit philanthropic extension of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), today announced the site of AIAF’s first Regional Resilience Design Studio, funded with an initial $250,000 social impact investment by Benjamin Moore & Co.
The studio will be housed at the New Jersey Institute of Technology’s Center for Resilient Design, based in Newark, N.J. AIAF President George H. Miller, FAIA, announced the location of the Studio and the Benjamin Moore grant at the AIA’s Annual Convention, the largest gathering of the architecture community in the United States.
The Studio is the first to be launched as part of the AIA Foundation’s National Resilience Program, which plans to open a total of five Regional Resilience Design Studios nationwide in collaboration with Architecture for Humanity, and Public Architecture.
“We would like to thank Benjamin Moore for seeing the value in this effort and for continuing to be a partner with the AIA Foundation so that we can work with our partners to make communities stronger both before and after disasters,” said AIAF Executive Director Sherry-Lea Bloodworth Botop, CFRE. “Without Benjamin Moore’s leadership and commitment, this initiative wouldn’t be possible.”
“We’re thrilled to be the founding corporate partner with the AIA Foundation, Architecture for Humanity, Public Architecture and the greater design community for this landmark initiative,” said Mike Searles, President and CEO of Benjamin Moore & Co.
“Building resilient, sustainable communities is core to who we are as a company and is a part of everything we do from our innovative product portfolio to the services and color tools we provide to the broader design community,” Searles said. “We will work with the AIA Foundation to launch the National Resilience Program and provide a fresh, new approach to how architects can learn, engage and create a more resilient future.”
"Natural disasters are a real and imminent threat, and we need to find responses that examine not only where we build, but also, if we build, then how,” said Urs P. Gauchat, Dean of NJIT's College of Architecture and Design. “NJIT’s Center for Resilient Design wants to thank the AIA Foundation for this opportunity to help communities in the Northeast anticipate and recover more quickly from natural disasters."
Bloodworth Botop joined AIAF in February after serving as Senior Adviser and Director of Strategic Development for Architecture for Humanity and is responsible for all programs and activities related to the AIAF mission.
About AIA Foundation
The AIA Foundation preserves, honors and advances excellence in design for the benefit of the public. As a nonprofit philanthropic extension of the American Institute of Architects, the AIA Foundation is the preeminent voice and advocate for architecture and design in America. The AIA Foundation is dedicated to the belief that good design is good for all and plays an essential role in transforming lives and building a better world.
About Benjamin Moore & Co.
Benjamin Moore & Co., a Berkshire Hathaway company, was founded in 1883. One of North America's leading manufacturers of premium quality residential, commercial and industrial maintenance coatings, Benjamin Moore maintains a relentless commitment to sustainable manufacturing practices and continues to develop the most eco-responsible formulations possible. In 2012, the company's Natura® paint received the Green Good Housekeeping Seal, acknowledging its high degree of sustainability plus rigorously tested performance. Other superior products in the Benjamin Moore Green Promise® portfolio include Aura®, Regal® Select, ben® and Ultra Spec® 500 paint for commercial interiors – all built upon our patented Gennex® platform that has changed the industry and earned the passion and loyalty of homeowners and professional painters by delivering extremely low-VOC and peerless beauty and performance. J.D. Power and Associates 2014 Interior Paint Satisfaction Study ranked Benjamin Moore highest in consumer satisfaction, marking the fourth consecutive year and fourth time the company has earned this rating. Benjamin Moore paints deliver authentic Benjamin Moore colors and are available exclusively from Benjamin Moore's network of paint and decorating dealers.
Related Stories
| Feb 13, 2014
University officials sound off on net zero energy buildings
As part of its ongoing ZNE buildings research project, Sasaki Associates, in collaboration with Buro Happold, surveyed some 500 campus designers and representatives on the top challenges and opportunities for achieving net-zero energy performance on university and college campuses.
| Feb 13, 2014
3 keys to designing freestanding emergency departments
Having physically disassociated from a central hospital, FEDs must overcome the particular challenges associated with a satellite location, namely a lack of awareness, appeal, and credibility. Gresham, Smith & Partners' Kristin Herman-Druc offers three keys to success.
| Feb 13, 2014
Why you should start with a builder
They say the best way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time. Expanding your building or constructing a new structure for your business, church, or school isn’t all that different. Attacking it is best done in small, deliberate pieces.
| Feb 13, 2014
Related Companies, LargaVista partner to develop mixed-use tower in SoHo
The site is located at the gateway to the booming SoHo retail market, where Class A office space is scarce yet highly in demand.
| Feb 12, 2014
First Look: Futuristic Silicon Valley campus designed to draw tech startups
The curved campus will consist of four different buildings, one exclusively for amenities like a coffee bar, bike shop, and bank.
| Feb 12, 2014
IIT's College of Architecture launches the Mies Crown Hall Americas Prize
Awarded biennially with a $50,000 prize, the program will recognize the most distinguished architectural works built on the North and South American continents in the preceding two years.
| Feb 11, 2014
Adobe Photoshop update features new 3D printing capabilities
Available as part of an update to Photoshop Creative Cloud, the tool enables users to easily and reliably build, refine, preview, prepare, and print 3D designs.
| Feb 10, 2014
Proposed parking garage will sandwich vehicles between housing and retail space
Architecture firm Brisac Gonzalez says that the design "will introduce different activities after parking hours."
| Feb 10, 2014
Architecture Design Collaborative announces firm opening in Southern California
Today, Architecture Design Collaborative officially announces the launch of its firm providing a full range of architecture and interior design services nationwide. Architecture Design Collaborative offers architectural design services, comprehensive interior design services, developer collaboration, direct tenant improvement, repositioning and site planning.
| Feb 10, 2014
Ball State to host Geothermal Conference on design, drilling and equipment - April 10, 2014
To best serve the industry, Ball State University has organized a single day conference in which participants will be able to exchange technical notes, develop understandings and share experiences with design, drilling, and equipment issues related to geothermal ground source heat pump technology.