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
Building Enclosure Systems | Mar 13, 2013
5 novel architectural applications for metal mesh screen systems
From folding façades to colorful LED displays, these fantastical projects show off the architectural possibilities of wire mesh and perforated metal panel technology.
| Mar 12, 2013
NYC reinvents the pay phone
New York's Reinvent Payphones competition attracts entries that transform the concept of public urban communication.
| Mar 12, 2013
'World's greenest' office building seeks tenants in Seattle
Superefficient Seattle office building is designed to meet the ambitious goals of the Living Building Challenge.
| Mar 6, 2013
Dual towers designed by SHoP create new affordable housing in NYC
With the construction of Hunters Point South, New York City will get its first large new housing development for middle-class families in more than 30 years. Related Companies is partnering with the nonprofit Phipps Houses in the project, designed by SHoP Architects with Ismael Leyva Architects.
| Mar 6, 2013
Robert Ivy, Jerry Yudelson announced as keynoters for BUILDINGChicago
Robert Ivy, FAIA, CEO of the American Institute of Architects, will be the keynote speaker at BUILDINGChicago on Tuesday, September 10, 2013. Jerry Yudelson, PE, LEED Fellow, the author of 13 books on sustainable design, will deliver the Wednesday, September 11, keynote address.
| Mar 6, 2013
German demonstration building features algae-powered façade
Exterior of carbon-neutral demonstration building consists of hollow glass panels containing micro-algae "farms."
| Mar 5, 2013
Recycled recreation: Waste-to-energy plant combines with ski resort
A new project near Copenhagen pushes the boundaries of the term "mixed use," combining a waste-to-energy plant with a ski resort.
| Mar 5, 2013
Barbara Mullenex joins Washington, D.C., office of Perkins Eastman as principal
The Board of Directors of top international design and architecture firm Perkins Eastman is pleased to announce that Barbara Mullenex RA has joined the growing Washington, DC, office as a Principal. Mullenex joins with a distinguished career of more than 26 years of industry experience in architecture and interior design focused on hospitality and corporate interiors.
| Mar 4, 2013
Dewberry names James Draheim president of architectural practice
Dewberry, a privately held professional services firm, has recently hired James Draheim, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, as president of the firm’s 175-person nationwide architectural practice. Draheim will be responsible for all facets of the firm’s business development, operations, strategic planning, and growth.
