AIA Jacksonville 2015
Mark Macco, AIA, NCARB President, Mark Macco Architects
As architects, we are trained to consider design on a macro and micro scale. How a project affects the overall urban landscape is as critical as how that project or development affects the specific site and its immediate surroundings. Therefore, it is incumbent upon architects to consider these many levels, from neighborhood to region and beyond, as they are all interconnected. For example, on an environmental level, the heat island effect is the precept that what we put on a site can increase, keep neutral or decrease the overall temperature of a neighborhood and a city. Roof color, building materials and surface parking are some examples of how we passively maintain the urban temperature through architecture. This is one example of a multiple of ways by which we can make the quality of life better for our citizens. The metric of a successful piece of architecture is not only aesthetic, but how it affects the overall health of a community.
Richard Skinner AIA, LEED AP President, Richard Skinner & Associates, Architects
As architects, we make a living by providing solutions that improve the quality of life of those we serve. Through meaningful and responsible design, we create environments large and small that can positively affect the community as a whole. That way of thinking can be of immense benefit to Jacksonville through non-profit organizations, government task forces, and leadership positions. Jacksonville has great potential, and by participating in these civic opportunities, architects can make a difference.
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