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WHEN “THANK YOU” ISN’T ENOUGH CONTRIBUTORS

Bradley W. Johnson As I write this, I’m beginning my seventh week of teleworking. I have Steven K. Dickens, AIA, LEED AP
a great, architect-designed house to stay in, and I’m lucky to have a
(“It’s Not Easy Being Green”), is
job that allows me to work from home. I feel very fortunate for both
senior associate with Eric Colbert
of these things, and I try not to take them for granted, particularly
& Associates.
since many others must venture out into the world each day to do
vital things like stock grocery stores, drive buses, deliver packages, Louis Duva (“Uncommon Ground”)
and of course take care of patients in hospitals. I try to be thankful serves as the communications
for these people every day. coordinator at AIA|DC.
Behind those front-line workers are a lot of others who deserve
recognition for their organizational efforts—people such as DC Denise Liebowitz (“Out of Many,
Mayor Muriel Bowser, who has remained calm and quietly effective through this whole One”), formerly with the National
ordeal, and chef José Andrés, who originally became known for his great restaurants, but
who has since achieved even greater renown by becoming a highly admired global and Capital Planning Commission, is
a frequent contributor
WELCOME G. Martin Moeller, Jr., Assoc. AIA
local Energizer Bunny of relief work.
to ARCHITECTUREDC.

(“Hollywood on the Potomac,”

Collaboration”), is an independent
Mayor Bowser, Chef Andrés, and others like them are able to accomplish a lot because “Industrial Chic,” and “Stairway to
they have great people working for them. And that’s the case with AIA|DC, as well. These curator and writer. He is the editor
are trying times for our organization, but the handful of people who make up our small but of ARCHITECTUREDC.
incredibly effective staff have really stepped up to meet the many financial and logistical
challenges that the pandemic has posed to our organization. Ronald O’Rourke (“Liquid Asset”)
This staff includes people like Laura Headrick, who very quickly adjusted to the is a regular contributor to
changed circumstances of our many space-rental clients, who needed to know that they ARCHITECTUREDC. His father, Jack
had options for rescheduling their events. And Katie Spencer, who rapidly figured out how O’Rourke, was an architect in San
to do our events online, and then worked with Sinclaire Erdwien and Matt Blair to make Francisco for more than four decades.
that happen. Thanks to their work, we were up and running in our new online configuration
in less than a week. And Scott Clowney, who had to swallow the disappointment of closing
our exhibition galleries and postponing Architecture Month, but nevertheless moved
quickly to figure out how to show our current wonderful watercolor exhibition online.
Meanwhile, Rachel Simonson has worked steadily all these weeks to create and update
our online resources for children and educators, and Louis Duva has maintained our
communications, without which our efforts could not be made public. Melody Harrison
and Katherine Adams have kept our members and donors informed and connected. I’ve
received a number of communications from architects and members of the public
complimenting us on how well we have pivoted to these new and very trying
circumstances, and it is the work of these capable staffers that has made that possible.
Jody Cranford, who does our advertising sales, has managed even in this time of want
to find sponsors for new ventures such as our monthly webinars with the AIA|DC Board,
and our fun trivia program. Martin Moeller continues to edit the magazine—the last issue
from Italy, and this one from Miami, where he is on sabbatical—and Jim Hicks, our graphic
designer, continues his great work for this publication, even though the marathons he
enjoys running have all been postponed. And lastly there is Oscar Herrera and his team
from Edsol Communications, who provide the IT support that allows us to keep doing
everything smoothly at a distance.
To all these people, as well as others whom I didn’t have room above to mention:
Thank you is just not enough.
And I want to thank you—for subscribing to this magazine, and for your kind words
about our work, which are deeply appreciated. In this issue, which was planned before
the pandemic, we present new commercial projects—the kinds of places we look forward
to returning to when all this is over. I hope that by the time you hold this issue in your
hands, the end of the crisis, or at least the beginning of the end, will be in sight, and
that we will soon be able to welcome you back to events at DAC. Until then, stay safe
and healthy as the front-line workers and those behind them help to get us through this
extraordinary time.

Mary Fitch, AICP, Hon. AIA
Publisher
mfitch@aiadc.com
@marycfitch WELCOME 5