AIA Colorado Updates Mission Statement

“Elevating the architecture profession to design a more equitable, sustainable, and beautiful Colorado.”
New AIA Colorado Mission Statement

Here’s a breakdown of why each word was selected:

‘Elevating’ is our action, the verb of the organization—what we are here to do. It is also a subtle nod to our place in the world as the home of the greatest mountain ranges in America.

‘the architecture profession’ is our membership and our audience encompassing every career stage—who we serve.

‘to design’ is what our members do, what sets them apart from others and is the core function of their work.

‘a more’ says wherever we stand today is not where we plan to stay. Always moving forward and raising the bar.

‘equitable, sustainable, and beautiful’ is what society can expect as the result of everyone’s efforts. Better practitioners make better communities. And the order matters because unless what we do is equitable and sustainable, it won’t matter how beautiful.

Finally, ‘Colorado’ is home and our place to do what we do.

NEW AIA COLORADO IMPERATIVES

Our community has the ability, opportunity, and responsibility to advance:

A culture of belonging marked by justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Environmental stewardship to mitigate climate impacts and protect resources.

Attainable housing so our clients, our workforce and all our neighbors can live here.

Mike Waldinger, AIA Colorado CEO, worked with board members to refine the organization’s mission and vision statement, to craft language that more accurately and succinctly describes AIA Colorado’s purpose. So, he put pen to paper after undergoing the task of learning from other industries, associations, and organizations about the their own mission statements, what has worked, what hasn’t, and how to ensure that any statement would be unique to AIA Colorado.

Mike shared these thoughts with members of the AIA Colorado Board of Directors:

“The inspiration for this actually came from our recent visit to Washington DC. While we were on Capitol Hill, a work of art caught our eye in a Congressional office. It was a visual rendition of America the Beautiful. Originally written from the vantage point of Pikes Peak—our state and our ideals.

The rest is informed by working with words professionally over my career and seeing missions come and go plus the desire to more succinctly capture our purpose in one phrase versus four levels of statements.”

Recently adopted at the March 2nd Board Meeting in Boulder, we’re looking forward what the revised mission and vision can mean for the organization’s present and future.