In the second half of the year 2018 we have been looking to be part or to host a mini event for the Unassigned Members. It has been, and will continue to be, a challenge to bring together as many Unassigned Members to one gathering point or event, while we are scattered over 61 countries.
Sitting in South Africa, Cape Town, it has been on my agenda and possibility to bring some of our members together locally. You can count us on two hands, as unassigned members in South African, and not all of us are in Cape Town. We were also aware that in typical Architect’s fashion we all want to gain Learning units or continued professional credits to potential event we attend. It’s either that or it needs to be an event we attend for free and possible catered with drinks and food!
It has accrued to me that the end year street party hosted by CIFA (Cape Institute for the Architectural Profession) a chapter of SAIA (South African Institute of Architects) might be a good place to start in extending our hand to UAM and local architects to come together to socialize. After all, it’s for free, there are drinks and food, and the one event that draw out the largest number of architects.
We were grateful to CIFA for allowing us to be part of their end of year function and to accept our contribution in sponsoring part of the event. The event drew out over 200 Architects, Landscape Architects, Land surveyors and Quantity surveyors. We had an opportunity to speak to the crowed attending the function, briefly informing and reminding them who we are and what we do and extend our effort to come together in joint ventures as professional architect who faces similar challenges, engage and share our ideas that commonly bind us.
We had the opportunity to engage with members and architects at the AIA International Lounge stand, answer queries from architects wanting to get involved. Other questions remain, on how and what can we get involved as a joint venture, what ideas do share, what challenges can we come together on and address, and how do we do it in away that benefits all. The same question was posed to me at the A’18 conference in NYC by a Nigerian Architect.
I would like to encourage the Unassigned Members to share with us your ideas and proposals, we want to hear from you and engage with you. In 2019 we looking to tackle this question and get more UAM involved from different countries, those who have a handful of members and those who have plenty.
We look forward to getting all UAM involved and motivated to share and expand our communication in 2019.
Barak Mizrachi Int Assoc. AIA, SACAP, CIFA
Director of Unassigned Members
